The best and most consequential of the X-Men movies so far

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2015)

I wouldn't consider myself an avid fan of the X-Men. I know the basics of most of the characters and am familiar with some of the more significant stories, but as a whole they don't really command my respect, especially in regards to their film counterparts. In fact, out of the previous 6 movies, the only key players to leave a particularly good impression are Magneto and Nightcrawler. "X-Men: Days of Future Past", however, flies in the face of expectations on multiple levels, and may represent the apex of this rocky film series.
The "X-Men" movies have suffered from 3 common problems, one of which is remedied, one of which is kind of remedied, and one that is only worse. These problems are: an overabundance of characters, Wolverine's portrayal and the action.
Considering the wide array of superpowers, it's a wonder that none of these movies excel in terms of action. Most of the more impressive abilities are given a limited showcase, and most of the skirmishes are limited to mundane hand-to-hand combat. To date, the best of these remains the infiltration of the White House by Nightcrawler in "X2". "Days of Future Past" is a definite downgrade in this arena, which is what disappointed me greatly upon the first viewing. The only thrilling/amusing sequence in this respect is the extraction of Magneto with Quicksilver, and the glimpses into the future war seem to tease us with a far more interesting conflict. However, when focusing on the other aspects of the production, this failing becomes almost trivial.
Going off of the topic of action, Wolverine's portrayal is mostly improved. Sure, he's still a punching bag when fighting other superhumans, but, as with every other major player here, he works better as a realized individual than an action figure. In addition to the usual witticisms, Wolverine's role greatly demonstrates how much he has matured over the course of this film series, largely because it poses a challenge that can't simply be sliced. It centers on his admiration for Xavier and determination to fulfill his mission.
"Days of Future Past" doesn't have a huge cast in competition for screen time. The focus is squarely on the 4 key players, with Beast along for the ride. Sure, there are other mutants present, but there is no pretending that their role is anything more than supplementary. It's an approach that allows for the relationships to feel more pertinent and natural. The evolution of the opposing ideologies of Xavier and Magneto is much more poignant than in "First Class", where it didn't feel convincing for wanting of time. They're clearly affected by the weight that comes from championing the two sides of a conflict, and, thankfully, it is shown that there indeed were hard feelings over their last encounter. In this respect, the juxtaposition between their interactions in the past and future is kind of striking.
Jennifer Lawrence continues to grow in the role of Mystique, showing rudimentary aspects of the incarnation from the earlier films. Her time on screen is noticeably lesser than that of the other key players, but no scene is wasted; her prowess as an infiltrator and hardy demeanor are on full display. Peter Dinklage, on the other hand, is a waste as Bolivar Trask. He was clearly chosen for the role due to his current popularity, and the character fails to come across as anything more than pompous, as opposed to someone with credible reasons for what he is doing. William Stryker from "X2", despite his zealous approach, remains the most convincing mutant loathing human from the films. I'm actually curious if they'll ever dispose of the "gray area" approach and include someone who simply has an extreme prejudice of mutants, and is all the more lethal for it. The shadowy Director from the comics would be an ideal candidate for this.
Thanks to an early established objective for these guys, the storyline is more concentrated and better flowing than in the previous installments. Not to mention, it's not an objective that merely allows for a string of skirmishes; it requires crucial developments from those involved and lends a palpable sense of weight, both of which weren't strong suits for the other "X-Men" movies. Very little feels out of place or unnecessary, and everything builds to a climax that fails on the visceral level, but is ultimately more fulfilling than that. For the first time in a decade, I can say that I'm interested in the next direction this series will take.