MOVIE REVIEW: "X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

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 “X-MEN : DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (2014)

THE MOVIE REVIEW

Some of my writer-mates lament that the grammatical oxymoron “days of future past” is a mouthful, but hey, there’s a valid reason for this sci-fic of two time blends.

The ensemble cast proudly boasts a select list of the Hollywood “greatest” , including China doll FAN BING BING who’s toying around more like a dispensable piece of discard.

Her insipid role is more a collaborative inclusion to capture the massive China market. 

The characters she plays is sadly, devoid of conversational dialogue and she does not register notable chemistry with her fellow colleagues onscreen.

Let refresh the synopsis lest anyone forget:

The exuberant X-Men are back to fight a frantic war to ensure the reckless world remains as one solid piece.

 This spans two time periods in DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, the old-time mutants and their younger beings (selves).

Whatever done creatively is to revamp a major historical event and fight an epic battle to save the planet.

“Days of Future Past” opens on a bleak dystopian future where you appraise ruined cities sprawling with corpses. The story goes from there.

First, let us usher in the stellar all-star cast.

Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) are now fighting together against the Sentinel threat.

They rallied the support of  Storm (Halle Berry) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) — including Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), Bishop (Omar Sy), Colossus (Daniel Cudmore), Blink (Fan Bingbing), Sunspot (Adam Canto) and Warpath (Booboo Stewart).

The characters sizzle in this action-packed thriller from visionary director Bryan Singer. (welcome back!)

Singer is in top form despite the recent bisexual gossip, cleverly bringing two generations of mutant-kind together in a time-travel tale.

 Bryan Singer and his screenwriter team (Simon Kinberg, John Byrne and Company) balance everything with relatively little confusion in keeping the storytelling precise and concise. Kudos!

The locations switch base from China to New York , Moscow, Vietnam, Paris and Washington, where the spectacular climactic clashes in front of the White House are set.

 The X-MEN characters are legendary, hence there’s little point to rattling on about the  renowned mutants. They are forever saving mankind from extinction.

Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful as Mystique, as well as Hugh Jackman is great as Wolverine.

But credits must also go the rest of the veteran cast without which the film might lose its valor.

Cinematography is absorbing.

The visual treatment by Bryan Singer is absolutely breathtaking!

SPOILERS?  

Preferably not, so as not to mar the enjoyment and flow of the predictable plot.

There’s heart, pow-wow action and style.

This film is nothing short of brilliant.

GO WATCH IT!

RATINGS: 4 out of 5

Local Distributor: 20th Century Fox