Introduction:
Film reviewers and critics have historically analyzed and critiqued movies as a whole, providing an overall judgment on all aspects of a film in one review. Some movies are difficult to analyze as a cohesive whole, as different elements like plot, acting, cinematography, editing, etc. can vary significantly in quality. In this split movie review essay, I will take an alternative approach and analyze the 2014 superhero film “X-Men: Days of Future Past” by splitting my critique into separate sections focusing on distinct elements of the film rather than taking a single overall view. By dissecting different parts of the movie individually, I believe a more nuanced perspective can be gained on both its strengths and weaknesses.
Plot Summary:
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” continues the X-Men film series and combines characters and storylines from the original “X-Men” trilogy and the subsequent “X-Men: First Class” prequel. In the film’s dystopian future, humanity and mutants face near extinction due to giant robots called Sentinels that have been developed to identify and kill all mutants. Kitty Pryde uses her powers to send Wolverine’s consciousness back to 1973 to change the past in hopes of altering the timeline and preventing the devastating future. In the past, Wolverine unites the X-Men of the past and future to stop Mystique from assassinating Dr. Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinels. If they succeed, it could not only save the future but also the mutant species and humanity itself.
Acting Review:
The ensemble cast of veteran actors and newcomers brought strong performances that elevated the film. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine proved once again why he is perfectly suited for the role, bringing his signature gruff charm and physicality. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen reprised their iconic roles as Professor X and Magneto with compelling gravitas and emotional depth demonstrating their mastery of these multifaceted characters. Jennifer Lawrence was also excellent as the shapeshifting Raven/Mystique, bringing complexity to a character struggling with her identity and place in the world. Michael Fassbender delivered another tour de force performance as the young Magneto, conveying the simmering rage and magnetism beneath the surface. Overall, the cast drew the viewers in and gave fully committed portrayals that drove the film’s compelling character-based narrative forward in an engaging manner.
Cinematography and Visuals:
Director Bryan Singer opted for a more grounded, gritty aesthetic compared to some of the other more recent bombastic superhero blockbusters. Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel photographed the film with a documentary-style realism and fluid camerawork that helped immerse the audience in the story. Clever uses of lighting were employed to highlight characters and scenes, like shadows drawing focus to Wolverine. The 1970s setting was recreated with authentic period detail from the clothing and architecture to the vehicles and technology showcasing impressive production design. Impressive visual effect sequences brought the mutants’ powers to life in dynamic yet realistic fashion, like Quicksilver’s infamous slow-motion Pentagon scene. Overall, the grounded yet visually striking cinematography, production values, and effects work seamlessly blended realism with comic book spectacle.
Plot and Storytelling Critique:
While the film succeeds in many areas, its plotting and narrative structure has some weaknesses. The time travel/changing history premise is rather convoluted and raises logical questions, like how events were ultimately altered. Scenes jump back and forth between past and future in a disorienting manner at times instead of cleanly intercutting the parallel storylines for clarity. Some plot threads feel underdeveloped or dropped, like Mystique’s emotional turmoil is quickly resolved. The climactic final battle lacks dramatic stakes due to the unclear rules of time travel changes. Additionally, a larger philosophical discussion of mutant/human relations is lacking compared to earlier films. The character moments and performances help compensate for these storytelling flaws to an extent. Overall, while ambitious, a tighter plotting approach may have resulted in a more cohesive narrative.
Action and Editing:
Thanks to director of photography Newton Sigel’s fluid cinematography combined with crisp editing by John Ottman, the action sequences are vividly staged and cut together for maximum comprehension. Battles seamlessly blend mutant powers with physical combat and wire work. Highlights include the inventive and visceral White House attack set piece along with the clever use of time dilation effects in Quicksilver’s memorable clocktower rescue. The pacing is brisk overall keeping viewers engaged through frenetic yet comprehensible editing during key set pieces. However a few moments could have benefitted from holding shots longer for better spatial understanding, like the final climactic forest confrontation becomes somewhat muddled. But on the whole, editing is top notch in keeping visual dynamism intact throughout the energetic action scenes.
Musical Score:
Composer John Ottman’s scoring elegantly underscores emotional beats and amps up the tension. A soulful main theme rooted in piano and strings establishes pathos amid the superhero bombast. During more subdued moments, sparse piano cues pluck heartstrings. Tension ratchets upwards effectively in sections driven by urgent strings and brass flourishes. The ’70s pop songs sprinkled throughout also nicely accentuate the period setting from “Time in a Bottle” to “Chicago.” While not quite as iconic as previous X-Men themes, Ottman’s score still enhances the film’s atmosphere and emotional tenor in an understated yet effective manner. The music marries perfectly to both the characters and kinetic visuals on display.
Conclusion:
By analyzing different elements of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” separately such as acting, cinematography, plot, action/editing and score, a more nuanced perspective is gained into both its strengths and weaknesses compared to a single overall review. Areas like the ensemble performances, visual style and editing demonstrate the film working at an extremely high level befitting its blockbuster scope. The complicated time travel narrative and some gaps in character development represent flaws that detract at points. Nevertheless, the cast’s magnetic talent and director Bryan Singer’s technical prowess keep viewers fully engaged for the film’s two hour run time. While imperfect, “Days of Future Past” remains an entertaining and ambitious addition to the X-Men franchise that sets the stage for the subsequent successful reboot of the series.
Andrew Stroud