Captain Obvious Reviews: X-Men: Days of Future Past

This past week I re-watched all the X-Men movies. Of course like any other franchise that has lasted this long, its had its ups (X2, First Class) and downs (The Last Stand, Origins). But what really surprised me in watching the movies is how the more recent movies were able to reinvent the franchise after it had seemed the franchise ran out of creative juice. That trend continues with Days of Future Past. Not only does Bryan Singer reinvent the franchise, but he also restores it to its former glory. Combined with James McAvoy's terrific performance, Days of Future Past revives the heart, humor, action, and visuals that made the first two X-Men movies so unique all those years ago.

In 2023, the Sentinels have brought mutantkind to the brink of extinction. Almost all the mutants have been captured or killed alongside any humans that tried to help them. Using Kitty Pride's ability to send one's consciousness back in time, the remaining X-Men unite in a final attempt to save their future by sending Wolverine back to 1973. There, he must reunite a despondent Xaiver and Magneto to stop Mystique from assassinating the creator of the Sentinels, Bolivar Trask, which results in the desolate future the X-Men find themselves in.

The reason X2 is my favorite of the movies is because it feels like an ensemble piece, like an X-Men movie should be. Because Days of Future Past mostly removes that approach, I was afraid the film would be underwhelming. Mystique, Beast, and Magneto have reduced roles and while the cast from the future kick the movie off and bookend it, with a couple of scenes checking in on them in between. But as I said before, these movies have a way of surprisal. The heart and soul of this film comes from Charles Xaiver. In a way, this film serves as his origin story.

Wolverine may be the star of the franchise, but Professor X and Magneto are the pillars. In this film, Xaiver has turned his back on the world, given up his powers to walk again, and has become a shell of his former self. His character arc is about him learning the difference between control and guidance and how by healing himself, he can help others heal and move to a lighter path. In a film of so many A-list actors and characters, James McAvoy is the standout among them and becomes more than capable of carrying the film. It's a shame that Michael Fassbender isn't in the film as much as he was in First Class because the film would have benefitted from it.

As always, Hugh Jackman remains reliable as Wolverine, whose performance will no doubt be compared to other actors who will take on the role in the future. Jennifer Lawrence fares better than Fassbender as Mystique because her actions will determine the fate of the world. She is given alot more to do here compared to First Class. The weakest link among the cast is unfortunately Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask. It's not that Dinklage gives a terrible performance, it's just that his character has no motivation for what he is doing and has nothing to do outside of being the creator of the Sentinels. The one who steals the show from everybody else is the one people hated on before the film's release: Evan Peters as Quicksilver. Not only is he funny and charismatic, but he also provides the best action scene in the film. If there is anything people take away from this film, it's to never judge a character by the quality of their costume.

With Bryan Singer back at the helm, the movies feels like they have reclaimed their old identity again. When John Ottman's X-Men theme kicked-off the opening credits, I couldn't help but smile. That is also what makes Days of Future Past on of the better comic book movies. There is very genuine emotion here. When the final minutes of the film begin to roll, you will be torn between smiling or crying out of joy. The characters share some of the same feelings as the filmmakers. The regret that comes with letting things go wrong and the hope that with enough faith and guidance, the future can be brighter. The film's post credit scene also gives alot of hope for the future.

The bottom line is X-Men: Days of Future Past takes a franchise that was on the edge of collapsing in on itself and makes it feel brand new again. When a character says they've been given "a second chance to define who we are," they couldn't be more right. Just about every aspect of this franchise has been given a fresh start with the opportunity to make up for all the mistakes made in the past. Evolution is what keeps the X-Men series going and this time evolution took one huge step forward.

Final rating: 8.5 out of 10.