A Blast from "Days of Future Past"

If any genre has overstayed its welcome in Hollywood, it’s superhero movies.

I say this even though I have an abiding love for comics and their overpowered characters. These cinematic adaptations seem to miss the point of the source material (see, for instance, “Man of Steel” and “The Dark
Knight Rises”).

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” surpasses its counterparts. It combines visuals that stun with the best cast of any superhero movie, period.

In the movie, elderly mutant patriarchs Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) fi nd themselves in a world where humans and mutants have almost been
wiped out by giant robots called Sentinels. With the help of the psychic Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), they send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back in time to stop the scientist (Peter Dinklage) who invented the Sentinels from doing so.

To do this, they need the help of their younger selves (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, respectively) and the deadly Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence). What follows is a convoluted story. The mechanics of time travel are almost always fuzzy in films, because otherwise screen time would be wasted with explanations as to why Action A can be performed but Action B cannot.

Director Bryan Singer instead gives moviegoers just enough information to intuit what is happening and why. This allows the movie to explore its fascinating characters and their relationships with one another.

The most interesting of these is the friendship-turned-rivalry between the young Professor X and Magneto. McAvoy and Fassbender are perfect in these roles. Their chemistry is palpable and makes the scenes that they share tense, dramatic and infused with sadness. The men once loved each other as brothers, but they have
chosen to deal with adversity in irreconcilable ways. Professor X wants to show
society that mutants also possess humanity, whereas Magneto has given up on humankind and wants to defend mutant interests at all costs.

This central conflict is rather black and white. Magneto has obviously internalized the
hatred he has faced his whole life. Meanwhile, Professor X overcomes it and forgives those who have wronged him.

But the simplicity of the conflict makes it no less interesting to watch, and it makes
it no less beautiful when good is actualized in some of the more complicated characters and situations. In this way, the movie keeps the spirit of the original comics. It is fun, action-packed and riveting, while still telling a story about good beating evil and why this triumph still matters.

If more superhero movies like this get made, then superheroes
just might stay interesting after all.