X-Men: Days of Future Past

Name: X-Men: Days of Future Past
Item: X-Men: Days of Future Past
Rating: 4
Author: S. Jhoanna Robledo

Movie review by

S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media

X-Men: Days of Future Past Movie Poster Image

Parents recommendPopular with kids

Common Sense says

age 13+

(i)

Time-traveling superhero sequel has lots of action violence.

PG-13
2014
130 minutes

Save

Rate movie

Watch or buy

Parents say

age 13+

Based on 20 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 75 reviews

Get it now

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.

Get it now on

Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...

X of Y

Common Sense review | 2:01

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X of Y

Official trailer

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X of Y

X-Men: Days of Future Past Movie: Scene #2

X of Y

X-Men: Days of Future Past Movie: Scene #3

X of Y

We think this movie stands out for:

Character Strengths

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

A good friendship can withstand most disagreements, especially when both parties can communicate well with each other. Killing isn't the answer to problems; instead friendship, support, unity, and hope can save the day. Also: Don't fear what's different, and embrace who you are.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Although there are some clearly evil characters, the young professor is a generous, kind-hearted man who sometimes feels things a little too heavily. He's committed to righting wrongs the right way. Most of the mutants in this film are kind, caring, and compassionate, and demonstrate teamwork to solve problems. Some strong, powerful female characters and a somewhat diverse cast.

Violence

Plenty of action, including super-powered combat featuring all kinds of unusual powers. Lots of destruction and wreckage. People are thrown, stabbed, and shot at. There's an overwhelming sense of menace. Some scenes include shots of corpses and skeletal remains. Structures explode and get uprooted.

Sex

A man's naked backside is shown after he gets up from bed. There's a woman lying next to him. Some flirting at a bar. One blue, scaly female mutant sometimes walks around nude (though it looks as though she's wearing all-over body armor).

Language

Language includes a few uses of words like "s--t," "a--hole," "hell," and "bloody," plus a single "f--k."

Consumerism

Tie-in to vast quantities of related merchandise, plus some vintage signage for Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and a couple other brands.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Younger Professor X shoots up a serum that dulls his powers and helps him walk and seems to mimic the effect of heroin. Viewers see close-ups of the needle entering the vein. He also drinks a lot when we first see him, with lots of liquor bottles around. Other social drinking.

Set limits for violence and more with Plus

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that X-Men: Days of Future Past (the sequel to X-Men: First Class) is an exciting superhero film that's filled with fantastic special effects -- and bone-crunching battles. There's some blood -- as well as guns, stabbing, and hand-to-hand fighting -- though most of the action violence is of the large-scale carnage variety, including explosions and super-powered combat. Skeletons and corpses are seen. One scene shows a man's naked backside after he gets out of bed (a woman is lying next to him), and there's some swearing (one "f--k," plus "s--t," etc. ), drinking (the young professor drinks a lot, with bottles all around), and the "shooting up" of a serum that mimics drug use. As with all of the X-Men movies, this one explores issues of identity, fearing what's different, and embracing who you are, as well as the notion that killing isn't the answer to problems.

Wondering if X-Men: Days of Future Past is OK for your kids?

Set preferences and get age-appropriate recommendations with Common Sense Media Plus. Join now

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written bybholshouser December 14, 2014

age 15+

Not for children!!!!

Very disappointed in new x-men movie! My children are huge super hero and x-men fans, yet this movie is highly inappropriate. It is rated pg13 and I don't... Continue reading

Report this review

Adult Written byRarityfan February 25, 2019

age 12+

Days of past or today?

Well deserved Oscar nom for effects. In consumerims Paris, France and of course the big load of X Men comics.

Report this review

Teen, 13 years old Written byLikeaboss25 May 28, 2014

age 10+

X-Men Lives On

It is the best X men ever made but there is a lot of death and war. For 9 year old's and under it may be to gruesome or violent. Such as Ice Man being deca... Continue reading

Report this review

Kid, 10 years old July 10, 2014

age 10+

better than dc movies

it's pretty good but there are some swear words like s--t, d--k, ass, bitch, and a single f--k. theres also some violent scenes. but it's x-men, it... Continue reading

Report this review

What's the story?

In X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, it's the future, and mutants are in peril after a prolonged battle with both humans and robotic warriors, called Sentinels, that were designed to fight mutants by Boliver Trask (Peter Dinklage). This dismal situation harkens back to 1973, when Raven -- aka Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) -- shot Trask to put a stop to the growing threat against mutants. But that plan has clearly backfired, so Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) decide that the only solution is to send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to 1973 to prevent Mystique from pulling the trigger. But the professor and Magneto's younger selves (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender) are as estranged as two friends can get, and Mystique is filled with rage.

Is it any good?

The X-Men franchise knows how to deliver the goods -- this movie is thrilling filmmaking, a deft combination of engaged storytelling and impressive special effects. (Plus, heaps of charisma from the likes of McAvoy, Fassbender, and Jackman). While the film sometimes feels overcrowded, with too many characters and a busy plot -- you may find yourself wishing you'd spent more time getting to know a character or doing without them at all -- X-Men: Days of Future Past manages to be entertaining, not just for die-hard X-Men fans but also for those seeing it without the X-Men fandom lens. It's great to watch the talented cast do their thing, do it well, and enjoy themselves to boot. The audience will be cheering them on.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about superhero movies. How does X-Men: Days of Future Past compare with the other X-Men films? How do the X-Men movies stack up against other popular franchises, such as The Avengers or Spider-Man? What makes each one stand apart from the others?
What do the X-Men movies have to say about racism and discrimination? How do ordinary people view mutants?
What do the mutants' struggles have in common with other challenges that people have faced? Why do people tend to fear what is different?
How do the characters in X-Men: Days of Future Past demonstrate teamwork? Why is this an important character strength?

Movie details

In theaters: May 23, 2014
On DVD or streaming: October 14, 2014
Cast: Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Hugh Jackman
Director: Bryan Singer
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Genre: Action/Adventure
Topics: Superheroes
Character Strengths: Teamwork
Run time: 130 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: sequences of intense sci-fi violence and action, some suggestive material, nudity and language
Last updated: September 20, 2019