BELSER MOVIE REVIEWS: “X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST”( SPOILER-FREE).
Now If you don't know you should know, they call me "The Belser". I am widely considered a living, breathing encyclopedia of useless facts. I'm sure you're saying: "what qualifies me to critique movies?" Well.....nothing really but I really love comics and I really love movies. Now if you agree with my assessment of this film, comment and show your appreciation. If you don't, KEEP THAT SHIT YOURSELF. It helps nobody and make you look like a douche nozzle. I just want the chance to share my thoughts with like minded people. It's all love, people. Now that's that lil' 'disclaimer' is out of the way, let's get down to business, shall we? Now, I checked this movie out this afternoon in 3D at my local cineplex and I absolutely loved it.
Here’s the story: In the distant future, giant robots called Sentinels are killing both mutants and humans. A small band of mutants led by Storm(Halle Berry), Wolverine( Hugh Jackman), Professor Charles Xavier( Patrick Stewart) and Magneto( Ian Mckellan), put together a plan to send Wolverine's consciousness back in time to prevent Mystique( Jennifer Lawrence) from murdering Bolivar Trask( Peter Dinklage from GAME OF THRONES), the creator of the Sentinels. Trask's assassination will make him a martyr in the eyes of the people, Mystique will be "captured and tortured' and her mutant powers will be used to create the unstoppable Sentinels of the future. Professor X tells Wolverine to seek out his younger self ( James McAvoy from X-MEN FIRST CLASS). So with the help of the young versions of Xavier, Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and even Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Wolverine has to intercept Mystique and stop the dark future from happening. First off, to me, the X-Men comic book storyline “ Days of Future Past” is an essential read for anybody thats into or wants to get into comics. I’ve seen it put into different forms of media. The best example being a couple of excellent two-part episodes for the “X-Men” cartoon that come on Fox in the 90’s(“ Days of Future Past” and “One Man’s Worth”). I suggest you check those out. Now here are my notes.
DIRECTION AND WRITING: Now, I will admit I kinda gave up on the X-Men film franchise. The first two directed by Bryan Singer and X-Men First Class were all great movies. Everything other than that was been ‘aight’ at best. The best thing they could do for this franchise was to bring back Bryan Singer as the director. They don’t do well without him and he doesn’t do well with them (Singer’s first movie after X-Men was the awful SUPERMAN RETURNS and that was the last movie he did until this one). Plus, the X-Men movie universe was getting full of continuity errors (Xavier walking in two movies but crippled in the present, three different chicks play Kitty Pryde, the girl who walks through walls, etc.), so they used the best possible way to fix it all in one shot: Time Travel. By altering the past right after X-Men First Class, it alters and cleans up everything after that and they wrap up a lot of loose ends.
ACTING: Most of the characters from X-Men First Class and the original X-Men movies appear together in this movie and it is a great sight. It reminds me of that movie STAR TREK: GENERATIONS where the cast from the original Star Trek meets the cast of Star Trek the Next Generation (Patrick Stewart was also in that movie too). The old favorites return (Wolverine, Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Storm, Iceman, Colossus, etc.). A few new mutants join the cast like Warpath, (a super strong Indian), Bishop (a favorite for the 90’s X-Men fans like me) and Quicksilver (who has arguably the best scene in the movie). Aside from the new folks, all the actors know their parts and own them in this movie. They are so good that, at times, you don’t feel like you’re watching a comic book movie. That, to me, is the best kind of acting.
PRODUCTION DESIGN AND SPECIAL EFFECTS: Props to the wardrobe people on this movie. All the 70’s props and threads look authentic and all the future gear looks awesome. The special effects were top notch and I was very impressed.
FINAL WORD: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. This is the only movie I've seen so far this year that is close to or just as good as CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (my #1 movie this year). This is a game changer for the X-Men franchise and I personally think it’s the best X-Men movie yet. Also, stay after the credits. They introduce a classic X-Men villain and it is BADASS. So worth the money. Not only do I give this movie the Belser Seal of Approval, but I will give it my highest award,THE ALL-STAR (Named after my favorite Snork). I’ve given the All-Star to only a hand full of movies since I started this and it states that this movie is a “MUST WATCH”. Go and Check it out!