Debuting on Friday, Fox’s X-Men: Days of Future Past is the seventh film in their enduring X-Franchise, one that began in 2000 with the eponymous X-Men. X-Men was a superhero film pioneer, the first of a new generation that put superheroes in the public eye like never before. People who had casually known about the X-Men now knew about the X-Men, and it opened the door for a whole generation of people to go and see superhero films while not reading comics.
Whether it’s the passage of time or outside influence, however, Days of Future Past is the film that finally embraces the X-Men’s rich history and delivers the X-Men film we’ve always wanted.
The film is essentially split in half with Inception-like psuedo-science. We have the events of the Fritz Lang-esque distant future, starring the original X-Men and some exciting new faces, who have to send Wolverine back to the period storytelling from First Class with the cast we’d just been acquainted with a few years ago in order to do some timeline fixing. Each setting is given a unique look and feeling, as well as different interconnected stakes, and both are handled as separate but equal entities within the scope of the film. Both aspects work in tandem, but are unique enough to still stand on their own, which is equally impressive. In fact, there’s a lot of very clever aspects to the setting and lighting of each aspect (use of lighting, in particular) that helps to actively illustrate the separation of these elements and express the film’s rather intense and dire plot.
What’s impressive about the two sequences, though, is how they handle the use of cast and character within their respective periods. The past is very much knee deep in aspects of the mid-70s. Whether it is the use of music, the drug metaphors or the ways that the characters interact with one another, you can see that great time and care was put into expressing the post-Vietnam landscape into the film, to the inclusion of specific historic events. Whether it does so respectfully or not is perhaps up to debate (the involvement of Magneto in a particularly historic event, for example) and it’s certainly not handled with the grace and care of something like Mad Men, but that it acknowledges this alternate timeline certainly make the landscape of the film more visceral for us.
Really, the way that the film displays that era is truly remarkable. An almost historic perspective is taken to it, one that certainly revels in the unease and tension existing between nations. The Vietnam era of the United States is one of the most tumultuous eras of this country’s modern history, and that the film manages to incorporate aspects of that eras dissolution into the mutant metaphor is certainly an interesting prospect. It certainly plays well towards the inherent metaphor of the X-Men, and helps to reinforce many of the film’s core values revolving around tolerance and acceptance.
The past is where the film spends most of its time, and as such most of the flaws of the film can be found there. Even beyond using specific historical moments, one lightly jarring aspect of the film is in the way that it attempts to explain the cast differences between this film and the last (only Jason Flemyng/Azazel was set to return, according to reports). It’s definitely the sort of thing that takes you out of the film, even if it is briefly, but that the film attempts to give the absence of its previous cast some semblance of meaning towards the motivations of the leads and message of the film is certainly an interesting way to handle continuity.
Truth be told, the strengths of the film largely outweigh the weaknesses. Most of the films weaker moments simply come from poorly delivered lines of dialogue or even flimsy (or in some cases, entirely missed) explanations, but those failures are both minuscule and easily forgettable when weighed against the rest of the film’s successes. It’s also a comic book sci-fi film; you can get by without knowing certain questions involving new power sets and strange logic in the use of technology.
The future sequences, though, is where we really see the core message of the film. Despite the dystopic and bleak aspects of the world torn apart, the X-Men of the future represent perhaps the most diverse and interesting arrangement of X-Men we’ve ever seen on screen at one point. Banded together in order to fight for their core beliefs, the future X-Men is the metaphor of the X-Men at its most apparent and obvious; these characters work together and in sync like no other group of X-Men we’d seen in the past, and that’s a very exciting proposition.
Continued belowBecause, not for nothing, but the make up of the future X-Men is not just unlike what we’ve seen in X-Films, but we see in other large scale superhero teams. We have a group of people united under a single belief, from both sides of the “good” and “evil” fence, working together against a common enemy. The film doesn’t waste time aligning them as good or evil, and you can see how this translates to the audience who may not recognize some of the new characters — but what becomes clear is the shared sense of values and earnesty despite diversity.
The X-Men of the future represent hope for a better tomorrow, even when tomorrow is literally trying to kill them. If there’s one thing to take away from the film, it’s certainly that abundance of ambition. That they so brilliantly work together as a team, each playing off the talents and powers of the other, just makes for some exciting cinematic moments.
And, truth be told, it’s the future sequences where all of the film’s impressive action budget is spent quite usefully. Past players like Shawn Ashmore (Iceman), Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde) and Halle Berry (Storm) certainly get their moments to shine as familiar standouts in the franchise, but it’s really newcomers like Omar Sy (Bishop), Bingbing Fan (Blink), Adan Canto (Sunspot) and Booboo Stewart (Warpath) who are able to be standouts in their battles against the Nimrod-inspired future Sentinels. Bingbing Fan is especially impressive, and is shown as easily one of the most powerful and talented members of the team, using her portals in tandem with Daniel Cudmore (Colossus) for some wonderfully colossal moments.
Not only that, but the future side of the film is where we see the movie at its most economical. Since these are all characters and ideas we’re inherently familiar with, the film feels the need to explain very little beyond the core concept. It’s something that isn’t immediately inherent given the opening monologue about the new Sentinel-run world, but when each new character gets the briefest of introductions well after their first appearance it becomes more apparent: the film essentially trusts you to play along, because you’ve already seen six movies like this. And when it doesn’t spend all of it’s time attempting to re-explain that which should be self-evident based on the endurance of the franchise, the film hits a strong and striking pace.
Of course, the film is bolstered by the impressive and dynamic portrayals given by the leads, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy. McAvoy’s Xavier here is much darker than he was in the last film, left in shambles after the finale of First Class and the dissolution of his dream; he’s essentially the crux of the film, as pretty much everyone in the film has to look to him for a point of reference to their own actions — even Sir Patrick Stewart, the future Xavier. What makes it interesting, though, is that McAvoy acts both in performance and ideology against Stewart, who is pretty much the epitome of hope having nearly managed to successfully bring about his dream. It gives McAvoy’s journey in the film an interesting mirror to be reflected against, and ultimately allows for us to find ourselves somewhere within his loathing and self-doubt and right alongside him for his triumphs.
Fassbender is slightly the inverse of this. Fassbender’s portrayal of Magneto echoes Sir Ian McKellen’s, even down to a few very clever easter eggs/nods, but is done in a style that’s arguably more refined and poetic. His Magneto is still more of an anti-hero than the Magneto we knew in the other films, who was decidedly more militant, and he becomes easier to relate and believe for the best in throughout all of his actions. We’re not given a mutant terrorist, but rather a freedom fighter blinded by rage, leaning more towards the darkness than the light; it’s similar to how we saw the evolution of Anakin into Darth Vader, albeit with a more talented actor at the helm. Fassbender brings a sense of class to the role that’s impeccable, though; when displaying his magnetic prowess Fassbender often looks like he’s conducting a symphony, raising and moving his hands slowly and elegantly as it is clear he’s still learning the ins and outs of his powers. He’s the “villain” that you can’t help but be in awe of.
Continued belowThat Matthew Vaughn was able to get these two magnificent actors to commit to being the new ideals of these characters in First Class is perhaps the franchise’s best asset at this point. That this film can take them far past First Class and what we’ve taken to understand about each character’s motivations and beliefs is one of Days of Future Past’s biggest strengths.
The original X-Men films were straying into relatively uncharted territory, the first of the big superhero boom, and we’ve learned a lot about superhero films since then. One of the biggest things we’ve learned is that when actors are allowed to really inhabit their roles rather than simply play towards moments ripped out of comics, the better the performance. We can now trust and rely on the performances of McAvoy and Fassbender to display the film’s central icons beyond the shackles of an origin story, and this is what truly allows this film to become as engrossing as it does.
The rest of the cast does rather impressive as well. Jennifer Lawrence takes her portrayal of Mystique to another level entirely, playing a rather conflicted heroine that both stays true to the original “Days of Future Past” comic and evolves from how the character developed over the course of the last film. Lawrence is every bit as impressive as McAvoy and Fassbender, though for decidedly different reasons; her evolution and role over the film is perhaps more pivotal than any other character as well, because while McAvoy may be the core and Fassbender his obvious foil, it’s Lawrence’s character that everything ostensibly comes down upon. She hails from Xavier’s teachings but was seduced by Magneto’s revolution, and it’s very easy to see her struggle with how she has to reconcile the two differing ideologies.
In fact, looking back at the role Mystique played in the previous films, it’s amazing to see the two character ideas together. It’s tough to believe that the Mystique we saw in the other X-Men films was evolved out of who Lawrence plays, because the “old” Mystique was more of a villainous henchwoman. Lawrence is something entirely different, a force to be reckoned with throughout the entire film. In many ways, she represents the shark from Jaws for everyone else: something to be feared because you never know when she will weave in and wreck havoc, but someone the characters respect for her prowess and impact. That she can also transform (pun intended) a former villain into a conflicted anti-heroine makes her performance in the film as nothing short of astounding, solidifying her as one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood today.
Just about everyone gets a moment to shine, though. Despite being stuffed to the gils with super humans, nearly every character gets a moment to shine with their talents; if not, they’re certainly given memorable cameos. Dinklage as Trask is wonderful, and essentially a complete reinvention of that character as we’re familiar with him from comics (though a brilliant introduction to him for newcomers). Nicholas Hoult is allowed a lot more room as Hank McCoy here, and in turn his performance of the character begins to stand-out much more than it did in the first film where he seemed a bit out of his element. Even Evan Peters’ Quicksilver manages to give a stand-out performance, something that allows for the movies most cinematic undertakings via the display of his particular power set. For a character with a horrible “costume,” it’s easily a stand-out.
Additionally, it’s pretty clear that Hugh Jackman loves being Wolverine perhaps more than any other actor playing any other comic character. That he’s done so seven times certainly gives him the advantage in that court, though.
Days of Future Past can be seen both as an ending and a beginning. Its main task is to bring together three separate but connected franchises (the X-Men Trilogy, the Wolverine films and First Class) into a cohesive piece; one that allows and counts for the existence of all three and their conflicting aspects of continuity, while forging ahead into an uncertain future. I mean, it says it right in the title of the film, right? We’re looking forward by looking back, and acknowledging how the two influence each other while attempting to correct or make up for past mistakes. And by bringing together aspects of all the films together, it becomes quite clear early on that this is the film that wants to make sense of it all — the good, the bad and the ugly.
Continued belowWhen you take into account this near Herculean feat and that it managed to succeed in doing it all, it makes it easier to stand back and admire: wow, they certainly nailed that.
Where Days of Future Past ultimately succeeds, though, is that it really embraces what it is: a comic book movie. That can be taken two ways; you can look at it both as a successful adaptation of a popular story (give or take a few obvious but understandable changes), and you can look at it as a film that revels in the absurdity of it all. But it wields this aspect quite well; the movie is a LOT of fun, despite the series overtones, and it’s one that really looks like on screen how an X-Men comic reads on paper. You’d never be tricked into thinking you were watching a serious drama like Nolan’s Batman films tried to be, but you certainly get to see why superheroes and comic books have ended up as endearing aspects to our culture.
It’s that balance — the one between a serious film and one featuring characters who shapeshift and have bone claws — that really make this a wonderful film. It’s both a surprisingly legitimate drama that asks important and thoughtful questions, and it’s a pretty intense thrill-ride popcorn-munching blockbuster. Honestly, and to break the objective wall here for a second, I can’t help but be beyond jazzed to sit in a theater full of people laughing, gasping and celebrating this eclectic cast and their unbelievable adventures.
People seem both hesitant and adamant to compare this film to its disparate counterpoint, Marvel’s The Avengers, but the comparison does seem apt. Both represent ideal aspects of franchise potential, and collect the efforts of several films and combine to make something bigger and better than what existed previously, or what each film could represent alone. Days of Future Past very much is Fox’s Avengers, and it is their big win, but it could only inherently exist due to what we’ve all been taught to expect from superhero films over the years: something fun, a bit campy and still full of dire importance. That Days of Future Past can ultimately hold true to the most core aspects of the X-Men and its inherent diversity simply allows for the film to stand up there with the very best of superhero films.
So if nothing else, Days of Future Past is another reminder that we’re living in a pretty golden age of superhero films. It’ll probably all be downhill from here, but it’s still pretty damn incredible to see what can now happen up there on the big screen.
