X-Men: Days of Future Past

4 Stars

With "X-Men: Apocalypse" nearing a premiere date, and plan to go see it with enthusiastic friends, I figured it was time I caught up with 2014's "X-Men: Days of Future Past". Of course, at this point I should probably catch up to all of them as I vaguely remember any of the films that came before "X-Men: First Class". Well except for "Wolverine Origins" which I do remember being awful.

Directed by Bryan Singer, the X-Men are at war with the Sentinels. The entire war can be prevented by stopping an event that occurred in 1973. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is tasked with traveling back in time as he is the only one who can withstand the force that it will take to do so.

It's great seeing the original X-Men interact with the new ones. One of the best moments is when Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart) interact with each other through Wolverine's mind. One major frustrating point comes in the form of Erik (Michael Fassbender). Magneto (Ian McKellan) insists they will need his past self in order to succeed, but really he becomes a major hindrance. It seems as though, they made Erik a major character simply because he becomes Magneto in the future. He made things harder on Wolverine and Charles Xavier rather than easier. Seriously, they could have had an Erik cameo and the outcome would have been the same, without all the unnecessary set backs.

There are X-Men brought into this film that the audience has never seen before, but are in the film for such a small amount of time that, it seems almost pointless for them to even be there while X-Men we met and got to know in First Class are dead. Again, it seems pointless to even have had them in the first place. One notable new X-Men is Quicksilver (Evan Peters). He is a cool character, but then his part is done and you are left with wanting more. I would have sacrificed pointless cameos in favor of getting other characters like Quicksilver, more screen time.

Don't get me wrong. It is cool to have the original actors and the new actors come together in one film, but if the focus is going to be on Jennifer Lawrence (Raven/Mystique) then why bother bringing in characters that are just going to be used as Easter eggs such as Rogue (Anna Paquin). Yes, "X:Men Days of Future Past (Rogue Cut)" exists, but when the majority of people aren't going to see it, why even bother? Include her from the get go.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is still cool, but it seems like they're keeping him around because fans like the character. With each passing film, the focus becomes less on him and what he can do and more on the other X-Men. Which is fine, if they kept him as witty and violent as he's supposed to be. Instead, at least in this film, he does very little other than convince Charles Xavier and Erik that he's from the future. Hugh Jackman is great actor and he's still committed to his character, but it seems like the director and producers aren't.

Overall, the film was good. Yes the cameos were just meant to draw in fans, but it was still awesome seeing the past and future come together.

-L. Almanza

Rating: 4/5 stars
Release Date:  May 23, 2014
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Bryan Singer
Screenwriter: Simon Kinberg
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Nichoulas Holt, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore, Peter Dinklage
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language)