Hayden Cole
Butler Lantern
The New Mutants is a suspenseful thrill ride from start to finish. With amazing special effects, a compelling story that addresses both obvious and subtle issues within society, a cast of fantastic young actors, The New Mutants is a deeply complex film with multiple elements that make it well worth watching.
The film follows the struggles of a group of young adults held in a mysterious facility. All of them with some sort of mutation, the extent of their mutations doesn’t become clear until much farther into the movie. From the moment the main protagonist wakes in the facility, something is not quite right. There is only one doctor, who keeps them inside the compound with a force field. As the movie progresses, it dives into the deeply tragic origins of each of the protagonists. The film blends several genres very well. With elements of horror and constant suspense and mystery, it grabs your attention at every turn.
The film calls to light many issues on the surface, as well as representing several underlying metaphors for other issues. A large portion of the movie centers around the inner struggles of the protagonists trying to learn to control their powers, being taught that they can’t be trusted to live normally in society because of their condition, which they have no control over. There is also an important LGBT aspect to the movie culminating is several on screen kisses, while not forcing the romance and making it an important part of the plot, giving proper representation to the LGBT community. The film also refers to sex trafficking and the lasting destructive impact it can have on the victims.
The cast features a fantastic line up of young actors and actresses. Blu Hunt, who plays Danielle, delivers an emotional performance that tugs at the heartstrings with her very strong portrayal of the suffering incurred by survivors’ guilt. While Anya Taylor-Joy, known for her roles in Split and Morgan, grabs the audience’s emotions with her character’s tragic origin and switches between accents during the film becoming confusing. Henry Zaga, previously appeared in shows such as 13 Reasons Why and Teen World, plays a rich, snobbish jerk who just wants to leave. However, further in the movie, the arc of his character deepens, and it becomes clear why he is a jerk. Charlie Heaton, previously on Stranger Things, does an excellent job of displaying the desire to try to heal and grow from his trauma. However, his southern accent is unnecessary to the development of his character and detracts from what he is saying. Maisie Williams, previously Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, shows the dangers of being too committed to a religion that refuses to accept her for her mutation or sexuality instead branding her as a witch.
Overall, I found the film very compelling, with most elements functioning together smoothly. There are parts that can become confusing if you aren’t paying close attention, combined with some of odd choices made by the actors, does take away from the quality of the film. I say the film deserves a little more credit than it is being given. I give the film a 7.5/10.
