Director Bryan Singer once again returns to the world of the uncanny mutants in this seventh instalment in the X-Men series, bringing with him a very strong cast of familiar faces.
And while many consider his first outing (X-Men 2) to be the best in the series, Days of Future Past is close to being its equal – if not better.
Borrowing heavily from the original comic saga of the same name and reminiscent of the Terminator movie premise, this film is set in a dystopian future where mutants are almost extinct and humans are enslaved thanks to rogue mechanic guardians called Sentinels. Originally conceived to thwart the mutant threat decades ago, the Sentinels are now unstoppable in their determination to eradicate every mutant and human sympathiser from the Earth.
An ageing and weary Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellan) lead the last remaining mutants, who realise their only chance of survival is to send the consciousness of Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to his younger self in 1973 in order to stop a pivotal event that set this apocalypse on course.
The ensuing scenes between Logan and a younger, ’70s-era Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) pursuing the determined Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) showcase Singer’s talents. The film delivers some truly spectacular, tension-filled action sequences flipping between the future and the past, while also delving deeper into the main characters themselves. Look out for the show-stealing scene in the Pentagon involving the lightning-fast mutant, Quicksilver.
Singer manages to give each character their own time to shine on-screen, with Jackman, McAvoy, Fassbender and Lawrence the stand-outs in a list of A-grade actors that also includes Peter Dinklage, Halle Berry and Ellen Page.
The pacing of the film is perfect and there are many surprises, with some satisfying nods to previous films and comic canon to boot.
X-Men: Days of Future Past is a fantastic and enjoyable blockbuster. Remember to stay till after the credits, too, as a huge reveal for the next X-Men plays out. This reviewer can’t wait!
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