Oh boy where to start on this thing (excitement level 10). First off we get a glimpse of what the future will be like if the X-MEN do not intervene and do something to change it. To do this as the title so aptly implies, they must go back in time (sort of) or at least transfer their consciences there. The only one able to handle the trip is WOLVERINE (which made me thankful because I freakin love WOLVERINE). The idea is to prevent the Sentinal program from ever starting. I won’t go into all the details on that, but the newer ones in the future scenes are pretty freakin amazing. The ones in the 70’s are basically gigantic purple hair dryers and look pretty lame. On to the stuff I loved.
We get yet another amazing performance from Hugh Jackman as WOLVERINE and he is as un-personable as usual, we also see very solid performances from James McAvoy (young Charles Xavier) and Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique who carries a lot more of this film than I expected. That isn’t to say everyone else wasn’t great but those three just really stood out. The opening to this thing, holy freakin awesome, probably the best opening to an X-MEN film ever. The film also introduces but does not really get into the details of Blink who I thought was just great from a “really cool power” standpoint. The movie also pays careful attention to little details on certain things. We get a short history lesson on why the Sentinals are called that. We get a few history bending moments thrown in and the sets are just outstanding.
Now, this movie is not without a number of issues. In wiping out at least the major events in THE LAST STAND the storyline leaves us with one huge obvious gap even if you have not seen the movie. How the heck is the Professor still alive? Also how did Kitty Pryde get this “I will send you to your former self” power? Did I miss something? Logan is sent to the past for at least 3 days, does that mean Kitty had to hold his head for 3 days? Didn’t she need to eat or go to the bathroom? If time in the present goes slower than time in the past why was that not pointed out? Also this whole idea behind why they need Mystique smells a LOT like it was borrowed from the nanomite storyline in RISE OF THE COBRA. Maybe some of this will get expanded on at some point later in the franchise when fans start saying “okay great movie…but WHAT?” So for apologetics reasons I am just going to say in advance I am pretty sure we have to just get our heads around where the series is now and get over it. Aside from that, this is a comic book based series. In comic books crazy crap happens and that is part of why we love them. I will also say I loved the idea of alternate futures and time bending and all that when it was introduced in the credit scene at the end of THE WOLVERINE, it was just the execution that I thought could have been better. This movie is also over-burdened with just a ton of talking and for really no reason. Geez what is so hard about “we need to do this together or the whole world will be screwed” don’t you get. Also in order to get to all this dialog into the film you require one of your major characters to forget almost everything he just said in X-MEN FIRST CLASS? Hmm… Anyway do not get me wrong. I liked this film a LOT but not better than THE WOLVERINE or X-MEN UNITED.
Overall I give this movie a 5 out of 7. Rating Definition - A VISION WORTHY OF YOUR TIME. This is the movie that you missed along the way probably, but deserves better than that. After you go up to the movie poster and apologize you should definitely go in and see it or rent it or buy it. This movie probably had someone that shocked you at how well they did or at least one major epic fight scene that made you say….man, can’t believe I almost missed that one.
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