This more than makes up for the Matthew Vaughn travesty X-MEN: LOW CLASS.

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2014)

For starters, it provides a suitable explanation for Stewart-Xavier's restored mobility in the flashback prologue of X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND. It also provides a suitable substitute for the character of Robert Kelly, who was the predestined target of assassination in the original Chris Claremont comic book story. But, who (as played by Bruce Davison) was killed off in the very first X-MEN movie, as all true fans of that film remember.
The mutant rebels in the opening action scene were also intriguing. In addition to returning favorites like Iceman, Shadowcat, and Colossus, there were also relative newcomers Bishop (no mistaking those dreadlocks!) and Sunspot. Although, I have to confess; Adan Canto, the actor portraying the latter, bore a slightly greater resemblance to the actress who played Callisto in X-3! In fact, I was thinking to myself, while watching the opening battle of this film:
"Is this supposed to be Callisto's dystopian future-son by Cannonball?!"
Then, there's Peter Dinklage who played Bolivar Trask. I loved it when he played Arthur Ramsey, the egotistical mental giant recruited for the alien-busting Federal task force in THRESHOLD (the short-lived, and criminally under-rated, 2005 CBS sci-fi series). And, the believability he brought to that role he transferred to his depiction of Trask with absolutely no trouble, at all!
For me, however, the highlight of the film was the new meaning Bryan Singer gave to the old phrase, "a meeting of the minds," when he had Stewart-Xavier telepathically confer with his younger self (convincingly played, once again, by James MacEvoy).
In short, then, I think the X-men movie franchise has been safely re-secured. Thanks to Bryan Singer being once more at the directorial helm.