Spoilers Abound:
If only I could transport my
consciousness backwards through time to visit my nascent comic-obsessed self at
age 12 and whisper, “it is 2014 and I just stepped out of a movie where Warpath
and Blink fought Sentinels while Wolverine and Quicksilver helped bust Magneto
out of his Pentagon jail and OH MY GOD EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY LITTLE
ALEX!!” We have arrived at the 7th installment (7th!) of
what was, as recently as 5 years ago, feared to be a floundering franchise
until Matthew Vaughn stepped on the scene and wonderfully mind-wiped the sting
of The Last Stand from our collective consciousness. Three years later, working
from a story co-written by Vaughn, a returning Bryan Singer more than just
cleared a bad taste from our mouths, they straight-up said: “That shit
literally does not exist anymore.” And the people rejoiced, for it was good.
The
film is not without its problems, sure, but it delivers an immensely satisfying
experience ripe with strong performances, mind-numbingly clever action
sequences and a story that puts a bow on everything (yes, everything) that has
come before. The much maligned lack of diversity in the cast is valid, however,
as the focus is once again on our white male leads. Hopefully this franchise,
with whomever it may be at the helm, will take advantage of the rich cast of
characters associated with the team (Young Storm? Young Jean Grey? Pixie? Boom
Boom? No, not Boom Boom.) It was refreshing to see a little person actor play a
role that had nothing to do with him being a little person, but rather an actor
doing a phenomenal job of bringing Walter Peck-level villainy. Does Kitty Pride
have powers that make no sense? Does it make any sense that the future and past
are happening parallel to each other? Did Halle Berry and other Singer-era vets
show up to primarily cash a paycheck? Guys, you just have to give in. Give in
to this merry mutant romp and you will be rewarded.
Nothing
could have prepared me for the well of emotions that washed over me during the
last ten minutes of this film. Fourteen years ago I saw a team of X-Men on a
movie screen for the first time that didn’t feel quite right, but I didn’t care
because they were close enough. Now though, after several outings with mixed
returns, there projected in front of me was exactly what I held in my hands and
my imagination as that young comic book fan. Oh, be still my heart, all of the
X-Men are living under the mansion roof on Graymalkin Lane where they are
teachers to young mutants. I had a dream and you were there, and you were there
and you were there….To me, my X-Men!
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