Doing Right By Fans: X-Men Days of Future Past “The Rogue Cut” (REVIEW)

written by Justin Prince (@prince_justin)

2014’s Days of Future Past was like a joining of two worlds, the 1960’s era First Class with the cast of the original X-Men films from the early 2000’s. It was a big cast and did for the film franchise what was sorely needed since the lackluster X-Men: The Last Stand, to wipe that piece of cinematic garbage off the face of the planet… at least as far as comic book movie continuity goes. While we here at Lifted Geek loved Days of Future Past, a major character from the early 2000’s series was sorely missing… Anna Paquin’s Rogue. Though in the original theatrical cut, she was relegated to a cameo, the all new “Rogue Cut” looks to put much of her scenes back into the film with several new scenes that further flesh out the story.

First thing’s first, I can understand why they cut her scenes from the original theatrical cut. Including Iceman and Magneto during the Rogue prison break scene interspersed with the scene from the past where Eric infiltrates a government stronghold to retrieve his helmet was indeed exciting, it did feel like it lacked the flow of the original. The plan to find Rogue stemmed from the scene in the original when Logan loses control in the past and accidentally clips Kitty with his claws. Looking to harness Rogue’s unique ability to borrow powers from mutants to take Kitty’s place, it makes sense and honestly makes more sense than just Kitty “powering through” deep lacerations and blood lose. The final moments of Rogue’s prison break involve Xavier piloting their jet away, shaking off an attacking Sentinel while tearing off its arm. This further explains how the Sentinels found their stronghold. While it sheds light on their sudden appearance, I felt if drew away from how terrifying the Sentinels were. In the original cut, a whole battalion of them descends on the mutant resistance, slaughtering them right before the final scenes. Sometimes, more is less; and in this extended cut it felt like the Sentinels were responding to tactical information, making them less terrifying in my opinion.

finding scientists experimenting on Rogue

What I dug about including Rogue again was how the story felt like it came full circle, it was Logan and Rogue at the beginning, and at the end the two of them were together again. A sweet scene when the two were reunite, Rogue takes over for Kitty and after greeting her old friend, Logan in the past wakes up realizing that Rogue is with the. It was nice, I felt that with Bryan Singer’s return to the director’s chair it was fitting to bring her back at a crucial point in the story.

Not much has changed storywise; this new cut retains much of what made it a smart return to a franchise while giving the fans more. The average viewer could most likely care less about her inclusion, but for fans who’ve followed the film series for the better part of the last 15 years will appreciate it.

"Hello Logan"

As a fan, I loved it and felt a sweet hit of nostalgia when Rogue came back. If handled better, I’m sure she could have been included in the original theatrical cut, but this is still just as good. The “Rogue Cut” is for the fans, and for the fans it’s a fitting way to experience the story.