X-Men: Days of Future Past

In the future, all mutants (including, of course, the X-Men) are being hunted by powerful killer robots called Sentinels. These shapeshifting non-metallic machines have the ability to target and destroy every mutant on earth. All they need is the time to do it. Thankfully, Kitty Pride -- played by the wonderful, vulnerable Ellen Page -- a mutant seen in previous X-men films, has the ability to send a mutant’s consciousness back in time so as to be forewarned about upcoming Sentinel attacks before they ever happen. This allows a core group of X-men to survive, but not much more. Soon, they will be annihilated. Perhaps it was this inevitable defeat that finally brought Magneto and Professor X back together, but at the start of the film, they seem to have forgiven each other and forgotten past wounds, since they are working together to eliminate the Sentinel threat. Together, they hatch a plan to send Wolverine back in time, so that he can stop the future war from ever happening. Ironically, his task is to prevent the murder of the man responsible for the creation of the Sentinels, Bolivar Trask, whose death prompted the acceleration of the Sentinel program, instead of its intended effect which was the exact opposite. 

The murderer of Trask: Mystique, the powerful blue-skinned mutant with the ability to physically turn into anyone she pleases. If you’re reading a review of X-Men: Days of Future Past, you probably already know this, but ever since the end of X-Men: First Class, Mystique has been on a dark path of vengeance, and the only people who can snap her out of it are Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier (aka Magneto and Professor X). Essentially, Wolverine is tasked with bringing the band back together. This leads to some spectacularly clever scenes, most notably a prison break featuring Quicksilver, a mutant with the ability to travel at superhuman speeds. With all the time in the world, a wicked sense of humor, and a nicely selected 1970s soundtrack, Quicksilver makes breaking into the Pentagon look easy and quite a lot of fun. When the film represents his speed, every other character is visually frozen in time except Quicksilver who appears to move normally and takes his precious time in executing Magneto’s escape. When the film goes back to "real" time, he’s just a silver blur, capable of altering any situation (say, by stealing a character’s wallet or readjusting his gun) in the blink of an eye. The movie goes back and forth between the two, never letting his powers grow boring. I’d like to see him more in his next film, but the only potential problem I can think of is having a mutant with abilities that can counter his, something not brought up in this time around. The movie also features several beloved characters including Beast, Bishop, Colossus, Storm, Iceman, Rogue, basically every mutant seen in the past X-men as well as a few humans, and Richard Nixon. But the film keeps going back to the core trio: Mystique, Magneto, and Charles, and it’s up to Wolverine to bring together this disparate, broken family.

Charles’ 1970s introduction is an incredibly moving scene. The character has never been so confused or pessimistic as he is here. Professor X has always been the moral compass of the series, guiding others towards the best, and never faltering. Here, however, he’s a drug-addled mess who’s so stoned that he can barely use his powers, much less lead anyone else in the struggles to master theirs.

The story, which goes back and forth from a future hopefully about to be erased, and a past that could alter time for the better, does lose focus on occasion, and it doesn't make much sense. However, at least it knows where its strengths lie. I'll allow any narrative inconsistencies just to be able to have the wonderful confrontation between the two Charles Xaviers played by Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy, who have never been better, beating the casts of any movie this size (even The Avengers) with raw talent and a fascinating, unexpectedly complicated character at their disposal. I’ll also allow any excuses needed, no matter how complicated they may be, to reunite Mystique, Magneto, and Professor X. Jennifer Lawrence has done a remarkable job of turning Raven, as the character was first known, from a poor lost girl to Mystique, a ruthless killer, back again to a recognizably -- I guess there’s no better word -- human, mutant. Meanwhile, Michael Fassbender continues Sir Ian McKellen’s work of showing Magneto’s justifiable rage against the human race, but his story also takes a dark turn when he crosses an ethical boundary that genuinely took me by surprise. All I will say is that he lost hope, which led him to the dark conclusion that fueled his terrible choice. And that’s really at the heart of this movie: hope. If not in humanity or an ideal, at least have hope in a person, the film argues. That’s enough to drive humans and mutants even through the darkest of times. 

All the doom and gloom does not prevent Days of Future Past from being an incredibly enjoyable experience. There are plenty of jokes about the 70s -- flower power, waterbeds, lava lamps, only 3 Networks “and PBS!” -- and there are plenty of deadpan growls from Wolverine too. Plus, the movie has some impressive special effects, like Magneto lifting a whole baseball stadium, that are big but never overwhelming or gratuitous as they often seem in other superhero films like Man of Steel or Thor 2. 

As the film ends, it establishes, similarly to Captain America 2, a new status quo that made me giddy with excitement. Director Bryan Singer, the man who started it all, has come back to let himself free from some of the messes caused by the X-Men sequels. Now, anything is possible. I can’t wait to see which future he chooses to cast for his beloved X-Men. 

Verdict- 3.5/4
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) 2h 10min. PG-13

Random Thoughts:
- Bryan Singer also directed the unjustly maligned Superman Returns. That movie remains one of the best modern superhero films, and a benchmark for all blockbusters for that matter. It’s so good that it’s worth mentioning here, even though it has absolutely nothing to do with X-Men. So, if you can’t get to a theater, watch Superman Returns. 
- Ellen Page’s Kitty Pride was pivotal for the movie, but doesn’t get much to do. Every scene with her is fraught with tension, as she is constantly under the threat of extinction. Page is perfect, as usual, but I want to see her get more screen time, and I want to see her get her own story arc. 
- Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart forever! 
- Peter Dinklage is also excellent as Trask, but he plays the obligatory scared human who feels the need to eradicate the mutant population, seeing them as a threat. On his defense, his fears are not completely baseless as he does get murdered by a mutant in one possible timeline.