X-Men: Days of Future Past (Rambling Movie Review)

author
2
3 minutes, 16 seconds Read

A Rambling Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past

With a graying Wolverine defending Kitty Pryde against an unseen menace on the cover of X-Men #141. I remember reading both X-Men #141 and #142 multiple times. Those two issues of X-Men made up the original Days of Future Past storyline in the comic books and I was hooked.

The idea of an alternate future where mutants were dead (including my favorite character Iceman), captured, or on the run from Sentinels was almost too big for my feeble brain to understand. However, I got just enough of it and all I knew is I wanted more.

(I later found out that I am attracted to alternate universe story lines, particularly the ones in which *any* character was at the disposal for the greater plot – and I mean disposal)

Great X-Pectations

When I first heard that the next film installment of the X-Men would be covering Days of Future Past along with blending the younger versions of the X-Men from “First Class” – I was both intrigued and excited, yet apprehensive.

After the X-Men 3 movie, I knew better than to go in with high expectations. You see, X2 was so awesome that I almost exploded the night that X-Men 3 came out in theaters. Then 2.5 hours later, I walked out of X-Men 3, shoulders slumped, holding my head in disbelief, trying to make sense of what I just witnessed.

I understand that there are disappointments in life that I have no control over. There’s Isiah Thomas being left off the 1992 Dream Team. The death of Whitney Houston. Every episode of The Walking Dead. American-made Godzilla movies. Pearl Jam’s last 2 albums.

You can add “Brett Ratner directs X-Men 3” to that shortlist.

After the X3 trauma, I walked into X-Men: First Class with positive but disciplined expectations. I was completely relieved that the movie was done well, so well that it nearly restored my faith in the X-Men franchise by itself.

Nearly. Not really. The X3 pain went too deep.

When I realized that X-Men: Days of Future Past was opening up soon, my body quickly quelled any exuberance. Don’t get excited, Stuart. You get excited and you’ll be disappointed for another 5-6 years. Remember May 26, 2006?

DoFP: Restoring My Faith in the X-Franchise

Now fast forward almost exactly 8 years later from the release of X3.

Walking out of the theater, I could not have been more pleased. They say time heals all. I think it’s Bryan Singer that heals the traumatized masses. DOFP may prove that Singer is not a just a coincidence; that maybe, Singer’s power is to create kickass comic book movies.

I loved how he (and the writers responsible for the screenplay) was able to combine both X-movie franchises; merging universes and timelines in a cohesive way that, despite a potentially confusing time-travel plot, didn’t break the audiences brain nor strayed too far from the story from the original comic.

Keeping fans satisfied, both the ones that were introduced to the X-Men via the big screen and comic fanboys that have been buying the books since the 60s, is no easy feat when cherished characters and famous storylines are being brought to real life. For the comic book fanboys (me), no detail is unimportant. Each plot point and scene will be combed over in comic book stores and fan forums across the web.

All the characters from X-Men DOFP

X-Men DOFP was not only was a critical success, but a successful one from a financial standpoint. And really, that’s what keeps these Marvel movies coming (and keeps paying the bloated list of A-List stars you see above).

I didn’t even mention that I really, really, REALLY loved how the DOFP presumably erased the terrible, couldn’t-be-more-disappointing-after-X2, X-Men 3 from the X-movie timeline.

X-Men: Days of Future Past has restored my faith and excitement for the X-Men movie franchise. Considering my comic book background and shattered psyche suffered from X3, that’s a testament to the awesomeness of DoFP. Bring on Apocalypse.

Similar Posts

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.