If there’s anything that Marvel fans want to do, it’s go
back and erase Brett Ratner from the X-Men timeline. It would seem that Bryan
Singer may just have found a way of doing that. X-Men: Days of Future Past welcomes back the director of X-Men, and X2: X-Men United, and understandably, we’re excited. And for good
reason. X-Men: Days of Future Past
secures itself safely as one of the best X-Men films yet.
In a dystopian future, where machines known as the Sentinels
have hunted mutants to the brink of extinction, a few surviving X-Men band
together in a last ditch effort to change the past and end the war before it
begins. Being the only one able to survive the process required, Wolverine’s consciousness
is sent back fifty years to the point when an assassination by Mystique
triggered a chain of events, leading to the future that the X-Men know.
It’s a great story, and is told well, jumping between the
two time zones throughout the film. There are two storylines in progress, but
both are kept simple enough not to get confusing, and is a good way of
combining the two casts. Any fans of the original films may feel a burst of
nostalgia in seeing the return of Halle Berry, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page and
Patrick Stewart, as well as being pleased by the appearance of some new
characters, such as Peter Dinklage, who plays the film’s villain, Bolivar
Trask.
All the stars deliver stellar performances, with Jennifer
Lawrence’s Mystique being equally as sinister and deadly as she is sympathetic.
By far the most likeable character is Quicksilver, who’s moments in the film are
easily the most entertaining, even if they aren’t the most action packed.
Don’t get me wrong, the action scenes are certainly intense
and spectacular. The opening scene features a battle between some Sentinels and
mutants, and this is undoubtedly one of my favourite action scenes of the
entire franchise. For the first time we see various mutants (some familiar,
some new faces) combining their powers in ways we haven’t seen, and the results
are incredible to watch. Similarly, in the climax, where the X-Men must defend
against a horde of Sentinels, we see longtime enemies such as Storm and Magneto
join forces, leading to an action scene that is nothing short of epic.
As a whole package, the film works incredibly well, and
serves as a great way to bring the two, much loved casts together, as well as
bring back Bryan Singer to right the wrongs caused in his absence. There are a
few holes here and there, things that need explaining, such as Ellen Page’s new
ability to send people back in time (yes is was her, not Xavier!), but these
can be overlooked in light of the many highs that the film hits.
From the spectacular opening, to the mesmerizing climax, Days of Future Past is a thrilling
action adventure, that does justice to the series of the same name from the comics.
It feels good to see a much loved storyline done well, especially after Ratners
merciless butchering of the Jean Grey/Phoenix saga.
With a good director back at the helm, the X-Men franchise
returns to our screens with a bang, and will definitely leave audiences eager
for the release of X-Men: Apocalypse,
even if it’s just for more Quicksilver.
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