So I’m seeing this scene go around again and I just want to talk about why I hate it (without derailing posts that are about how much the OP and rebloggers love it. I’m petty but not that petty.)
First off is that it feels so long. Time “stops” and Pietro (no I will not be calling him that other name) starts running about 13 seconds into this clip and kids start hitting sheets in real time at 2:44, returning things to normal. That means the powered up special effects of the scene lasts about 2:31. Now initially upon rewatch I thought I probably was overreacting somewhat and that it maybe only felt that long to me in theater and rewatching because I hate this movie anyway. However...
In the original scene in Days, time stops at 19 seconds in and starts back up with bullets hitting the wall at 1:45.
That’s 1:26 for Pietro’s special effects scene in Days and 2:31 in xapoc. More than a full minute longer, almost twice as long as the original. (more under the cut)
Like... while watching Days the first time, the powers scene already felt pretty extended, which is sort of the point since Pietro’s speed has a pretty “time stopping” quality with the way it’s filmed in these effects scenes. To make it even longer drags it out, making too much of even a good thing that I had loved in the movie prior.
Beyond that it just makes him overpowered. He’s supposed to be a super speedster. Days allows us to suspend our disbelief because the scene is fun, funny, and works within a doable realm for the supposed superpowers and the rules of the xmcu universe. Of course Pietro can take out a handful of government guards and four bullets on his lonesome, and look cool as hell doing it. But saving an entire school full of kids, staff, and pets from a massive explosion while still stopping for those playful moments?? Doesn’t a massive, powerful explosion last maybe a second longer than a gunshot? Going around saving that many people (and animals) should have produced much more urgency in Pietro’s actions and demeanor. Even Pietro would not have been stopping to casually observe things. The scene in xapoc would have felt much more believable and rewarding if Pietro had actually had to struggle for something, if stakes had actually felt higher instead of being set up as higher and then giving us an emotional letdown.
In other words, the scene was a lazy rehash of exactly the same scene as the movie previous but filmed in warm tones instead. But then, that was most of xapoc for me - lazily recycled stuff that had already been done on screen before, with much less understanding of the characters and stories this go-round. At this point I am almost ready to break my “I will never, ever re-watch xapoc because I love myself too much” vow so I can hate watch it and write a lengthy set of essays about my most hateful feelings.
shipinions meme: gambit/pietro? (you are also allowed to hate/be indifferent to this one 😂)
haha thanks B)
I am inclined to like it but I haven’t actually read any of the comics where they’re queercoded together! But the idea of my favorite eurotrash lad with mr cant sit still to save his life is honestly a vibe I think would work well. Easygoing charmer Remy and grumpy, Type A Pietro? Yee-haw do I feel that. I think it works well and would like to read it in the hands of a competent & loving writer
