Good. Evil. And somewhere in between.

Rating: 10/10 (2 March 2017)

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" begins solidly if unremarkably. New and well-known characters are introduced. A legendary enemy is revealed. A plot linking present with past is established. This is engaging stuff, and the film quickly sets itself up as an engrossing adventure with a serious tone and high stakes. It all makes for something entertaining but not special.
Something happens along the way, however, and "X-Men: Days of Future Past" begins to resonate stronger and appeal more deeply. In a scene where the Charles Xavier of the past is confronted by his future self, the film ceases to be a run-of-the-mill superhero adventure. It becomes the story of a man with the power to impact the world. It becomes an observation of his journey and his impact on the characters and world around him, past, present, and future. It becomes the human story of understanding fear and embracing hope.
Bryan Singer's spectacular "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is more than a sequel to "X-Men: First Class" or a prequel to "X-Men." It is a wrap-around event that courses through and changes the world of the previous films. It is a grand piece of entertainment that respects what has already been established in the franchise's universe and opens up a dynamic future. Pulsing with memorable and exciting set- pieces, the film is a solid action outing but, more importantly, has the soul of a character piece. It observe the journeys, the developments, the shifts, and the fulfillment of its colorful, comic book characters.
The story is involving, but the story's characters are its highlight. They generate humor, warmth, anger, and excitement. Their arcs are tragic, epic, and triumphant. Their eyes are haunted and hopeful. They are the comic book gods of a new Olympus, but they are as human as their audience.
Bryan Singer is blessed with a cast that is able to at once communicate not only the fantasy, mutant elements of their characters' bodies and brains but also the disparate humanity punctuating their actions. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen serve as godfathers and guardians of their younger charges. James McAvoy and Micheal Fassbender are both brilliant and burdened. They are ideally cast as broken men on separate paths.
Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult both capture the vitality and impetuous juvenility of youth. They have suffered loss that colors their arcs, and it shows in their words and reactions. Evan Peters, as Quicksilver, is an underutilized revelation with spirit and humor.
Anchoring all of this is Hugh Jackman. Here, he is asked to stay in the background, but his charisma and knowing ferocity hold the rest of the cast, and the film, together. Jackman's Wolverine is now a leader and a less an antihero. His mantle of teacher, like that of Xavier's in the previous films, suits him well.
Singer turns in a film composed of exhilarating action beats and satisfying character drama captured with a subtle visual style. His 1970s are subtly swinging and sepia-toned. They are as vibrant as the cinematic world makes them out to be. The future is dark and cold. It is drained of color in crisp contrast to the 1970s.
Singer's tendency to shoot his cast in closeup accentuates the importance of character over spectacle. It is a refreshing change of pace for this type of film. Cinematography, editing, and score all complement each other and sell the film's overall quality.
All of this results in one of the most accomplished and, in short, best superhero films ever made. The drama, the humor, the action are all sharp and well-measured. The production is outstanding with its blend of artful comic book flash and focus.
Of all these well-appointed elements, what makes "X-Men: Days of Future Past" so excellent are its themes and emotional center. The film is more than a superhero romp. It is a film about struggle: not just the struggle against larger-than-life enemies, but the personal struggle with what human beings are and what they are meant to be. It is about struggle against the march of time and memory. Most importantly, it is about the triumph of hope over fear and over that struggle. This beating thematic heart of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is the reason the film succeeds at such high levels. It is the grandly important center of a fantastic film.