Great X-Pectations
Based on the legendary ‘Days of Future Past’ saga which is and probably remains one of the most iconic and influential bits of X-Men mythology, I had many expectations of this film. Mainly that it would not be up to par and the movie makers would flub it. It was to my shock and pleasant surprise—that Bryan Singer proved me wrong.
Normally, time travel movies are a real mess but Bryan Singer managed to keep the plotline or timeline straight and totally believable. It’s complex, but understandable and doesn’t lose or confuse the audience yet it’s a smart thrilling ride that does it’s job of entertaining the audience and keeps you riveted from start to finish.
Not to mention that I have to hand it to Singer that he chose rather bravely not to ignore or dismiss or pretend that that the previous movies (some of them real bombs or somewhat average films) did not exist. Rather, he integrated them into this saga so that acts as a not only a prequel to the first series of X-Men films, but a sequel to X-Men: First Class. He made the X-Men franchise into a whole separate and distinct universe by drawing upon the whole and did so seamlessly. Another feature that makes this movie feel much more realistic is the fact that the writers deftly interwove real life events and history into this film with the ending of the Vietnam War going on in the background like the Cuban Missile Crisis in the previous outing.
One of the few storyline faults was the whole anti-telepathic drug thing that fixed Professor X’s legs felt rather dramatically cheap in how Charles is forced to sacrifice his refound ability to walk for his mutant powers that are more important. If I had been writing, I might have something like Charles’ sensing one of his students like one of the former First Class X-Men hurt while fighting halfway around in the world in the Vietnam War and was in telepathic contact with him or something when he was abruptly killed and he felt the death so he starts taking alcohol or drugs to dull or block his telepathy.
One of the few weaknesses of this movie is that there are a ton of background characters who we’re trying to keep track of, not just the future X-Men but the ones in the past. Some of whom, sadly enough just don’t get enough screen time but Singer doesn’t go to overkill things and overwhelm us. We get little glimpses and teasers, but it would have been great to see just a bit more. Another weakness to the storyline was how Professor X simply lets Magneto go at the very end. It just felt wrong that he takes off like that when they could have done something like Magneto proclaiming that he did all of this so that humanity would be a lot more ambivalent towards making Sentinels from now on if they could go rogue against their creators.
The actors were a great bunch in the movie. Usually, there are some great actors, a few decent to middling ones whom I get the feeling were chosen mainly because they look pretty or hot. However, for this film it wasn’t like that at all. Instead, the assembled cast were all superior actors such as Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) and newcomer Peter Dinklage (Bolivar Trask) who were both outstanding villains who manage to arouse my sympathy despite their extremist stances. Evan Peters (Quicksilver) frankly stole his scenes as the mischievous, smirking speedster and I was honestly disappointed that he didn’t have a bit more screen time. This was a character who definitely could have vanished halfway through the picture and then pop back up at the ending with nothing more than a casual, “I was bored so I decided to come back”.
Hugh Jackman as the ever pivotal and main protagonist of Wolverine was an exceptional choice. His presence in the last film, limited to a more comedic cameo only made his absence for the rest of the film more noticeable. Basically, the Days of Future Past would not have been as strong or as compelling had not Jackman lend his considerable presence to it.
And I’ll admit that I tried not to squee out loud when they stuck not only James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as the young Charles Xavier and Magneto but also had Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen reprising their respective future selves. Not to mention Famke Janssen and James Marsden make brief cameos as Jean Grey and Cyclops, which was just icing on the cake for me.
Finally, the special effects were x-cellent as well and doesn’t make any real missteps. The background sets were superb and wonderfully detailed. The broken, dark dytopsian post-apocalyptic future time of the Sentinels compared to the rather delightfully retro period of the 1970s were both brilliantly crafted and executed. The little tiny bits like the lava lamps, the fashion and hairstyles, even the video games all sell the impression of this time period.
The spectacularly skillful action bits were masterfully executed and are wonders to behold that are easily worth the price of admission at the movie theater. Not that’s that much of a surprise as comic-based movies are usually great in this regard. The F/X are usually the best part of the movie with the storyline or actors detracting against it. Here, the special effects just enhance the storyline.
The prototype Sentinels were a surprisingly classic design that harkens back to the original comics and the futuristic Sentinels were rather creepy particularly their shapeshifting abilities. Another nice effect was one of the new mutants, Blink and her tele-portals were nifty too but I have to say that Quicksilver’s bit in his kitchen fight stole the show for me—his casualness in tasting the sauce in midair to tapping the bullets’ trajectories so that they miss, giving one of the guards’ a wedgie gave the entire action sequence a plethora of comedic sight gags. Like I mentioned, Quicksilver was one of the truly great characters that I would have loved to have seen more and I thought that they should have included him in the finale as the 1970s X-Team seemed a little understaffed and overwhelmed against Magneto and the Sentinels.
This is easily the very best X-Men movie in the entire franchise so far, I think it’s going to be really hard for them to match or surpass this one. It’s just that good with a first rate storyline, peerless actors, and masterful special effects with two separate and distinct action sequences taking part across the past and the future time eras. Not to mention that it looks like they quietly rebooted things and erased the whole Dark Phoenix garbage subplot from X-Men 3: The Last Stand.
Basically, X-Men: Days of Future Past looks pretty darn good. First time viewers might be a bit lost with all of the characters and some of the backstory, but overall even someone unfamiliar with the previous movies would be able to follow the basic plot. And let’s face it, this is like the seventh X-Men movie so what is someone who isn’t a comic fan or hasn’t watched any of the earlier movies doing watching it? If you’re coming in so late, then I think you shouldn’t be complaining if you’re lost. It’s like watching the last 30 minutes of a movie and expecting to grasp the plot, the subtleties, and everything.
Even if you aren’t an X-Men fan and have simply watched a few of the previous movies, then I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with this offering. For the first time in a long time, this movie brings the X-Men into focus and returns Marvel’s Mighty Mutants back to where they belong; at the top of their game.
RATING: 4 and 1/2 STARS!!!! (and this is why I hate the fact that the new Comic Vine's Rating System doesn't allow half stars as I feel this movie was better than a mere 4 STARS yet not quite good enough to merit a full 5)
