Purposeful Commercialism

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

A Review by Ben Hunter

5 Out Of 5 Stars

GET TO THE POINT BEN!

Likable characters, purposeful action, not just blowing up stuff because it looks cool, meaningful drama, meaningful scenes played out ... go see this ... NOW!

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Gear up for the best X-Men you’ve ever experienced!  I mean that.  This couldn’t have been made any better!  

We learn more about the mutants in the 2^nd installment.  But the humans aren’t very well pleased.  Mutant life is at stake.  In the 3^rd installment there’s a new serum called a “cure” that rids the body of the mutant gene, etc.  Mutant life is at stake once more. 

The on going war between humans and mutants has now taken its toll.  We learn now that this goes way beyond where we first learned about our team of heroes, the X-Men, in the first installment.  Back in the 70’s, this hatred spawning the ongoing war has created an event that has all but eliminated life in all kinds (humans and mutants), in particular mutants.  But the way things are going … humans are next.  If we continue this hatred, EVERYONE WILL DIE. 

Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) have to do something.  Good ol’ Charles & Eric, friends/enemies back at it again.  At the core they fight for what’s truly necessary, mutant life and existence.  They need to send someone who’s capable of handling the physical brutality of mentally going back in time via the mutant Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) and prevent this event from happening and save both the human and mutant races.  Someone whose body could repair itself as fast as it's being torn apart to make the mental trip back in time.  So they send Wolverine back into the 70’s to meet with young Professor X (James McAvoy) and young Magneto (Michael Fassbender) to devise a plan to stop the event that creates the devastating future for all mutants.

I couldn’t get enough of this film!  Every character I could take interest within, like the introduction of Quicksilver (whose scene is arguably one of the best in all superhero films.  Or Mystique, I loved Mystique, and Jennifer Lawrence (the actress who portrays her) only furthered that interest!

The fact that the majority of the film takes place in the 70’s was GENIUS!  The writing here brilliantly incorporated the death of Kennedy, the use of Watergate as well as other classic elements from this period of time that give it the perfect touch. 

Centering this around Logan (Wolverine) was both good for business as well as for the art.  Hugh Jackman is the man, what can’t he do?  Going on the journey with him as he convinces people who convinced him years later to join the X-Men was a nice and intriguing feeling to have on this journey.  It makes me wonder how much more steam Jackman has in the tank.  He’s kind of put the word out that the end could be soon. 

Purposeful action, not just blowing stuff up to blow stuff up because "it looks cool" or "it makes a great shot".  I mean when you lift an entire football/baseball stadium and it all has a meaning.  I couldn’t look away.  I could feel every moment, Magneto’s passion to strive the “brotherhood”, Mystique's anger, young Professor’s resentment and defiance, I wanted to know more about all these characters.  When the elements all work together in this purposeful manner, it’s no longer “commercialized fun”.  It is, but you can now add “Oscar caliber” to its repertoire.  That’s right, it’s THAT good and definitely on my list of favorites for the year.  I just love it when an anticipation becomes a favorite! Experiencing this film just had that feeling of "something grandiose", the feeling an Oscar film gives you.  

Be sure to check this one out.  It’s fun for the entire family, which always gives reason to get the word out about it all the more!

Gear up for the best X-Men you’ve ever experienced!  I mean that.  This couldn’t have been made any better!  

X-Men: Days of Future Past
Action & Adventure, 131 Minutes, PG-13

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Story by: Jane Goldman, Simon Kinberg, & Matthew Vaughn

Screenplay by: Simon Kinberg
Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Peter Dinklage, Ellen Page, Shawn Ashmore, & Ian McKellen