Is ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ Too Violent for Kids?

Today is the release date for the newest X-Men movie. Personally, I am a big fan of the series and think that the newest entry was a great addition. However, just because the movie is based on popular comics, does not mean it is kid-friendly. With dozens of X-Men movies available, seven of which feature recurring cast members, you may also be wondering if you need to see the previous movies before seeing this newest entry. The short answer is no, X-Men First Class is the true prequel to this movie, however there are references to X-Men, X2, and X-Men: The Last Stand throughout.

Movie Details:

Director: Bryan Singer

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender,

Rating: PG-13

Run Time: 131 minutes/ 2 hours 11 minutes

Is X-men Days of Future Past violent?

Yes, I was actually surprised at how intense some of the scenes were. It is X-Men, there are going to be fights, and brawls, and you expect a certain amount of violence heading in. Everyone knows the Wolverine can regenerate so you are going to get the scene where he is injured or shot, and he regenerates. If you have seen any of the previous movies this isn’t anything new. There are other scenes however that are relatively brutal. Below are some of the more explicit scenes.

• As mentioned earlier, Wolverine’s ability he to quickly heal makes him almost invincible. There is one scene in particular where this power is pushed to its limit near the end of the movie.
• In a flashback scene, one villain is executed, and while the camera pulls away at first, you do see the character’s face as he falls with the fatal wound showing.
• There are also several fight scenes between mutants and their sentinel adversaries. During these scenes several of the sentinels overtake the mutants and finish them off. While blood is never shown, thanks to the mutant powers, these scenes can be intense for young viewers.
• During one scene a character is viewing medical files, and the images shown are post-mortem. These individuals were experimented on and scars can be seen on their bodies.
• One character is shot in the neck, and while the shot is just a wound and not fatal, you do see the round entry and exit wounds on the character’s neck.

 

Is X-men Days of Future Past educational?

Because the film’s plot relies heavily on a character traveling back in time, there are minor lessons in history. The set for the majority of the film takes place in 1973, so it is after the Vietnam War and in the midst of the Cold War. The Peace Accords that took place in Paris are featured in the film, although historically they ended much differently. Also the Cuban Missile Crisis is referenced due to the events that took place in the first film.

The film can also be used to discuss the idea of fate vs. free will. This theme is brought up several times throughout the movie using a ‘pebble in the river’ metaphor. The river has a final destination, and you may be able to throw a pebble to cause a ripple, but can you change the direction of the river?

Is there nudity?

Frustratingly yes, but it is brief. A male character gets out of bed early on in the movie, and is shown naked from behind. Also the character Mystique/Raven is essentially covered in body paint for the movie, but is never explicitly nude.

Is there drug use?

Again, frustratingly yes. In past movies, a drug is used to suppress a mutant’s genes. In this film, a character becomes reliant on it to the point where they resemble a junkie, including the way the drug is administered. While this does play into the story line, the way it is portrayed is dark, and is supposed to mimic the habits of an addict.

Is there foul language?

A handful of expletives are used, including the ‘F’ word once, and a few uses of the ‘S’ word.

Your child should see this movie if:

They’ve seen X-Men: First Class. If you felt comfortable with your child seeing the previous movie then this movie isn’t much worse.

They’ve read the comics. The film is inspired by the comics, so if your child enjoys the comics this would be a nice treat for them.

If your child is a fan be sure to download our free printable poster as well.

Your child should NOT see this movie if:

They are uncomfortable with death. Characters do die in the film although all the scenes where death is shown involve machine (sentinel) vs human (mutant). There aren’t any ‘murders’ except for the scene mentioned above.

They are too young or don’t understand complex storytelling. In the beginning of the film, the characters explain how time traveling works, but any time traveling plot can get confusing.

If you have any questions about the movie, please include them in the comments and I will be sure to answer them for you.

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