“X-Men: Days of Future Past” could not be a more appropriate title for the dual setting film. The foreseen demise of the mutant species forces a desperate attempt to alter the past.
Two different X-Men stories are successfully combined into one film. The X-Men fight a war to prevent the extinction of mutants across two time periods.The movie’s central premise revolves around the X-Men going back in time to save their future selves.
The film begins in the future, where an infinite number of mechanical robot fighters known as Sentinels have taken over, bringing mutants to near extinction. Professor X (Patrick Stewart, “X-Men: The Last Stand”) uses his powers to watch the death of mutants, saying “so few of us left.” In an attempt to change history, the X-Men send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, “Les Miserables”) to the past to prevent an event that results in the doom of humans and mutants.
Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page, “Juno”) has the ability to send someone’s consciences back in time to their younger self. Kitty sends Wolverine’s mind back in time to his younger body, to convince young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy, “X-Men: First Class”) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender, “12 Years A Slave”) to become allies and stop Raven (Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”) from making a decision that would wipe out the mutant species in the future. The film goes back to 1973, before the characters were Professor X, Magneto and Mystique.
Raven/Mystique is captured in 1973, and seized by the government. Her DNA is used to create Trask Sentinels that change to adapt to any mutant’s powers to defeat them. Raven is projected as the downfall of the X-Men in the future because of her actions in the past. Wolverine is sent to 1973 to stop Mystique from making a fatal decision. However, Wolverine’s greatest challenge is convincing X-Men in the past that he was sent from the future.
“Days of Future Past” spends more time in the past, and at some points one may get lost recognizing whether the X-Men are in the future or the present. Wolverine’s mission connects Bryan Singer’s original “X-Men” cast with the stars in “First Class.” Wolverine is daunted with the task of completing the mission in the past before Kitty has to release his mind in the present.
James McAvoy’s performance as a young Charles Xavier really stood out. We get to see Charles before he was Professor X, as disillusioned, lacking the confidence and motivation needed to save the mutans. McAvoy excelled in delivering a dramatic heart-wrenching performance that anyone who has ever experienced disappointment, heartbreak or lost something they cared about can relate with.
Although the plot is constantly changing, those who are not familiar with the X-Men trilogies will be able to catch on to the two stories. “Days of Future Past” has a lot going on at the same time – being attentive is very important for X-Men veterans and newbies. The film is more complex than past films because of the time-travel narrative. Once one is able to accept the idea that stopping one event in the past will prevent a larger disaster in the future the plot will make sense.
“Days of Future Past” has a lot of suspense, intrigue “and laughable moments, such as revealing that President Ronald Reagan was assassinated because he was a mutant. The film successfully plays out two separate stories simultaneously. As actions of the past alter the future forever, the X-Men risk losing the war between Sentinels v. Mutants, essentially becoming extinct if they do not win one battle in the past.
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” is exhilarating, fun and action packed. The film is emotional, funny and engaging with excellent acting. As a whole the film is smart and incredibly thorough from beginning to end. This movie is without a doubt absolutely lovable.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (PG-13, 131 minutes) is playing at AMC Mazza Gallerie, Loews Uptown, Regal Gallery Place and AMC Georgetown.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
