X-Men: Days of Future Past

In this sci-fi sequel/prequel, Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) time-travels 50 years into the past in a desperate effort to alter the course of history and thwart doomsday for humans and mutants alike. In the dark, desolate, dystopian future, gigantic killer robots known as Sentinels have almost succeeded in annihilating the mutants and their human supporters. Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his longtime friend/rival, Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Ian McKellen) are in hiding with their few remaining allies. Their only hope is to use Kitty Pryde's (Ellen Page) mental powers to project Logan/Wolverine's consciousness back to 1973 to erase the Sentinel program from history. Catapulting through world history—including JFK's assassination, the Vietnam War, and Richard Nixon's presidency—Wolverine must convince reclusive, mentally/physically crippled young Xavier (James McAvoy), who is tended by Hank/Beast (Nicholas Hoult), of the danger. And with the help of Wolverine's agile pal Peter/Quicksilver (Evan Peters), they manage to free anarchistic Magneto (Michael Fassbender) from incarceration and become caught up in angry, blue-skinned, shape-shifting Raven/Mystique's (Jennifer Lawrence) plan to kill villainous, mutant-hating Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage). The confusing, convoluted screenplay is nevertheless adroitly directed by Bryan Singer in this summer blockbuster boasting lots of astonishing CGI and visual effects, as well as a huge cast of characters that also includes Storm (Halle Berry), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Havok (Lucas Till), and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore). Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a gag reel (6 min.) and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Double Take: Xavier & Magneto” (12 min.), “Classification: M” (12 min.), “Sentinels: For a Secure Future” (10 min.), “Reunited” (10 min.), and “Kitchen Sequence” featurette (6 min.), as well as deleted scenes (6 min.), galleries, trailers, and bonus digital and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package—on Blu-ray—for an entertaining popcorn flick.] (S. Granger)