Okay let's pull some Quotes from this review that supposedly shows that Dark Phoenix failed thru "no fault of its own:"
"Dark Phoenix struggles to give Jean any true personality or identity."
"...her newfound godlike powers serve as merely a McGuffin for the villains to pursue and an excuse for the heroes to splinter apart in melodramatic fashion."
"The Phoenix force itself is left unexplored and hazily defined."
"Sophie Turner plays the three shades of Grey that Jean’s given here -- scared, sobbing, and seething..."
"The tragedy of Jean’s plight never quite carries as much weight."
"Dark Phoenix never gives Chastain’s character or any of her acolytes any dimension or personality..."
I mean if *that* is the hill you want to die on, then knock yourself out.
Well, let's go over his points:
"Dark Phoenix struggles to give Jean any true personality or identity."
But this has been an issue for cinematic Jean since the first film. They've always struggled to give her a defining personality outside of "telepathy woman"... Although this film probably highlights the problem because Jean is the main focus.. Fair point
"...her newfound godlike powers serve as merely a McGuffin for the villains to pursue and an excuse for the heroes to splinter apart in melodramatic fashion."
I mean, that's what the movie is about. Multiple groups/factions going after Jean, each wanting to use/control her powers for their own benefit. I don't see how the concept of the plot is bad on it's own.
That's like saying "The Infinity stones serve as a mcguffin quest for Thanos to kill a bunch people while the heroes chase him around the universe"
"The Phoenix force itself is left unexplored and hazily defined."
I don't think Kinberg would've been able to truly define the Phoenix as this cosmic life/death incarnate of all creation, within the grounded confines of this movie. Or rather,
illustrate that fact, which seems to be what the critic asking for, since Chastain's character does explain the Phoenix force as being exactly that.
"Sophie Turner plays the three shades of Grey that Jean’s given here -- scared, sobbing, and seething..."
Not sure what other sides he was expecting to be explored in this movie besides those negative emotions-- Considering the Phoenix force manifests as an uncontrollable power that Jean, herself, does not understand.
"The tragedy of Jean’s plight never quite carries as much weight."
As opposed to what, exactly? The comics had 17 yrs to build up the Phoenix story and give Jean's downfall a significant amount of weight
But again, this movie takes place 10 years after Apocalypse, so the development of those relationships required* to make this movie actually
mean something, is assumed to have already happened, and that's how the movie treats it. This is definitely a major issue with the movie, the entire thing feels rushed, and as a result, uneventful. But it's an angle/gimmick that the entire PT goes with, so Dark Phoenix is hardly unique in that aspect
Dark Phoenix never gives Chastain’s character or any of her acolytes any dimension or personality..."
I mean, yeah. Valek or Volok (forgot her name) is a one-dimensional character who only serves to advance the plot, and be an exposition machine. But somehow, Thor: The Dark World, which features one of the most boring, worst written villains in the MCU, has a much higher score than Dark Phoenix.
Dark Phoenix is not a perfect movie by any means. It's not a GREAT film but IMO, it's not outright terrible either. At worst, it's just a mediocre film about a tired concept in a tired franchise that should've ended with LOGAN. Now of course everyone is subject to their opinion but some people treat Dark Phoenix like it's Fant4stic, a movie that has no second act! That level of incompetence is just.. Not found in this film
Anyway, speaking of Gambit, I'm partial to the idea of MCU Remy being played by a trans actor. I think that's a wonderful way to bring some much-needed, meaningful trans rep to the X-Men's ranks.
I guess my whole life is a lie then 
