Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy
‘Extraordinary Entertainment’
Few characters in comic-book history are as beloved as Charles Xavier. Introduced during the 1960’s, Professor X has played a powerful role in superhero movies. An excellent member of the X-Men, Professor X has become an icon in comic-book entertainment. A one-of-a-kind character with the special ability to control the mind, Professor X has left an excellent legacy behind. Given his strong impact on the X-Men, it’s no surprise that Professor X is an icon that has been depicted several times in memorable movies.
I admire all the X-Men films depicting Charles Xavier but “Days of Future Past” is the movie that stands out the most. Bryan Singer’s bold blockbuster celebrates an iconic comic-book character guiding excellent teams to combat danger. Released back in 2014, the movie is a powerful tribute to a comic-book character whose stories deserve to be told on the big-screen. Boasting exquisite production design, sharp storytelling and powerful performances, it’s an excellent X-Men film. Although “Days of Future Past” is extraordinary, ultimately it isn’t a flawless film. It’s unevenly paced, and suffers from unnecessary political subplots. That being said, the film offers breathtaking entertainment which comic-book fans won’t be able to resist.
Set amid a dystopian future, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” follows the X-Men embarking on a dangerous mission of time travel to prevent disaster in the future. Patrick Stewart embodies Charles Xavier, the exceptional leader of the X-Men seeking to protect mutants from danger. Xavier plans a time travel mission that entails sending mutants back in time to prevent disaster. Assisted by Logan (Hugh Jackman), Professor X embarks on a time travel mission imposing danger. As he discovers dangers of time travel, Professor X begins to doubt if his plan will work out.
Bryan Singer is no stranger to the comic-book genre. Singer directed the previous three films in the X-Men franchise. With “Days of the Future Past”, however, Singer took a huge risk by directing his first time travel movie. It was the director’s first attempt to reimagine an excellent team of superheroes on a time travelling mission but he succeeded. Through bold cinematography, Singer captures a superhero team going back in time to prevent a future catastrophe. Singer expertly uses colour palettes to signify differences between the past and future. For instance, the past scenes set in the 1970’s are shot using a bright colour palette to capture a bright time in X-Men history. In contrast, the future scenes are shot using dark colours capturing a hopeless time for the X-Men that’s frightening. Through stunning cinematography, Singer captures a superhero team embarking on a time travel journey.
Another admirable aspect of “Days of Future Past” that deserves appreciation is the action. From a technical perspective, you won’t see an X-Men movie that’s as impressive. Singer uses cross-cutting to capture awe-inspiring action showcasing teams collaborating. A key theme of the X-Men franchise is teamwork and it is definitely evident in this movie. Singer expertly uses cross-cutting showing a team in action. For instance, cross-cutting elevates the fight scene. During this memorable scene, the X-Men in the past clash with future counterparts in a tense conflict. One admires practical effects showcasing teams working together in marvellous styles recalling Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers”. Through awe-inspiring action, Singer celebrates a powerful team of collaboration.
Amidst thrilling action, “Days of Future Past” finds time for strong character development. Singer’s screenwriting strength is his abilities to create a compelling backstory for Charles Xavier by non-linear storytelling. Unlike prior films in theX-Men franchise, the film follows a unique non-linear structure jumping back and forth in time. Singer expertly switches between tragic past events during the 1970’s and the X-Men’s future journey. Through this innovative non-linear structure, Singer creates a strong superhero audiences can relate to. If previous films in the franchise portrayed Charles Xavier as a mysterious figure without a strong backstory, this sequel gives him greater depth. Non-linear storytelling is a tricky technique. As Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” suggested, non-linear stories enhance biographies about historical figures. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Through a powerful screenplay, Singer celebrates an iconic superhero team today.
One admires astonishing performances.
James McAvoy delivers one of his best career performances as Charles Xavier. McAvoy is an actor that achieved appreciation by portraying the excellent X-Men leader in “X-Men: First Class”. With “Days of Future Past”, however, he embodied his most emotional role. McAvoy brings out an emotional side to the iconic Professor audiences haven’t seen before. It isn’t easy to depict the personality of a famous comic-book hero in history, but McAvoy succeeds. With powerful expressions, he captures angst, frustrations and resentments of a leader embarking upon a time-travelling mission. It’s a terrific turn from one of the greatest British actors working in Hollywood today.
Hugh Jackman is excellent as the iconic hero with powerful claws who isn’t afraid to break laws. Jackman has always excelled at playing this character for years, and here he steps into his comfort zone. Whether he’s warning the helpless members of X-Men about a future tragedy or experiencing frightening nightmares about past catastrophes, Jackman demonstrates emotions of a hero on a time-travelling mission. While he gets less screen-time in this sequel compared to previous X-Men movies, Jackman shines as always in the role he was born to play. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the greatest actors working today.
Lastly, Michael Fassbender is magnificent. As the villainous Magneto, he brings palpable tension to the movie.
Despite its powerful performances, however, “Days of Future Past” can’t honour a superhero team with a strong legacy. If there’s a minor drawback to the movie, it lacks strong pacing. At nearly two and a half hours, the film suffers from a bloated running-time. Singer’s decisions to integrate multiple subplots involving politics into the movie is bold but doesn’t succeed. Due to this faulty technique, scenes capturing political leaders making decisions during the 1970’s aren’t as engaging as the X-Men’s journey. While the talented Peter Dinklage elevates these scenes, they feel unnecessary. It’s an unnecessary subplot that doesn’t quite belong in the comic-book movie. Therefore, “Days of Future Past” falters.
Nevertheless, fans of the iconic superhero franchise will definitely enjoy “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and so will movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment.
Nearly 60 years following the introduction of an excellent Professor with a strong commitment to leading students in schools on a dangerous mission, it’s an extraordinary tribute to a timeless comic-book character with the abilities to control minds travelling back in time to prevent future destruction whose compelling stories are definitely worthy of celebration.
4.5/5 stars
The Film Buff 
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