Days of Future Past Official Rate and Review DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - Part 1

[Kermit_The_Frog]

Days of Future Past was a fantastic film. And the haters? What else can they do but hate?

 

[Avenging Angel]

I wish I could vote on it. I'd give it a 10 just for the dialogue alone. I had memories of X2 every time I watch it.

 

[ArmsHeldOut]

My long-overdue review of X-Men: Days of Future Past

Earlier last year, movie-going audiences around the world were treated to the release of 20th Century Fox's X-Men: Days of Future Past, a film which marks the return of director Bryan Singer to the helm of the franchise he helped spawn over 14 years ago.

It's not my custom to delve into spoilers, but I will say that over a decade has passed since the events of X-Men: First Class. The once resolute Charles Xavier has become a broken man, a shell of his former self; Erik Lehnsherr, linked to the assassination of a prominent US political figure, is being held captive in the Pentagon; Raven, no longer content following the ideals of either mentor, and spurred on by the death of several close comrades, has embarked upon her own path of retribution. She is, in some respects, the centerpiece of the entire prequel series comprised of this film, the aforementioned First Class and culminating in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. Enter Logan aka Wolverine, whose consciousness is sent back through time in an effort to stymie the rise of a dystopian future where woefully misguided humans have at long last won the war against their would-be evolutionary successors, mutantkind. It's a Pyrrhic victory at best, however, as both species and subspecies come to see their ranks hit hard in the process. Certainly, it goes without saying that the stakes have never been higher for our heroes, and just about everyone else.

An ensemble piece, Days of Future Past boasts quite the plethora of characters. Fortunately, and perhaps surprisingly, it doesn't ever feel disjointed; and that's owed largely in part to Simon Kinberg, the talented screenwriter behind the film's narrative. Kinberg succeeds here by harmoniously interweaving a number of select performances into the plot, each of them serving an essential purpose. Even amid the most grandiose, action-heavy sequences, very little is thrown in that isn't conducive to the structural framework as a whole. What's more, the vast majority of esoteric elements designed primarily for the benefit of hard-core fans are introduced in a way that's still accessible to broader audiences.

Unlike the first batch of X-Men movies, the latest installment takes a refreshingly novel approach in examining its humanist themes (e.g., marginal group persecution and the futility of war) by giving them a more subtle yet effective treatment. It's only in the film's overtly powerful presentation of hope that it nearly crosses over into heavy-handed territory—but wait—this isn't the kind of unwavering hope that's practically become something of a cliché in modern cinema. It's the kind that fades over time only to be rekindled in the flames of our darkest hours.

Of course, when trying to find the perfect balance between two extremes, you often risk going too far or not far enough, something that Singer, Kinberg, and others involved with the production undoubtedly know all too well. Passing up the chance to play it safe, they instead undertook a film project tied to a highly successful and well-received series, and opted to steer it in a completely new direction, one designed to have more intellectually evocative appeal in spite of evidence showing that a large percentage of the key demographic favors kitsch over substance. What appears to be significant in this endeavor was their understanding of the fact that, contrary to popular belief, meaningful and thought-provoking fare can actually be fun.

Simply put, X-Men: Days of Future Past encapsulates virtually everything I ever wanted to see in a motion picture based on comic book superheroes. Emotionally complex and socially relevant, it elevates the genre, while fully embracing the more colorful aspects of the source material. The dialogue is witty in all the right places, proving that comedic parts written for summer blockbusters need not always be of the juvenile variety. There's nothing but solid acting all-around; standouts Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy once again bring a gravitas and verisimilitude to their respective roles as Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier. To reiterate the above, I'm not one to give away big spoilers, but you might want to keep an eye out for a role-reversing update on a revered teacher-student dynamic as well as a jaw-dropping scene featuring the Jim Croce classic "Time in a Bottle." Watch it today!

 

[psylockolussus]

Nice long-over due review!

 

[AlmightyWho]

This film just keeps climbing higher and higher on my favorite superhero movie list. When it was in theaters I would rank it around my 7th or 8th favorite-now with more re-watches and the Rogue Cut the film has slide ip to my top 5, maybe even top 3.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

just bought this on blu-ray. best xmen movie i've ever seen.

 

[8ulk]

just bought this on blu-ray. best xmen movie i've ever seen.

Agreed. Much better than 1st Class or X1 and X2.

It was much more intense and the stakes were higher.