The critics totally panned this and I couldn’t understand why. I know superhero movies can be hit or miss, but to say that The New Mutants is one of the worst movies ever isn’t exactly fair. I was interested in seeing it from the get go because it’s a new generation of X-Men. I definitely don’t think it deserves the hate that it has received, though it certainly wasn’t perfect by any means either.

Dani Moonstar (Blu Hunt) loses her family and her home in a freak accident. Finding herself in an institution after the horrific events of that night, she discovers that she is a mutant with special abilities. The only problem is that Dani doesn’t know what they are yet. Here, she comes into contact with four other mutants: Rahne (Maisie Williams), Illyana (Anya Taylor-Joy), Sam (Charlie Heaton) and Roberto (Henry Zaga). Together they are learning how their powers work under the help and supervision of Dr. Reyes (Alice Braga).

But as the days pass, Dani begins to realize that everything she has been told isn’t at all what is seems. Suddenly she is forced to question who she can and cannot trust in order to save herself.

There were some good points to this movie. I loved how there was diversity in the cast. Having a Native Indian young lady as the lead was very new and refreshing. Additionally, having a Latino male as another main character was equally exciting. I also felt that the teens in question worked well off of each other whether it was in their blooming friendships, their rivalry or their romantic relationships. I liked how there was some exploration of a LGBTQ couple and hope that in a potential sequel this will be expanded upon more.

I also enjoyed the special effects. They didn’t look too tacky or artificial which was more realistic. Similarly, the horror sub-genre wasn’t too hard for me to sit through. I usually stay away from scary movies, and despite me jumping a couple times here and there, I was entertained the whole way through.

In regards to what I didn’t like: the story was predictable at times and I felt like the big ending showdown was anti-climatic. The events transpired too quickly and the story could have been fleshed out a bit more. I also wasn’t convinced by some of the acting. Some lines were corny and I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

Overall, everyone should cut The New Mutants a break. If you like Marvel, X-Men, or superheroes, then you should definitely give this a chance. It really wasn’t as bad as everyone was making it out to be.

Rating: ♥♥♥