So while a greying Wolvie is lying on a slab in China at the mercy of a determined Miss Pryde and protected by the last mutants standing, his slightly younger self enjoys a psychedelic awakening following a forgotten night with a barely-remembered woman. The ever-reliable Hugh Jackman slips easily back into the role that made him a star, giving us a good dose of his alter ego\u2019s trademark caustic charm (complete with gratuitous nudity) as he sets off to find Young Charles, free an incarcerated Young Erik Lehnsherr, and begin to right the wrongs of the past.<\/p>\n
Given his complete domination of the film\u2019s promotional materials, audiences might expect Jackman to steal the show. But as great as he is, bone claws and all, Hugh can\u2019t compete with James McAvoy\u2019s superlative talents.<\/p>\n
From the first moment we see Charles, drunken and broken following the loss of his legs and Raven, and cared for by Beast, the story finally has its heart. In stark contrast to Patrick Stewart\u2019s solid and composed Professor X of the future, Young Charles is a dishevelled, depressed mess – albeit one with excellent taste in swears and gin.<\/p>\n
McAvoy\u2019s ability to engage an audience and take them on an emotional ride is unparalleled, coming to the fore as we witness his character’s difficult reunion with the man he blames for ruining his life and the subsequent evolution of his relationship with Raven.<\/p>\n If it all sounds a bit dour, that\u2019s because it is. The fun went out with the swinging Sixties and Singer\u2019s return brings a somber, serious tone that\u2019s short on one-liners and lacking in laughs – while the innumerable cameos and nods to the comic-book canon will give every fan a grin, the only real reprieve we\u2019re given is Evan Peters\u2019 standout turn as Pietro\u00a0\u2018Quicksilver\u2019 Maximoff. But the impressive and skilled cast are on fine form as the script makes the most of their dramatic abilities.<\/p>\n Despite Magneto\u2019s rather muddled part in this tale, Michael Fassbender presents a more nuanced portrayal than before, providing a nice balance between Ian McKellen\u2019s remorseful old man of the future and his sexy, anarchistic younger self. Jennifer Lawrence shines too, as a grown up and angry Raven who has embraced her inner badass in the intervening years since defecting to the dark side.<\/p>\n Some time spent with Erik and newly-acquired ninja skills make for an angry young woman and mutant freedom fighter on a mission – albeit one with dangerous consequences. And Peter Dinklage’s mutant-hating Boliver Trask is a villain satisfyingly conceived in shades of grey.<\/p>\n Earnest and worthy aren\u2019t qualities that tend to produce successful superhero movies. But somehow, Singer makes it work, neatly negotiating the inherit problems presented by time travel and the butterfly effect, and putting the X-verse on an interesting new path in the process. Days of Future Past<\/strong><\/em> might present as many questions as it answers – but for the first time in the franchise’s history, the future seems truly – and gloriously – uncertain.<\/p>\n X-Men: Days Of Future Past<\/em>\u00a0will be released on 22 May 2014. Read our massive behind the scenes special in the new issue of SciFiNow<\/a> and find out more about the comics that inspired the film with our awesome\u00a0new digital magazine Uncanny Comics<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong>![\"quicksilver-days-of-future-past\"](\"http:\/\/www.scifinow.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/quicksilver-days-of-future-past.jpg\")
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