After all there are a lot of characters in the film. I wondered if cramming that many mutants--not to mention humans--would be worth it. Sure the sequel sounded cool in concept but execution is what counts. I am happy to say that, thanks to a sure handed director and some really top notch performances, my thoughts of a messy film were unwarranted.
The film opens in In a dystopian future, robots known as Sentinels are exterminating mutants and oppressing humans who harbor the genes that lead to mutant offspring. A small band of mutants manages to evade the Sentinels due to Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) who can project a person's consciousness back in time to deliver warnings. Pryde's group rendezvous with Storm (Halle Berry), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Professor Charles Xavier (Sir Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) in a monastery in China.
They decide to send Wolverine's consciousness back to 1973 to prevent Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from murdering Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), the designer of the Sentinels. Doing so will make Trask a martyr, Mystique will be captured and her powers will be reverse-engineered to create the Sentinels of the future, who mimic and adapt to mutant powers.
Xavier advises Wolverine to seek out his and Magneto's younger selves (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender) for aid. The mutants make their final stand as a large army of Sentinels assault the monastery...
In 1973 Logan makes his way to the School for Gifted Youngsters where he meets the younger Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and the Professor--who has no interest in helping him.
The latest sequel is based on a -2 issue story arc in the X-Men Comics written by Chris Claremont, and drawn by John Byrne, that was published in 1981. Writer Simon Kinberg does a fine job adapting the tricky time travel tale into an easy to follow narrative. Singer restores his comic book fanboy cred after the 2006 mis-step of "Superman Returns". "Days" boasts lots of mutant daring do of course that will dazzle--the performances though give it weight and creditability--making it easy to buy into and accept the fantastic elements.
Wolverine ties the original trilogy and “X-Men: First Class” cast together here and Jackman seemed to enjoy carrying a huge chunk of the film. For me though it was the Magneto and Charles X. Xavier dynamic as their younger selves that really worked for me. Fassy and McAvoy are great together. they each give it all they have--making it believable that they will one day become Stewart McKellen versions of the of the same characters.
The sequence with American Horror Story favorite Evan Peters as the speedy Quicksilver is a standout and just plain fun, His presence allows for some levity in an otherwise pretty heavy film. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays a different incarnation of the super speedy mutant in Joss Whedon's team up sequel "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" out May 1st 2015.
I got a kick out of the fact that Beast is a fan of Star Trek-The Original Series. I also enjoyed seeing Bobby Drake aka Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) get to ice out full tilt again. The film managed to even surprise me with two unexpected cameos. The mutant fest even has time to fix miscues from Brett Ratner's 2006 sequel "X-Men: The Last Stand".
What a great X-flick--This film is as good as "First Class" and X2--after seeing this pic I am soooo ready for the next chapter in the film series--the recently announced "X-Men: Apocalypse" which will hit theaters on May 27, 2016 opposite Alice in Wonderland 2
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