Who wants to pretend X-Men: The Last Stand didn’t exist? *Raises hand* No worries, your wish has finally been granted. The events of X3, along with nearly the rest of the established cinematic X-Men continuity, have been wiped out. It’s ambitious, it’s ballsy, and it works, as a sequel and as a reboot. With an engaging storyline that competently builds on all the relationships established among its ensemble cast, Days of Future Past cements itself as the best in the series.
The strongest aspect of this latest X-Men is its characters, a strange thing to say about a $200 million blockbuster. That’s not to say the expected spectacle doesn’t deliver. There’s a great sequence featuring Quicksilver doing a slow motion whirlwind and RFK stadium is completely lifted up in the air. The visual effects are generally impressive, but there’s the sense that they exist to complement the story and cast rather than the other way around. Making a triumphant return to the series, Bryan Singer displays some nice subtle touches, such as a slow motion shot of Xavier blowing dust off Cerebro.
Given the apocalyptic future that’s trying to be prevented, things have never been more bleak. We don’t feel safe about the fate of any mutant, a superhero movie rarity. Fans who feel previous X-Men have been Wolverine and Friends will have less to complain about this time around. While Wolverine still has the most screentime, a strong argument can be made that he’s merely a supporting character to the Xavier-Magneto-Mystique trio that forms the film’s thematic and emotional core. There is perhaps one dramatic, pleading speech too many, but this familiar Martin Luther King vs Malcom X dynamic lends effective weight.
Days of Future Past continues the franchise’s impressive return to form that began with First Class. And with the slate wiped clean, the future certainly looks promising. Bring on Apocalypse!
Dogomon 