Acting as a sequel to both 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” and 2011’s “X-Men: First Class,” Bryan Singer returns to the director chair and J.P. has his take on the latest chapter in the popular film series.
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
20th Century Fox
Directed by Bryan Singer
Produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Hutch Parker
Screenplay by Simon Kinberg
Story by Simon Kinberg, Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman
Based of “Days of Future Past” by Chris Claremont, John Byrne
Starring Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Nicholas Hoult, Peter Dinklage, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart
Studio Synopsis:
The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. The beloved characters from the original “X-Men” film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from the past, “X-Men: First Class,” in order to change a major historical event and fight an epic battle that could save our future.
Director Bryan Singer reinvented the comic book genre as we’ve come to know it. With the debut of the hugely successful “X-Men” in the summer of 2000, Singer established nothing less than a new creative aesthetic in his motion picture adaptation of the beloved comics stories and characters. That film was followed by Singer’s even more successful “X2” in 2003.
In “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” Singer returns to the director’s chair to expand upon his vision for the X-Men universe. It’s a huge and provocative story propelled by richly conceived characters. Producer Hutch Parker believes it is “a combination of Bryan’s love, attention and respect for these characters” that makes the director’s X-Men films so compelling.
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsjtg7m1MMM’]
J.P.’s Take:
Adapted from Chris Claremont’s Marvel comics storyline of 1981, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” sees a war riddled post apocalyptic future for mutant and human kind alike. Humans who sympathize with the mutant resistance face incarceration, while the mutants themselves are being exterminated in the midst of battle with highly adaptable machines called Sentinels.
Remnants of the X-Men which now consist of Storm (Halle Berry), Warpath (Booboo Stewart), Sunspot (Adan Canto), Blink (Fan BingBing), Shadowcat (Ellen Page), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), Bishop (Omar Sy) and Colossus (Daniel Cudmore); are led by the valiant Charles “Professor X” Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his arch nemesis Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a Magneto (Ian McKellen) to save their future from their past. Finding refuse in a desolated Chinese monastery they hash out a plan to go back in time to 1973, to prevent the assassination of Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), head of the Sentinel program. Trask is targeted by fellow mutant Raven Darkholm who only goes by Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).
Director Bryan Singer (“Superman Returns”, “X-Men: First Class”) returns to the “X-Men” franchise providing the audience once again with a visually stunning flick. Singer pairs up with writers Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Jumper”), Jane Goldman (“Stardust,” “Kick-Ass”) and Matthew Vaughn (“The Debt,” “X-men: First Class”) as they play with the space time continuum starting off “Days” in the year 2023. With Mystique becoming the central character of this story arch, the X-Men of the future appoints Wolverine to travel back to ‘73 where he must reunite the defunct X-Men of the past in order to stop her. “Days” moves at a juggernaut’s pace and doesn’t take a breath to churn out a complete story. However, the pace doesn’t hurt its plot points, where you do get insight as to the connections of each character. Singer and the gang keep it to the point and less perplexing, considering they’re dealing with time travel and a totally revamped franchise. Few would pick up on slight continuity issues with the plot, however, hard core fans can expect to pick holes in the story; trying to connect the dots between the new “X-Men” vs. the previous installments. What you have to consider, however, is what you’re seeing is an all new beast here. Yet, all in all this arch doesn’t really delineate all that much from “X-Men: First Class” or “X-Men: The Last Stand.” Those are the most important to pay any attention to.
In fact, once you reach the end of “Days of Future Past,” you’ll pretty much see the connection between all three. Don’t try to make any distinctions with “X-Men” or “X2: X-Men United,” however, there were a few issues that could have been cleaned up. Despite these minor details, which didn’t detract from my viewing pleasure, it truly kept my attention through out. Some key moments involve the character Quicksilver (Even Peters), as he made fools of his opponents in fight sequences. Humorous moments such as him slowing down time to reposition flying fists, guns and bullets to hit strategically where he wanted them was a hoot to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as Mystique, witnessing her ever growing vengeance and disdain towards humans was refreshing. Looking back on yesteryears “X-Men” trilogy, Mystique’s bullet points become slight pivotal plot devices in how they play out in those movies. It’s like watching the “Star Wars” franchise in reverse as you find out how Anikan Skywalker becomes Lord Vader.
Towards the end “X-Men: Days of Future Past” wrapped “The Last Stand” and “First Class” in a neat tidy package, all with a serendipitous ending. Yet, I don’t have to tell you to stay in your seat for a little treat after the credits roll. You know what’s coming next.
Over all this is one of the most hard-driving sequels of the “X-Men” series yet and would assume the next will be something to look forward too.