X-Men Days of Future Past smashed into theaters this weekend and boy did it ever entertain. I'm in a small group of critics that think 'First Class' is hands down the best X-Men movie made.... a very small group. But were dedicated. DOFP (Days of Future Past) is an amazing movie, but didn't quite change my mind in the best X-Men movie category. Instead it came in a VERY close second. Not being a Bryan Singer fan is probably the one reason for its second place finish. I simply adored what Matthew Vaugh did with First Class, but have always felt a bit 'off' when it came to the other X-Men movies. I have enjoyed them but always felt I could have gotten more. Singer steps to the plate for DOFP and does a MUCH better job than his previous showings and revived my faith in him as a director. I only wish Vaugh had directed DOFP. It may have possibly gotten 5 stars if it was this good seeing as how I did have some minor complaints about this one. With that said, Ill get into the 4 best things about this flick cuz you don't want to hear me bitch about a great movie now do you.
4. Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask
Peter Dinklage has become HUGE lately (no offense) and its understandable why. He's a terrific actor. He brought Bolivar to life and gave him a sense of gravitas even though he's a little person. That's amazing. I only wish we saw more of him in DOFP. The realization and creation of his Sentinels is a highlight of this movie. (70's version... the future versions feel like a rip off of Thor's 'Destroyer'). Trask takes the role as the un-seeming villain in DOFP. With no mutant powers of his own, he leads the charge of creating the Sentinels to eliminate mutants and level the playing field for the human race. He's the Lex Luthor of the X-Men universe using his wits and intelligence to defeat his adversaries. He just doesn't portray as the eccentric bad guy as one would think since he is unknowingly exploited but the intention is still there. Any role I see Dinklage in lately can't be praised enough.
3. Sentinels
I can't write much about the Sentinels in this movie but they are SUCH an added bonus for any avid X-Men fan. We've seen a glimpse of them in past X-Men outings but in this movie they take center stage since the movie focuses on their creation by Trask. I will commend Singer on his design. Though its still a bit different than the comics version, he did an amazing job making them work in the real world. The same can't be said the future version of the Sentinels which I won't get int, but thee 70's version were pretty. I dig pretty things. Don't judge me
2. Adaptation
I can't say enough about the story line here. It's ripped directly from the comics. You don't see that in comic book movies that often. As for the differences, they're easy to let go once you realize that writing a comic and making a movie with actual people (who may or may not be box office draws) are two completely different things. I will commend Singer again here for his choice of characters, especially Bishop. But the change from Kitty Pride to Wolverine is an easy one to forgive. While Ellen Page is a great actress, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is why most people go to see an X-Men movie. Hes the only one to get his own spin offs so far, so its only natural that he take over the task. The surprising news is he's not the main character in this movie as he has been in all other iterations (except First Class which he only had a cameo in) Yes, he's there in a huge way, but you never really see him take the lead as you have in the past. Something I feel which makes the movie better as a whole. You don't have ONE definitive star. Some people hate this, other people like this. I'm part of the latter. Though there are major difference other than these throughout the movie, its still refreshing to see this movie has very strong comic roots rather than some non comic fans simply writing a brand new screenplay. Sometimes its not a bad thing, but its always good to see it stick to its roots.
1. Quicksilver
I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!. Quicksilver was definitely a scene stealer in this film. Even though it was a short piece, Magneto's 'Prison Breakout' scene starring Quicksilver (Evan Peters) was breathtaking. Backed by an excellent musical choice (Jim Croce- Time in a bottle) and riddled with slight comic nuances, it simply impresses. If you've seen the movie or plan to, you WILL remember this scene and hanker to see it from time to time. The visuals and music come together in a choreographed dance that demands appreciation. With all the negative feedback regarding Quicksilver once his wardrobe was revealed prior to the movie's release, its hard to think how this scene could be this good. Singer did an old school "switch 'em up" and threw in an amazing piece of film where everyone was expecting garbage. I left this movie thinking of this scene over and over. Thats why its #1, it left a huge impression.
I highly recommend DOFP, see it before it leaves theaters in a month or so