5 Things About ‘The New Mutants’ That Made Zero Sense and 5 Things That Made Perfect Sense

‘The New Mutants’ mixed a coming-of-age story with horror. It put five young mutants in a locked facility and asked them to face their fears. The idea was strong and the cast had charm.

But the movie often bent its own rules. Some parts clicked and felt true to the characters. Other parts left big questions. Here are the highs and head-scratchers.

Zero Sense: A single doctor guards five dangerous mutants

The facility holds teens with volatile powers, yet only Dr. Reyes is on staff. There are no nurses, guards, or backup when things go wrong.

This setup breaks the story’s own logic. One adult should not run a high-risk site alone, especially when the patients can blow through walls or warp reality.

Perfect Sense: Dani’s fear creates real nightmares

Dani’s power turns people’s deepest fears into lifelike visions. Each character sees a nightmare tied to their past.

This fits the plot and the horror tone. The scares feel personal, not random, and they push the team to face trauma.

Zero Sense: The promise of a “better school” drags on too long

Reyes keeps telling the group they may go to a safe school later. The teens accept this for days despite mounting red flags.

With powers like teleportation, flight, and super-strength, someone should test the limits sooner. The long wait makes the group look passive, not cautious.

Perfect Sense: The Demon Bear as Dani’s unchecked power

The Demon Bear is not a random monster. It is the shape of Dani’s fear when her power is untrained.

This tracks with what we see. The bear grows when Dani panics and weakens when she calms down and takes control.

Zero Sense: Orders to kill Dani waste a rare asset

Reyes receives a kill order once Dani looks too dangerous. This clashes with the facility’s goal of assessing and using mutant abilities.

If the point is to weaponize power, eliminating a unique reality-warper makes little sense. Containment or transfer would be smarter inside the story’s world.

Perfect Sense: Illyana’s Limbo and soul sword rules

Illyana’s stepping disks move her through Limbo. In Limbo, her soul sword and dragon companion are at full strength.

These rules stay consistent during fights. When she leans into Limbo, her power spikes. When she stays in the normal world, she is more limited.

Zero Sense: The barrier and surveillance keep changing

Sometimes the dome feels unbreakable. Other times the team roams freely and tests edges without clear response. Cameras catch small pranks, yet miss bigger threats.

The security level seems to shift to fit the scene. That makes the setting feel like a prop, not a real place with fixed systems.

Perfect Sense: Rahne’s faith and guilt shape her choices

Rahne carries trauma from religious abuse. Her wolf form and her scars tie closely to that past.

Her bond with Dani and her cautious nature match that backstory. Her instincts to protect, then to stand up, feel earned.

Zero Sense: The smiley men hurt people like they are real, without setup

The smiley men start as Illyana’s fear, yet they cut and bruise like physical beings. The movie does not set clear stakes for when visions can cause harm.

Without firm rules, any threat can be “real” whenever the plot needs it. That undercuts tension, because the audience cannot predict outcomes.

Perfect Sense: Teamwork beats the final threat

Each mutant brings one piece: Illyana controls space, Rahne scouts and strikes, Sam absorbs impact, Roberto brings raw power, and Dani learns control.

They do not win alone. They win by syncing powers and trusting one another. That message fits a young-team story and lands well.

Share your take: which parts of ‘The New Mutants’ worked for you, and which made you shake your head?