'X-Men: Days Of Future Past' review by Captain Raptor
I've outlined my thoughts on the X-Men franchise as a whole in my previous review of The Wolverine (check here if you haven't read it), and suffice it to say that Days Of Future Past has had me (as well as the vast majority of the geek community) salivating with excitement since its announcement. The return of Bryan Singer? All the popular and best-acted characters from the franchise thus far? The addition of Peter Dinklage? This couldn't be a more heavenly prospect.
The inclusion of pretty much all of the franchise's major characters is both a blessing and a curse. It's pure joy to see them all next to each other, and everybody gets their moments to shine. It even repairs some past mistakes by giving Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde (which, in a more just universe, would have been my favourite thing in the world ever) some interesting and dramatic material. The problem with trying to squeeze everybody in is that great characters such as Beast or Ian McKellen's elderly Magneto really don't have much to do, and provide far less excitement and fun than we've come to expect from the characters. There aren't any bad performances, but there aren't any truly spectacular ones either due to everybody's limited screentime. It's telling that despite all the returning favourites, the highlight of the film is probably newcomer Evan Peters' hilarious performance as Quicksilver, either due to a lack of expectation or because he's a fresh new element. Speaking of fresh new elements, Peter Dinklage makes a welcome addition to proceedings, adding sprinklings of pathos and menace to what could have been a thoroughly bland role. The dramatic performances are all strong but the highest praise in that area deserves to go to James McAvoy, particularly for his first scene, showing great range in the time that he has.
The things that the X-Men films have always excelled at are just as good as they've ever been: the wit is on-point, the writers excellent employ their one permitted use of the word 'fuck', and the action is awesome in both senses of the word, incorporating jaw-dropping, large scale destruction as well as up-close-and-personal combat to full effect. The story and the logic that drives it is a little preposterous, but that really comes with the mantle of a superhero movie. As is the case with the better X-men films, the fantastical (but admittedly somewhat ridiculous) plot is undercut with messages about prejudice and acceptance, that whilst not being groundbreaking or complex still have the potential to be touching, or at the very least engaging. Singer's touch doesn't feel as definitive as it did in his earlier films, and a fair proportion of the film feels like repetition (the scene in which Mystique infiltrates the corporate building of her enemy feels like an almost exact duplicate of the similar scene in X2), but that's partially the consequence of being the seventh film in a franchise that's had five directors.
Considering the multitude of components that this film is trying to juggle, X-Men Days Of Future Past does a remarkable job of remaining straightforward and entertaining. That said, it could still do with being a little longer to allow the audience to indulge in a more vibrant or complex film. Aside from this, the film does very little wrong, and it's certainly the best X-men film for over a decade. It's every bit as funny and action-packed as I'd hoped for, even if it's a smidgen less epic and dramatic than I'd have liked. Strong performances abound from both the old and the new, and Singer easily demonstrates why he's a perfect fit for the series. It's truly wonderful to see the gang like this, all together and all thoroughly entertaining. This should enrapture fans on every level, and I should dare say introduce more than a few new ones to a wonderful, wonderful world.
The things that the X-Men films have always excelled at are just as good as they've ever been: the wit is on-point, the writers excellent employ their one permitted use of the word 'fuck', and the action is awesome in both senses of the word, incorporating jaw-dropping, large scale destruction as well as up-close-and-personal combat to full effect. The story and the logic that drives it is a little preposterous, but that really comes with the mantle of a superhero movie. As is the case with the better X-men films, the fantastical (but admittedly somewhat ridiculous) plot is undercut with messages about prejudice and acceptance, that whilst not being groundbreaking or complex still have the potential to be touching, or at the very least engaging. Singer's touch doesn't feel as definitive as it did in his earlier films, and a fair proportion of the film feels like repetition (the scene in which Mystique infiltrates the corporate building of her enemy feels like an almost exact duplicate of the similar scene in X2), but that's partially the consequence of being the seventh film in a franchise that's had five directors.
Considering the multitude of components that this film is trying to juggle, X-Men Days Of Future Past does a remarkable job of remaining straightforward and entertaining. That said, it could still do with being a little longer to allow the audience to indulge in a more vibrant or complex film. Aside from this, the film does very little wrong, and it's certainly the best X-men film for over a decade. It's every bit as funny and action-packed as I'd hoped for, even if it's a smidgen less epic and dramatic than I'd have liked. Strong performances abound from both the old and the new, and Singer easily demonstrates why he's a perfect fit for the series. It's truly wonderful to see the gang like this, all together and all thoroughly entertaining. This should enrapture fans on every level, and I should dare say introduce more than a few new ones to a wonderful, wonderful world.
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