Days of Future Past What you didn't like about X-Men:DOFP - Flaws/Critiques

[Shikamaru]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Also, did Magneto grab those Sentinel blueprints from that room? I don't remember seeing him do that. Even if he did, how did he know where the Sentinels were going to be?

Also wasn't fond of one particular scene with Quicksilver. It's the scene everyone loves. I thought he was way too overpowered in it, and it feels like they did it to make him look cooler.

 

[xtianrobi]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Also, did Magneto grab those Sentinel blueprints from that room? I don't remember seeing him do that. Even if he did, how did he know where the Sentinels were going to be?

Also wasn't fond of one particular scene with Quicksilver. It's the scene everyone loves. I thought he was way too overpowered in it, and it feels like they did it to make him look cooler.

Magneto did get the Sentinel blueprint when Mystique jumped out of the window and he did know because Trask was in there and you can see the suitcase with a projector of the head of the sentinel

 

[kevork89]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Also, did Magneto grab those Sentinel blueprints from that room? I don't remember seeing him do that. Even if he did, how did he know where the Sentinels were going to be?

Also wasn't fond of one particular scene with Quicksilver. It's the scene everyone loves. I thought he was way too overpowered in it, and it feels like they did it to make him look cooler.

Before Magneto goes after Raven in Paris he grabs the projection wheel featuring the designs of the sentinels. He does this after shooting her but before going out after her. I still think the Mystique DNA is the sentinels ability to shift. And rogues DNA so the ability to change into other mutants powers. But by scrapping rogue they scrapped that part too.

 

[xtianrobi]

Before Magneto goes after Raven in Paris he grabs the projection wheel featuring the designs of the sentinels. He does this after shooting her but before going out after her. I still think the Mystique DNA is the sentinels ability to shift. And rogues DNA so the ability to change into other mutants powers. But by scrapping rogue they scrapped that part too.

Yeah but still they did show that the Sentinel can use Rogue's power.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Also, did Magneto grab those Sentinel blueprints from that room? I don't remember seeing him do that. Even if he did, how did he know where the Sentinels were going to be?

Also wasn't fond of one particular scene with Quicksilver. It's the scene everyone loves. I thought he was way too overpowered in it, and it feels like they did it to make him look cooler.

Quicksilver is very powerful. Humans wouldn't stand a chance against him.

You'd defeat him the way anyone would in the comics. Remove him from whatever surface he's running on (Jean Grey), land a lucky shot on him with something moving at light speed (Cyclops, Storm) or shut him down mentally (Xavier, Jean).

He's not the Flash. He cant travel through time or outer space with his powers. But he's got superspeed. He's very powerful. But most of the mutant power displays are very grand in this specific movie.

Mystique snuck into rooms with world leaders TWICE with a firearm and was described as being able to order a nuclear strike as the US president.

Magneto lifted an ENTIRE stadium, while flying, along with controlling the intricate functions of 8 sentinels.

Xavier used Cerebro to not only locate a mutant but speak through several humans nearby that mutant. He also entered one person's mind in the future and spoke to his own future mind through that mind.

I mean, if you ask me these mutants are all becoming "OP" and if everyone is OP, no one is OP.

 

[henzINNIT]

Also, it could be brushed off as just Xavier's memory. Eric was there at the time the original Cerebro was being built, and Eric was helping him build the first class at the time as well. Considering it was around 40 years ago, relative to when he said Eric helped him build it, he might be just mushing his memories together.

That doesn't address the fact that it was meant as an explanation for how Eric was able to avoid detection via the helmet.
Of course, as you mention, he likely was exposed to the workings during his time with Charles, so that still makes sense.

HOWEVER, the BIGGER problem is that the helmet wasn't even Eric's! First Class has Shaw with it originally, I'm assuming designed from experience with Emma's telepathy.
Not to mention, Charles seems to be informed of the helmet's ability to prevent him from mentally accessing the wearer, so the fact that he's puzzled by it initially in the original movie makes no sense.

Erik not helping build Cerebro is major in my opinion. Stryker uses Magneto's intimate knowledge of its construction to build his own. It can't be a case of mis-remembering. Not only is it a huge plot point, it's so easily fixed as well. Ah well.

The helmet thing doesn't really bother me. I never thought Prof. X came across as too shocked about the helmet. He explains to Logan than Erik has somehow found a way to block his telepathy, but that could be simply dumbing things down for the new guy.

DOFP helps with the helmet issue too. Though it first appears in First Class, Erik is captured a year later, and the helmet is taken away from him. In the unaltered timeline, it is entirely possible that Charles never encounters Erik in a helmet again until X1 - 40 odd years later. At that point I think it's fair enough to be surprised by a new helmet, espcially as it couldn't be known that Magneto could even build his own.

 

[Havok83]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Trask did experimentation on tons of mutants in secret and you'd have to imagine that those that continued on with his plans did the same. The had access to a lot of mutant DNA. It stands to reason that those were built into the sentinel in addition to Mystique's. Her power allowed them to shapeshift which was key to the "adaptation" that they kept slinging around. We saw a diamond form which presumably came from Emma, claws from Deathstrike, etc.... Without Mystique's DNA, the sentinels would not be able to shift their forms to adapt to the different mutants they would try to kill/capture. Im surprised so many people had trouble with this as it seemed pretty clear the way it was set up in the film.

Yeah but still they did show that the Sentinel can use Rogue's power.

actually they didn't. Rogue steals and uses powers upon touch which drains a person, making them weak/pass out in the process. No sentinel exhibited that ability

 

[Octoberist]

I would say that the digital cinematography is mixed at best. At times it's pretty, then there's times when it looks videoy which was strangely apparent with the scenes in Vietnam. It's weird. Or when they use the steady cam.

The funny thing is that the same cinematographer did a great job with 'Drive'. Never did it look overly digital or videoish.

 

[CyclopsWasRight]

I think the film has some bull science in it, a flaw First Class had as well.

The biggest one is with the Sentinels' abilities. Can someone please explain to me how Mystique plays into that? Last time I checked, Mystique can only shapeshift her form, not other mutant powers. Where's Trask's logic behind that?

Also, did Magneto grab those Sentinel blueprints from that room? I don't remember seeing him do that. Even if he did, how did he know where the Sentinels were going to be?

Also wasn't fond of one particular scene with Quicksilver. It's the scene everyone loves. I thought he was way too overpowered in it, and it feels like they did it to make him look cooler.

They took her ability to shape shift. I don't think their was any power absorption, but mutant abilities coded into them. A Sentinel turned into diamond ( Emma Frosts power) decades after she was killed and mined for her DNA.

Yes he took them, I think there was also a scene of him looking them over. As to how he found them he was shown at a Trask facility, probably found out from there where they'd be.

The helmet thing doesn't really bother me. I never thought Prof. X came across as too shocked about the helmet. He explains to Logan than Erik has somehow found a way to block his telepathy, but that could be simply dumbing things down for the new guy.

DOFP helps with the helmet issue too. Though it first appears in First Class, Erik is captured a year later, and the helmet is taken away from him. In the unaltered timeline, it is entirely possible that Charles never encounters Erik in a helmet again until X1 - 40 odd years later. At that point I think it's fair enough to be surprised by a new helmet, espcially as it couldn't be known that Magneto could even build his own.

True he says "he seems to have found a way of blocking my telepathy" but he doesn't mention the helmet at all. He could be referring to Magnetos lair which had some kind of telepathic blocking since Magneto walked around without his helmet on

This keeps getting mentioned and I don't see the issue. Its a comicbook movie. How many of them end with the heroes losing in the end? The X-men have won their battle in every single one of these films. Seriously, before you even hit the theater, you can bet on that happening like 99% of the time. All the ending to this film is show you who doesn't die.

Agree, it was clear as day Iron Man wouldn't die in Avengers as he had a movie the following year. We know that Cal will survive avengers 2 as he has a movie the following year.

Does it ruin the struggle? A little yeah but it's the same in comics, the heroes win and even when characters die they'll be back soon enough, it's just part of the genre

 

[Spider-Fan]

Erik not helping build Cerebro is major in my opinion. Stryker uses Magneto's intimate knowledge of its construction to build his own. It can't be a case of mis-remembering. Not only is it a huge plot point, it's so easily fixed as well. Ah well.

The helmet thing doesn't really bother me. I never thought Prof. X came across as too shocked about the helmet. He explains to Logan than Erik has somehow found a way to block his telepathy, but that could be simply dumbing things down for the new guy.

DOFP helps with the helmet issue too. Though it first appears in First Class, Erik is captured a year later, and the helmet is taken away from him. In the unaltered timeline, it is entirely possible that Charles never encounters Erik in a helmet again until X1 - 40 odd years later. At that point I think it's fair enough to be surprised by a new helmet, espcially as it couldn't be known that Magneto could even build his own.

Well, who says in the week they train together in FC that he didn't help Hank and Charles build cerebro too? Sure, he didn't build the CIA one, but he very well could have made the mansion one (but it was never shown). Nothing says that didn't happen afterall.

 

[CyclopsWasRight]

Well, who says in the week they train together in FC that he didn't help Hank and Charles build cerebro too? Sure, he didn't build the CIA one, but he very well could have made the mansion one (but it was never shown). Nothing says that didn't happen afterall.

just because it isn't shown doesn't mean it didn't happen.

 

[josh8]

Most of the critiques I have were visual.

- All of Mystique stunt fighting was lackluster. I think it was the camera work and editing this time around.

- Storm and Magneto's flying (hovering) was very pedestrian and was so obviously wirework. In this day and age, with movies like the Harry Potter series and Man of Steel... it's pretty unacceptable. Storm supercharging the blackbird also happened really fast and jerky that it looked like the movie went into pre-visualization animation for a split second. Magneto's flight with the stadium looked fine though.

- Beast's 70s looks just didn't work well when he was transformed. Shouldn't have went with so much orange and red.

- Louise Mingenbach once again turns sexy people very unsexy. I know it's the 70s, but luckily Fassy's natural charisma overcame his weird wardrobe. He did look awesome though when he went to get his helmet. Halle on the other hand... what was that look in the fixed future scene??? Storm being my favorite, I would have DIED if they finally took the opportunity to give her the beautiful wind-rider look at the end since this was the "love letter" film for the OT. Instead we got the short hair and blazer combo. Blech!!!!

- Future Xavier gathering everyone and telling the plan was pretty cheeseball. Could have worked on the dialogue a bit.

- Speaking of dialogue, what was the point of keeping everyone's dialogue in the future so minimal? It would have taken maybe TWO MINUTES of the running time to give them a few things to say and make them all seem like slightly real characters. Bad writer! Bad Singer!!


But overall these are just nitpicks. I loved the movie so much. I was actually fairly happy with most of the costume/clothing design (Colossus, Bishop, both Magnetos, both Logans, Kitty, Iceman, Storm's uniform). The sets looked great... the mansion has never looked better and more atmospheric. The 70s Sentinels were amazing in just being police robots and not ridiculous Transformers or something. Bravo!!!

 

[josh8]

Well, who says in the week they train together in FC that he didn't help Hank and Charles build cerebro too? Sure, he didn't build the CIA one, but he very well could have made the mansion one (but it was never shown). Nothing says that didn't happen afterall.

ABSOLUTELY.

The major one IMO is Xavier saying he met Erik when he was 17. It's just one line, but as of yet, it's the only real one that can't be explained with some hand-waving.

 

[josh8]

Oh and I really would have loved if there was a scene in the movie where Raven's voice started slipping into (and then back out of) robotic mode to represent her descent to soullessness.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

ABSOLUTELY.

The major one IMO is Xavier saying he met Erik when he was 17. It's just one line, but as of yet, it's the only real one that can't be explained with some hand-waving.

That was one line though. Magneto building Cerebro is a major plot point in X2

 

[josh8]

That was one line though. Magneto building Cerebro is a major plot point in X2

As others have said, it could be inferred that Magneto helped build it since he was around when the school was starting up. Maybe he collected the metal they needed hahaha.

And yes, I acknowledged that it's only one line, but the fact that we have SEEN them meet in a film makes the difference to me. It could be explained someday that they ran into each other by some chance encounter, but right now that one will stick out to me when I watch X1. Just my opinion.

 

[Legion]

Trask did experimentation on tons of mutants in secret and you'd have to imagine that those that continued on with his plans did the same. The had access to a lot of mutant DNA. It stands to reason that those were built into the sentinel in addition to Mystique's. Her power allowed them to shapeshift which was key to the "adaptation" that they kept slinging around. We saw a diamond form which presumably came from Emma, claws from Deathstrike, etc.... Without Mystique's DNA, the sentinels would not be able to shift their forms to adapt to the different mutants they would try to kill/capture. Im surprised so many people had trouble with this as it seemed pretty clear the way it was set up in the film.

actually they didn't. Rogue steals and uses powers upon touch which drains a person, making them weak/pass out in the process. No sentinel exhibited that ability

Trask also talked about Evolution. The way I see it is Mystique's power was the only one the Sentinels utilized. It was just taken a few steps further. The Sentinels could create various stabbing weapons such as spears and claws. They could also create drills with moving parts. This isn't something Mystique could do. It's too complex. But the Sentinels can. They could also change their molecular structure instead of just changing their appearance.

If the Sentinels were just like Deadpool from XMO: Wolverine, enemies that had a collection of powers from other mutants, wouldn't Xavier have mentioned that they had a collection of powers? No, he only mentioned Mystique's abilities.

Trask never said, "Imagine Sentinels that can retain the abilities of every mutant I've captured...". He imagined Sentinels that could adapt to counter any opponent they might face. This means that they need to be dynamic. Choosing from a number of saved abilities isn't dynamic.

It would seem pretty important to stop the other mutants from being captured as well if that were the case. Also there were mutants captured that do not seem to add to the deadpool theory such as Banshee and Angel.

 

[Tehmeh]

Let's see. I'll list my nitpicks, but I'll also list my thoughts about them in a positive light.

1) I have my reservations about the serum (both Xavier and Beast).

2) I can nitpick about Magneto controlling the sentinels too. Does he reprogram them (blueprints, metal shards going into the sentinel's "brain"), or does he just shove enough metal in them to be controlled by force?

3) For the viewer (me) there's not much time to breathe and process information, everything moves from one scenario to another so damn quickly. Some elements could've/should've had more focus.

4) Xavier being alive is a subject not discussed or explained to the audience (me).

--------

But....

1) I can go with the serums. I don't like it, but it doesn't take me out of the movie. It also helps Charles to get his moment where he overcomes his struggles.

2) If Magneto reprogrammed the sentinels or just controlled them with "force", I can find a satisfactory explanation for both scenarios. The "studying the blueprints" scene, train scene and sentinel behavior in the end can support both theories. Not ideal, but certainly not grasping or reaching either.

3) ...and here's where the film's biggest compliment comes in: In 2 hours and with such a fast pace, the film manages to feel intact and whole. It's really an achievement.

4) In 2023, it's not news to any mutant around Xavier and doesn't need to be discussed. We as viewers may want to be a little spoon-fed with this, probably with a short montage in the beginning of the film, but the story itself doesn't warrant that subject to be touched at all.

 

[BlackFox]

I like it when people answer their own questions, saves time for the rest of us

 

[Havok83]

Trask also talked about Evolution. The way I see it is Mystique's power was the only one the Sentinels utilized. It was just taken a few steps further. The Sentinels could create various stabbing weapons such as spears and claws. They could also create drills with moving parts. This isn't something Mystique could do. It's too complex. But the Sentinels can. They could also change their molecular structure instead of just changing their appearance.

If the Sentinels were just like Deadpool from XMO: Wolverine, enemies that had a collection of powers from other mutants, wouldn't Xavier have mentioned that they had a collection of powers? No, he only mentioned Mystique's abilities.

bc Mystique was the most important one. Without her abilities, the sentinels abilities would all be moot bc her power was needed for the adaptation and spontaneous shifting for adaptation. It was feasible or practical to stop Trask from capturing other mutants. For the sake of simplifying it and having one specific mission, the focus was placed on Mystique and prevent her capture trumped any other

Trask never said, "Imagine Sentinels that can retain the abilities of every mutant I've captured...". He imagined Sentinels that could adapt to counter any opponent they might face. This means that they need to be dynamic. Choosing from a number of saved abilities isn't dynamic.

that sounds like it supports the theory that the sentinels WERE using the abilities of the mutants Trask captured

It would seem pretty important to stop the other mutants from being captured as well if that were the case. Also there were mutants captured that do not seem to add to the deadpool theory such as Banshee and Angel.

Not really bc they only had one chance to go in the past. Its not like they could have sent Wolverine multiple times to stop various mutants from being captured. Not that Xavier would know the details of all that or all that were captured. He did know about Mystique and the exact event when that happened. With that info, they could go back and change things bc then at least the sentinels they were facing in the future would never have been created.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

We don't hear Bishop's backstory or even know why he has the M on his face. His story could have been a powerful one. Matter of fact, none of the future mutants really share anything about themselves or have much conversation aside from talking about time travel and fighting sentinels.

Kitty's new power is never explained.

Young Beast and his growly voice gets on my nerves.

There are more but they don't come to mind at the moment.

 

[Majik1387]

The M on his face was from when he was in the mutant camps. They clearly showed mutants had an M carved on their eye and when it referred to humans they had no scars. It's implied, that's why it wasn't explained.

Kitty gained a new power; doesn't need explanation.
Late-blooming power, secondary mutation, extreme phasing of conscious instead of just physicality, etc.

 

[Havok83]

We don't hear Bishop's backstory or even know why he has the M on his face. His story could have been a powerful one. Matter of fact, none of the future mutants really share anything about themselves or have much conversation aside from talking about time travel and fighting sentinels.

He has it for the same reason he has it in the comics. The M was placed over mutants in the concentration camps. While they didn't specify that for him, it was shown on some mutants when I believe it was Xavier filling in the gaps of how the world went to hell. Presumably, that's how Bishop would have received it. They probably could have had him chime in and explain that bit but I guess they didn't want him to take away from Xavier

 

[Human Torch]

As others have said, it could be inferred that Magneto helped build it since he was around when the school was starting up. Maybe he collected the metal they needed hahaha.

And yes, I acknowledged that it's only one line, but the fact that we have SEEN them meet in a film makes the difference to me. It could be explained someday that they ran into each other by some chance encounter, but right now that one will stick out to me when I watch X1. Just my opinion.

It could've been easily fixed if they'd had a scene of Mags helping Charles build the one in the mansion.As it is,I'm struggling to recall what purpose they actually had in breaking Eric out in the first place.

Presumably to talk Mystique down because she trusts him,I know.But it backfired on them big time.It would've been nice to see Eric do something constructive with Charles in their brief time together.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

He has it for the same reason he has it in the comics. The M was placed over mutants in the concentration camps. While they didn't specify that for him, it was shown on some mutants when I believe it was Xavier filling in the gaps of how the world went to hell. Presumably, that's how Bishop would have received it. They probably could have had him chime in and explain that bit but I guess they didn't want him to take away from Xavier

I know why he has it. I wanted him to talk about it in the movie, though. It would have been an emotional moment.

The M on his face was from when he was in the mutant camps. They clearly showed mutants had an M carved on their eye and when it referred to humans they had no scars. It's implied, that's why it wasn't explained.

Kitty gained a new power; doesn't need explanation.
Late-blooming power, secondary mutation, extreme phasing of conscious instead of just physicality, etc.

Once again, I know why he has it. I wanted him to talk about it in the movie.

And Kitty's power does need an explanation for me. It's nice that you can give your own theory for it, but I wanted the movie to delve into why she suddenly has such a new and extreme ability.