BRAVO...I'm back on board.

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2014)

that's right. i can't believe I'm saying this, nor did i think it was possible, but the X-Men film series is back to being just as rich as its 2000 inception and its undeniably stronger 2003 sequel that brought warmth to the hearts of many a comic book dork on this planet. indeed, the films have experienced a massive creative downfall since director Bryan Singer's exit at the 3rd movie (which i hated) and while things looked promising with Matthew Vaughn's under-appreciated X-Men First Class, Singer's return has brought back the greatness of a terrific X-Men film. X-Men Days of Future Past may seem like an exercise in damage control (Singer's been clear about his regret in leaving the franchise), but that wasn't an issue while watching this intriguing chapter that's worth every second of a fan boy's attention. the year is 2023 and Earth is now a decimated wasteland, dominated by the destructive Sentinels, machines initially meant for searching out and killing mutants, but over time have overridden their programming and gone about the total extermination of everybody, human or mutant. idealistic telepath Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and hateful cynic/metal manipulator Erik Lehnsherr (Ian McKellen) unite once again as allies to fight this robotic evil in hopes of survival, but accompanied with only a scattered handful of fellow mutants, their futile efforts to battle these endless (not to mention adaptable and unstoppable) swarms of Sentinels force them to resort to a shaky form of mind-manipulation/time-jumping, controlled by Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page). this method is all but exhausted as they fear it won't be long before they're completely overrun. they're last move is to send the consciousness of Logan (Hugh Jackman), the ageless, regenerating Wolverine himself, 50 years into the past to link up with his body in 1973. this Hail Mary pass is meant to prevent the events leading up to the Sentinels creation. this means finding longtime friends/foes Xavier and Lehnsherr in a time where both men were at their most depressive states and when their relationship was never more bitter. then there's locating the vengeful shape-shifter Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), who's not only a big reason for Xavier and Lehnsherr's animosity, but an indirect player in the Sentinels's technological advancement. Logan, usually the most efficient of brawlers in Xavier's band of gifted badasses, is now the man who has to keep it all together, whether that means recruiting the troops, such as the super-fast smartass Quicksilver (Evan Peters) or arranging a prison breakout (beneath the Pentagon of all places), he only has so much time to complete his mission before the Sentinels of the future close in on Kitty and end it all right there. i already feel I've said too much, but wow, there's more. so much more. the movie is tightly-structured, beautifully shot, marvelously performed, and stands so well on its own, long forgotten are the excruciating X-Men 3 or the abysmal X-Men Origins (which Singer has shamelessly, hilariously, and wisely ignored ever existed). not all the discrepancies from former films are completely rectified, but after an opening battle (which includes the return of Halle Berry's Storm and Shawn Ashmore's Iceman as well as newcomers Omar Sy as Bishop and Fan Bingbing as Blink), you won't care. the ride is too great and the story too involving. what's more is that this is hands-down the best acted X-Men film to date. Jackman has never half-assed a performance in his whole career and this is no exception. as the anchor holding both past and future ships steady, the man knows this character better than anyone and even in the weakest of Wolverine installments, he just doesn't know how to suck...ever. the always luminous Lawrence doesn't just bring the same gravitas to Mystique as she did in First Class, but shatters through every level, whether it be emotional or athletic. Stewart, McKellen, Sy (who's very underused), and the always excellent Peter Dinklage as Sentinel designer and chief villain Bolivar Trask are flawless in their supporting roles. but it's Fassbender and especially MacAvoy who steal the show. these two master craftsmen not only stand well on their own, but their unique and toxic interaction is enough to make even the blandest of material watchable and here's a movie where every word is great. i couldn't stop myself from admitting that if the whole movie had just been the two of them sparring, i would've been okay with that. i was happy with everyone in the movie except Peters, who even with having limited screen time and an action sequence that brought the crowd to loud cheers, seemed too obnoxious to like. i may be alone on that, but that's on me. to say anything more would be pushing it, except to say you should be prepared for a fantastic story with a kickass finale and the very welcome appearances of some great cameos. believe me when i say that my doubts on this movie were heavy and i feared the worst without any hope for the best and this is the one case where all my doubts have been completely crushed, very much to my deep pleasure. this was a huge step in the right direction and if Singer was haunted by past mistakes, he's done right so far in his attempts to correct them. X-Men fans should see this and i seriously doubt many will be disappointed. i'm already excited to see it again. BRAVO!!!