X-Men: Days of Future Past

Bryan Singer returns to the X-Men franchise with X-Men: Days of Future Past, which follows Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine as he travels back in time to stop Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from triggering a global apocalypse. There’s little doubt that X-Men: Days of Future Past takes its time luring the viewer into the proceedings, as the movie, scripted by Simon Kinberg, kicks off with a fairly confusing opening stretch that features little in the way of exposition or logic. (In addition to the baffling post-apocalyptic setting, the film’s future landscape boasts the presence of at least one character that died in a previous installment.) It’s clear, then, that the film picks up considerably once its focus shifts to Wolverine’s escapades in the past, with the appealing time-traveling storyline heightened by the ongoing inclusion of better-than-expected action set-pieces – including a seriously entertaining bit involving younger Magneto’s (Michael Fassbender) escape from a top-secret government facility. But at a running time of 131 minutes, X-Men: Days of Future Past is clearly much, much longer than it needs (or has any right) to be – with the padded-out feel especially noticeable once the movie passes the one-hour mark (ie it’s hard to deny that the narrative begins to demonstrably drag in its second half). The climax, however, fares better than most contemporary blockbusters’ over-the-top and hopelessly frenetic third acts, with the above-average vibe perpetuated by an ending that’s just about perfect – which ultimately does confirm X-Men: Days of Future Past‘s place as an erratic yet rewarding entry within this ongoing series.

*** out of ****