THE NEW MUTANTS (12)
★★ ★★★
CHEYENNE teenager Danielle Moonstar (Blu Hunt) is the sole survivor of a tornado which hits her tribe’s reservation.
She wakes in hospital under the care of Dr Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga), who reveals that 16-year-old Dani is on the cusp of discovering her ‘mutant’ powers.
Dr Reyes encourages her patient to join one-to-one sessions and group therapy to control her psionic energy.
Dani is introduced to the doctor’s other charges: miner’s son Sam Guthrie (Charlie Heaton), devoutly Catholic shrinking violet Rahne Sinclair (Maisie Williams), handsome Brazilian rich kid Roberto da Costa (Henry Zaga) and Russian troublemaker Illyana Rasputin (Anya Taylor-joy).
Under supervision, tempers flare and secrets emerge, compelling Dani to question Dr Reyes’ motives.
The New Mutants was intended as the opening salvo of a super-powered Marvel Comics trilogy and establishes loose narrative links to X-men mythology (Illyana is the sister of Colossus in Deadpool, the corporation behind the hospital is a clear nod to Logan’s plot).
Judged on its own meagre merits, Josh Boone’s picture works most effectively as a snapshot of teenage sexual awakening, but once the characters’ superpowers are noisily invoked, a tidal wave of digital effects blights an overblown final act, drowning out solid performances.
Available from December 28 to download and stream and from January 4 on DVD