X-Men: Days of Future Past

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So here we are...summer...time for big FX movies. We've had Spiderman, X Men, Captain America and Godzilla. After all those Mac Pros, pushed to the limits animating these things, you'd think I'd be impressed, but after numerous reboots, do-overs, new cast members, sequels, prequels and revisions, it might be time for fall. We did X Men (and women) tonight and while it wasn't bad, I did leave feeling like it was Deja Vu all over again...Ground Hog Day? Just how much more blood can you get from this turnip? Ok acting was competent, script writing kept adding new twists and with each iteration the FX get better. I was entertained for 2 hours. On the way home, however, I stopped to gas up and realized that I could barely remember what happened except that X Men characters went back and time to save the day that way. No big surprises in this one, but it's not bad. I just can't help feeling that we need to give Marvel a rest for a while, but the end of the credits suggested that there won't be any rest just yet. I didn't notice a Stan Lee cameo, but if there was one, even that's a do-over.




Yeah Ive heard about the same. "Its not bad but not mindblowing either". At least its better than X-3 and the 2 Wolverine movies



28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
With Singer back in the fold, many people felt like the series was back in good hands. He comes back after the failed attempt at reviving the Superman franchise and a battle of a fairy tale, Jack The Giant Killer. Those two projects seemed to fail with critics and audiences alike, so Singer is back to the films that made him a household name. I would personally like to see another small scale film like Apt Pupil or The Usual Suspects, but the guy has a visual eye that blends well with the big budget scaled films, so I'll take him here. Singer opens with a well choreographed fight between mutants and their new enemy, the Sentinels. Some neat powers are introduced, such as portals used by a new mutant Blink, which aid in the fight against these mutant killing machines. Once we get passed the explosive opening, we are given the set up, Logan must travel back in time and change the future. Some expository dialogue from Xavier and we are on our way back to the 70's.

Now, for people wanting to know where we are in the X-Men timeline. The past sequences are after the events of First Class, so the rift between Erik and Charles is present, but it is before the events of X-Men Origins, so before Logan has his adamantium. He's stuck with his bone claws here and in a surprising turn of events, we hardly get to see him use them. While a lot of the other films were "Wolverine" heavy, DOFP seems to be more of an ensemble piece, giving equal time to much deserving characters. A new addition, Peter AKA Quicksilver, has the most memorable sequence in the film and his scenes again, show the visual excitement that Singer brings back to the franchise.

In the past, Logan has to convince Xavier to help him, but he has lost the use of his powers due to an experimental drug he uses developed by Hank McCoy (Beast) that gives him the ability to walk again. Xavier is stuck in a depressed isolated place, he's lost his friend Erik, Raven has abandoned him, the school is shut down. He's not in a good place. Logan has to do for him what Xavier did for Logan back in the original films. Help him find his way. McAvoy isn't afraid to let the character, who is almost always calm, cool, collected and smart...with more of an edge. He's lost, he's refusing to acknowledge his power exists. Magneto on the other hand is in prison. People claim he is responsible for the assassination of JFK and they need to bust him out. They still don't see eye to eye and Fassbender brings the angry hostility that a young man with a lot of power would have. He wants to be the superior species whether he is or not. His plan in't the same as Logans/Xavier's and the conflict arises.

Back in the future, Patrick Stewart, Ian Mckellen, Halle Berry, Ellen Page and others are given nothing to do but basically wait. Time is running out for them as Sentinels close in. They try their best to fend them off, but their screen time is a little too short for us to fully invest. Singer relies heavily on previous films for us to care. Most of the conflict is in the 70's. Which look like a far out time to live in. Lava lamps, Vietnam, Nixon, etc. The world Singer creates feels real enough and he follows in the footsteps of First Class director Matthew Vaughn in having mutants be responsible are involved in our real human history. This is a nice touch that pulls the audience in, gives us something more to chew on.

As dark as the film is, Singer has just the right amount of light comedy to remind us that we are watching a comic book film. A wink and a nod here and there are welcomed, especially those who are fans of the comics and know certain character relations. DOFP is exciting, thrilling and one hell of a ride. I'd place this entry up there with X-2. It tries to mend the broken bones that was left behind from Ratner and his Last Stand, which was a poorly written, visual disaster. Yet DOFP falters in some areas, mostly in the continuity round.

First Class screwed up a lot in the continuity department with the other films. Certain character relationships, history, plot, etc. Last Stand screwed things up with unemotional character deaths and juggling of two awesome stand alone story lines into one big mess. DOFP doesn't feel like it has to answer some important questions. Like, how does Wolverine has adamantium claws in the future, who know from the events of The Wolverine he doesn't. How does Xavier still have his body? he transferred consciousness in the end of Last Stand. Who built cerebro? Two conflicting answers. Why does Logan have white hair when he "doesn't age" but everyone else looks the exact same age. Some interesting things I thought to myself was when Logan goes back in time, Xavier is depressed...he hasn't changed the past yet, so what was it that originally brought him out of his funk to form the x-men? Why is his relationship with Mystique so important now, but never mentioned in the other films? Chalk this up to oversight when the originals were made, but it would still be nice to see them correct this mess in the film.

It seems they wanted to hit a big RESET button, which they did, but I still have my questions, questions I feel will never be answered, but that's just the film student comic geek in me talking. DOFP is THE summer blockbuster of this year and one helluva good time.

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"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews



9/10

I have to classify this film as a work of art/comic book pulp fiction. The characters, effects, and story are all outstanding. This really is a love letter to the first two x-films as well as the perfect extension of the First Class movie. I’m surprised how tied it is to past efforts. The more you remember and know of the other films, the more enjoyment the viewer will receive.

Singer masterfully orchestrates what could very easily have gotten away from a director. The film is all about story first and that’s what elevates it. Much like a championship sports team, egos are checked at the door and each member does what is best and what is needed to win. Here, this stellar cast each pitches in with not one character taking center stage. Yes, some arcs are stronger than others but everything flows to connect story first… and that story is remarkable. It succeeds in re-setting the entire X-Men Universe. One negative of that is that fans of individual characters may be left wanting more. Besides Quicksilver’s awesome scene, there really isn’t one stand out action sequence for any one character. Taken individually, even Wolverine doesn’t do much at all. Colossus is again under-used and most of what the new mutants bring to the table was seen in the previews and trailers. The original Sentinels don’t do much either. Yet, the plot, intensity and performances make this film “championship caliber” because the entire effort makes it one satisfying and very thrilling ride.

One of the best films of the entire year.



\m/ Fade To Black \m/
I really enjoyed this film, tbh I have enjoyed all the xmen films... some more than others of course
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Founder of DejaScene.com
I enjoyed the storyline in this (for the most part), I must say, not a fan of the ending although I do see the potentials that it opens up for future movies...

My all-time fave is still X-Men Origins: Wolverine!



This film is amazing...but not how you think when that word is used to describe a film.

It's amazing that I enjoyed this film despite everything I'm about to say.

I won't criticize continuity because that's a horse that can be flogged to death and there's no real need. I'll just say continuity here is as abysmal as with First class.

First off, when watching the trailers and seeing the 2 hour run time I expected something epic and mind blowing. What I got was a film that the entire plot can be described in one sentence. With words to spare. There is almost no story at all and what is there makes almost no sense if you think about it more than 10 seconds. Magneto doesn't need to be released from prison. Quicksilver doesn't need to be in the film at all. The scene in Vietnam was pointless. The resolution would seem to provoke even more human war against mutants than less.

While this feels the most like an X-men ensemble cast as opposed to all the others that were about Wolverine, there is zero character arc. No one seems to learn anything. No one changes in an organic or important way. Mystique's motivation is flimsy and her decision making is irrational. And why waste a talent like Jennifer Lawrence in a part that requires less than nothing of her? Magneto makes up some goofy plan in the end of the film that is nothing more than grandstanding and murder which is exactly what the Nazis did during WWII. Odd that Magneto does the same thing to humans that made him what he is in both this and First Class.

I didn't hate this film, but there's just nothing about it that is really amazing other than one spectacular shot of Quicksilver in action. Overall I'd give it 2 1/2 out of 5.
__________________



Founder of DejaScene.com
This film is amazing...but not how you think when that word is used to describe a film.

It's amazing that I enjoyed this film despite everything I'm about to say.

I won't criticize continuity because that's a horse that can be flogged to death and there's no real need. I'll just say continuity here is as abysmal as with First class.

First off, when watching the trailers and seeing the 2 hour run time I expected something epic and mind blowing. What I got was a film that the entire plot can be described in one sentence. With words to spare. There is almost no story at all and what is there makes almost no sense if you think about it more than 10 seconds. Magneto doesn't need to be released from prison. Quicksilver doesn't need to be in the film at all. The scene in Vietnam was pointless. The resolution would seem to provoke even more human war against mutants than less.

While this feels the most like an X-men ensemble cast as opposed to all the others that were about Wolverine, there is zero character arc. No one seems to learn anything. No one changes in an organic or important way. Mystique's motivation is flimsy and her decision making is irrational. And why waste a talent like Jennifer Lawrence in a part that requires less than nothing of her? Magneto makes up some goofy plan in the end of the film that is nothing more than grandstanding and murder which is exactly what the Nazis did during WWII. Odd that Magneto does the same thing to humans that made him what he is in both this and First Class.

I didn't hate this film, but there's just nothing about it that is really amazing other than one spectacular shot of Quicksilver in action. Overall I'd give it 2 1/2 out of 5.
I very much agree. The sad part is I'll buy the blu ray to extend my collection and watch it again.



SPOILERS AHEAD.

This film is amazing...but not how you think when that word is used to describe a film.

It's amazing that I enjoyed this film despite everything I'm about to say.

I won't criticize continuity because that's a horse that can be flogged to death and there's no real need. I'll just say continuity here is as abysmal as with First class.
Agreed, the continuity in this film is garbage. No explanation for important things...come on Fox.

First off, when watching the trailers and seeing the 2 hour run time I expected something epic and mind blowing. What I got was a film that the entire plot can be described in one sentence. With words to spare. There is almost no story at all and what is there makes almost no sense if you think about it more than 10 seconds. Magneto doesn't need to be released from prison. Quicksilver doesn't need to be in the film at all. The scene in Vietnam was pointless. The resolution would seem to provoke even more human war against mutants than less.
I'll argue some points here. Logan and Xavier were under the impression that Magneto could help them to get Mystique because she left Xavier to go with him. She was seduced by his confidence in himself. What they didn't count on was him going rogue. They needed Quicksilver to get him out, that is clearly evident. But what I don't get is why they didn't KEEP Quicksilver with them. He seems to have a pretty useful power here and they don't take advantage of that. How easy would it have been if they brought him, he used his speed to capture Mystique and the assassination never takes place? Boom done. Doesn't make for an exciting movie, but it's a plot hole that I just can't ignore.

While this feels the most like an X-men ensemble cast as opposed to all the others that were about Wolverine, there is zero character arc. No one seems to learn anything. No one changes in an organic or important way. Mystique's motivation is flimsy and her decision making is irrational. And why waste a talent like Jennifer Lawrence in a part that requires less than nothing of her? Magneto makes up some goofy plan in the end of the film that is nothing more than grandstanding and murder which is exactly what the Nazis did during WWII. Odd that Magneto does the same thing to humans that made him what he is in both this and First Class.
Disagree. Mystique clearly has a character arc here and so does Xavier. Both people are lost, for different reasons. Xavier purposely pushes his power away to give him to ability to walk...to be normal. This is exactly what Mystique wanted to be in First Class...normal. This is what Beast wants to be...normal. He finally realizes that in order to save humanity's future (or Few-cha and McAvoy says it ) he has to put his own wants and desires (walking) aside and use his power to aid Logan and find Mystique. This is a huge character arc for him, he LEARNS something here. He finally decides to not try to control Mystique and let her make her own decisions. These plot points and character motivations were huge in the film, how can you ignore them and say this film has none?



SPOILERS AHEAD.




Disagree. Mystique clearly has a character arc here and so does Xavier. Both people are lost, for different reasons. Xavier purposely pushes his power away to give him to ability to walk...to be normal. This is exactly what Mystique wanted to be in First Class...normal. This is what Beast wants to be...normal. He finally realizes that in order to save humanity's future (or Few-cha and McAvoy says it ) he has to put his own wants and desires (walking) aside and use his power to aid Logan and find Mystique. This is a huge character arc for him, he LEARNS something here. He finally decides to not try to control Mystique and let her make her own decisions. These plot points and character motivations were huge in the film, how can you ignore them and say this film has none?
Mystique is in the film less than ten minutes. Her "change" happens in literally one scene and it consists entirely of her changing her mind.

Xavier's arc is even more stilted. In fact, thinking on it now, I can't remember when or why he decides to stop using the medicine to prevent suppressing his powers. Was it just because they couldn't find her? Clearly it made no impact on me, maybe I fell asleep...



Maybe you falling asleep is key here.

Mystique had multiple scenes amounting to more than your "ten minute" claim. Her attack in Vietnam, her infiltration of Trask's office, Her seduction and identity stealing, her assassination attempt, her confrontation with Magneto, her injury healing, her confrontation with Xavier, her second assassination attempt....this seems like a whole lot more than ten minutes.

Her changing story arch was building the moment she saw Xavier and Erik. Two opposing forces, trying to bring her each their own way. One finally sees his wrong doings of trying to convince her and tells her that the fate of the future lies on her shoulders alone, this is 100 percent her decision. To me, there was enough build up and interactions to warrant the apparent change justified.

Xavier's arch goes hand in hand. His decision to stop using was to parallel that of a junkie. He first decides to help because of Mystique, then he decides to quit using the serum because they NEED to find her. It was a conglomeration of things. He knows what he is doing is just a temporary fix, he knows that he will need to accept the fact that he cannot walk and be his true self, which is what Mystique had to learn in the original and HAS come to learn in this entry. You need to not be ashamed of yourself.

The scene was clearly him "kicking" the habit.



It ruined the whole X-Men movie/ comic book story continuity. Every thing just got messed up and seemed like most of the things never even happened, when they had to happen in the first place. I mean it was a fun movie and all, but just a mess.



They should have stopped a few movies ago!



Maybe you falling asleep is key here.

Mystique had multiple scenes amounting to more than your "ten minute" claim. Her attack in Vietnam, her infiltration of Trask's office, Her seduction and identity stealing, her assassination attempt, her confrontation with Magneto, her injury healing, her confrontation with Xavier, her second assassination attempt....this seems like a whole lot more than ten minutes.
Think really hard about all the scenes you just named. How many of them actually inform her character? (also, it was 10 minutes if that, I'll freaking re-watch the movie and time it) The attack in Vietnam is not only pointless because she doesn't use the characters for anything at all, but it doesn't do anything other than tell us she's doing the exact thing she was doing in the last film; trying to keep mutants out of human labs. We already know she feels this way. Trask's office...nothing here. Assassination attempt, action scene that doesn't inform the character. Confrontation with Magneto...I don't remember. She's acting her heart out, but I don't think anything important happened because it made such little impact on me, I guess? Confrontation with X...I assume you're referring to the end of the film? This is the part I was talking about. Her entire "arc" is her changing her mind in this scene. So compelling.

Her changing story arch was building the moment she saw Xavier and Erik. Two opposing forces, trying to bring her each their own way. One finally sees his wrong doings of trying to convince her and tells her that the fate of the future lies on her shoulders alone, this is 100 percent her decision. To me, there was enough build up and interactions to warrant the apparent change justified.
I think you're adding emotional resonance where there is none. There's no real "a-ha" moment for her character to change. I never once saw her character contemplating between the differences between the opposing forces. There was nothing to the scenes prior to the final scene to convince me that she learned anything at all. It was flat and unearned.

Xavier's arch goes hand in hand. His decision to stop using was to parallel that of a junkie. He first decides to help because of Mystique, then he decides to quit using the serum because they NEED to find her. It was a conglomeration of things. He knows what he is doing is just a temporary fix, he knows that he will need to accept the fact that he cannot walk and be his true self, which is what Mystique had to learn in the original and HAS come to learn in this entry. You need to not be ashamed of yourself.

The scene was clearly him "kicking" the habit.
I bolded that bit because it's literally the only reason he stops using. He has no reason to really believe anything Wolverine is telling him because he hasn't seen into his mind yet. He stops using because Mystique, the films MacGuffin (she's not an actual character in the film), cannot be found. If he "knows that he will need to accept the fact that he cannot walk and be his true self" they aren't explaining it or giving motivation for it other than Wolverine saying "dude, we need to find her or death to everyone!"



My name's Bobby Peru, like the country.
This film is amazing...but not how you think when that word is used to describe a film.

It's amazing that I enjoyed this film despite everything I'm about to say.

I won't criticize continuity because that's a horse that can be flogged to death and there's no real need. I'll just say continuity here is as abysmal as with First class.

First off, when watching the trailers and seeing the 2 hour run time I expected something epic and mind blowing. What I got was a film that the entire plot can be described in one sentence. With words to spare. There is almost no story at all and what is there makes almost no sense if you think about it more than 10 seconds. Magneto doesn't need to be released from prison. Quicksilver doesn't need to be in the film at all. The scene in Vietnam was pointless. The resolution would seem to provoke even more human war against mutants than less.

While this feels the most like an X-men ensemble cast as opposed to all the others that were about Wolverine, there is zero character arc. No one seems to learn anything. No one changes in an organic or important way. Mystique's motivation is flimsy and her decision making is irrational. And why waste a talent like Jennifer Lawrence in a part that requires less than nothing of her? Magneto makes up some goofy plan in the end of the film that is nothing more than grandstanding and murder which is exactly what the Nazis did during WWII. Odd that Magneto does the same thing to humans that made him what he is in both this and First Class.

I didn't hate this film, but there's just nothing about it that is really amazing other than one spectacular shot of Quicksilver in action. Overall I'd give it 2 1/2 out of 5.
Couldn't say it really any better.

Don't get me wrong i liked the film, i just was not nearly as impressed as i was led to believe by reviews. I was expecting an X-Men epic and it just did not deliver.

The battle with the future sentinels was cool, the first time, then they repeat that same battle in the end. They don't even battle the mark 1's, to my dissatisfaction magneto just takes them over.

I'm hoping the Apocalypse will be the one.



X-Men !!
Waooo That was really a fantastic movies of all !