Is it possible to create an engaging film, set up new mythologies, retcon and reboot an entire franchise in one film? The answer, if X-Men: Days of Future Past is any indication, is a resounding yes. Much was expected of this film. This movie had to balance a ton of X-Men actors (all but two from the original trilogy and first class returned), multiple timelines, one of the most dastardly villainous machines ever in the Sentinels and still work. Luckily for us, the cast, director Bryan Singer and writer Simon Kinberg deliver in spades.
X-Men:Days of Future Past starts off with a voice over explaining how the sentinels have been targeting humans and mutants, which leads us into a rousing battle where we see how advanced the sentinels are, easily besting several members of the team. However, we find out that the battle hasn’t happened just yet. Kitty Pryde has the ability to send folks back in time and has only been able to do so for short moments because of the brain capacity. The X-Men down to their last hope decide to send Logan back in time to unite Charles and Erik and stop Mystique from killing Bolivar Trask, the creator of the sentinels.
However when Logan is sent back in time, he finds the task more difficult than he originally thought. It’s the 70s, he’s adamantium-less and Charles and Erik couldn’t be more estranged. X-Men: Days of Future Past then takes off from there, having these two powerful men reconnect and forcing them on a collision course that will determine whether the war will end, or take on another form.
While there may be better written films this year, I doubt any movie will have as difficult a job as X-Men: Days of Future Past did in having to balance so many competing elements. The script for this movie is so well thought out; I never felt like the time travel stuff was wonky and the movie makes wise use of previously established relationships and digs new ground. The movie is not without its faults script wise however. The movie relies too much on camp and heavy handedness in moments where it shouldn’t. We can see that characters have to make choices, yet this movie often finds a million ways to TELL us this. Being earnest is one thing, but this film often straddles the line of being too earnest in its message. In the end though I must commend Simon Kinberg on wiping the horrible taste of X-Men 3 out of my mouth and finding a way to retcon and reboot the entire X-Men canon in one movie, while still making the stand alone film incredibly kinetic.
On the acting side, it’s hard to judge the movie as there are so many actors, that it’s not really about the performances so much as the ensemble being together. That being said, I thought there were a few MVPs. Evan Peters’ Quicksilver, whose look in the film is so awful, but that can’t be helped, is quite fun. His scenes felt like the most fun use of a mutant power and he has an energy that just jumps off the screen. Nicholas Hoult continues to be one of the unsung heroes of these new films, as his Beast is incredibly sympathetic yet again. But my favorite performer is definitely James McAvoy. Often overshadowed by his hunkier leading man in Fassy, McAvoy commands every moment. Being able to let his hair down (literally) seems to have allowed him to breathe new life and give new nuances into a character that can get quite stuffy.
Grade: ***1/2/**** (B+/A-?)