Review of X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) by Brandon L — 16 Oct 2015

Far from some of its more explosive and demonstratively louder (recent) predecessors, 'Days of Future Past' guides the franchise as it veers back into narratives akin to the cerebral and the existential. Without doubt, it is sure to be welcomed by fans of X-Men's darker societal undertones. Yet, such a commentary is often hard to posit in the superhero genre, and this is where the necessity of Singer's conviction and steadiness never faltering, despite the expository pacing had throughout trying the patience of moviegoers geared for simple "action" a-la Michael Bay, must be applauded. And once more, he (like his subject matter's core principles) brushes aside the xenophobia against merging pseudo-sociological, historical, and philosophical discourses within the borders of the conventionalized fantasy genre. Albeit contrived and controversial at times, X-Men has always teetered on the struggle for the minority, the clash of ideologies warring for a consensus on how to end persecution, and while the result is not perfect or satisfactory to...anyone*, really...the merit in this attempt is its rather clever incorporation of a universality embedded in these very theme dynamics throughout time. Appropriately, then, the franchise adds to its canon a film that stays carefully principled, assures us of X-Men cinema's return to refreshing relevancy, continues its run of extraordinarily well-cast titular figures/microcosms, and really just throws us back to Singer's first entry into monotonous superhero cinema...a once-futuristic risk that seems naught but a taken-for-granted innovative success (emulated ever since) marked in the days, months, even years, past.

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"We need you to hope again" pleads the older Professor X (Stewart) to his jaded, younger counterpart (McAvoy). But I think this quote is more reassuring to us audience members whose hope has effectively been restored. X-Men is buoyed by a bevy of theatrical, productional, and directional talent; and a once-sinking public trust in X-Men to stay X-Men is seemingly afloat again.

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The crumbling mettle of mutant sympathizers is morphed by, at the very least, Fassbender's compelling portrayal of Magneto. And so, (Oh boy), dare I say it: this film is, to me, "first class" by virtue of its standards and its shattering of expectations and perhaps, hopefully more than expectations.