Confusion sets in. My brain scrambles to piece together what it is I am supposed to be comprehending from this immediate setting of post-apocalyptic-looking battle I have been thrust into. Who are these people I’ve never seen before? What am I watching?
Soon my discrepancies are resolved. Despite its rocky start, the new spinoff of the near-exhausted X-Men franchise picks up speed. My interest is peaked as Hugh Jackman’s character, Wolverine, is transported back in time via the powers of Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page). Wolverine travels to the 1970’s in an effort to prevent a war between mutants and giant robots called Sentinels that will ultimately threaten the existence of mutant-kind in the future.
As the film follows our old friend Wolverine into the past, we are re-introduced to newer faces such as the young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from the 2011 prequel, X-Men: First Class.
McAvoy delivers a superb performance as the young, alcoholic Charles Xavier whom it is Wolverine’s mission to convince to help round up other familiar mutants’ younger selves in an attempt to prevent the future devastation.
Impressive special effects make for one of the most visually stimulating X-Men installments. Though I am always giddy to watch Wolverine take a round of bullets to the chest only to recover remarkably quickly and defeat those who oppose him, or watch as Xavier manifests a physical projection of himself using only his mind, Magneto (Michael Fassbender) steals the show with such feats as levitating an entire sports stadium and using it to quarantine the White House.
But, like with most of the X-Men films, the highest praised is deserved by Hugh Jackman’s truly stunning muscle definition. Since its breakout role in the first X-Men film, its toned performances have carried the films, and it is as apparent as ever in Days of Future Past.
X-Men: Days of Future Past receives three and a half stars out of five for a truly entertaining ride.
Note: there is a bonus scene after the credits. Stick around.
