X-Men: Apocalypse

***X-Men: Apocalypse*** is a 2014 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. The film is the seventh installment in the *X-Men* film franchise. The film starred Hugh Jackman, Karl Urban, Charlize Theron, Regina Hall, Kyle Chandler, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rebecca Ferguson, Channing Tatum, Ophelia Lovibond, Sebastian Stan, Brian Cox, Ian McKellan, and Patrick Stewart, and grossed $1.114 billion on a $200 million budget, making it the highest grossing film of 2014 worldwide. It also received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Jackman and Theron's performances, as well as the musical score, visual style and production values, though it was criticized for its plot and characters.

## Plot

In 335 B.C., the first, and most powerful, mutant En Sabah Nur returns from visiting several different civilizations, inspiring many different myths and legends. However, in his absence, a conspiracy has arisen to kill him. His own henchmen, the Horsemen, turn on him and nearly kill him, before he collects enough power to enter hibernation far below the surface, taking out most of Thebes with him, leaving only a portion of the population, including the remaining Four Horsemen. In 2012, the time-travelling escapades awakens En Sabah Nur, who makes his way out of his trapped state. In present day, the X-Men—Logan/Wolverine, Scott Summers/Cyclops, Jean Grey, Ororo Munroe/Storm, Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, Bobby Drake/Iceman, Marie/Rogue, Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch—have made a name for themselves, finally accepted by humanity after saving Washington D.C. two years ago. Mystique, who hasn't been seen since, is also labelled a hero, which she doesn't take pride in. Elsewhere, Erik Lensherr/Magneto has managed to make it out of prison and is on the run. In Egypt, En Sabah Nur has been laying low, though he has formed a cult to worship him. Eventually, after resting for two years, decides to make his formal return.

In New York City, the X-Men fight a group of mutants attempting to disavow the X-Men. However, during the fight, Wanda loses control and ends up destroying part of a building, killing fourteen people. Returning to the X-Mansion, Wanda claims that something took over her body, though Xavier dismisses it as an excuse and suspends her from the team, angering Kurt, who has come to have feelings for Wanda. While sleeping, Scott notices Jean thrashing in her sleep, which he goes to Xavier about. However, while training the next day, Jean has a meltdown and destroys some of the equipment. However, like Wanda, Jean claims something took her over. Xavier examines Jean and Wanda, though discovers nothing wrong with them. Logan, meanwhile, leaves to discover his past. In Egypt, En Sabah Nur is revealed to have been controlling Jean and Wanda. He then decides to begin recruiting. In London, Mystique, disguised as a normal woman, has been living a normal life. However, she is visited by En Sabah Nur, who promises he can enable her to live a normal life, in his new world, where no one will recognize her, if she helps him. To persuade her, En Sabah Nur transforms her abilities, enabling her to transform her body into any shape or form. Mystique agrees, and reveals she knows where Magneto is hiding.

At the X-Mansion, Rogue becomes upset after she accidentally injures Remy while trying to be close to him. Xavier tries to help her begin to control her abilities, which seems impossible. In Germany, Magneto has chosen to lay low, hiding his identity and living with an elderly couple. However, the police end up discovering Magneto's identity and accidentally kill the couple while trying to apprehend him. En Sabah Nur arrives and kills the police, recruiting Magneto, showing him the extent of his magnetic abilites. Hank McCoy, working for the Pentagon, brings Logan to see William Stryker, the head of Weapon X who turned Logan into the Wolverine. Logan attempts to get him to give answers to his past, though Stryker remains quiet. McCoy is visited by En Sabah Nur, who wants to get to Logan, but McCoy fights him off. However, En Sabah Nur manages to get him under his control, and takes him as an acolyte instead. At the Mansion, the X-Men see a news report about a strange figure revealing himself in Egypt, as well as one about Magneto being discovered in Germany, being seen with the Egyptian figure. Jean and Wanda both see the history of En Sabah Nur, discovering he was called "Apocalypse" by the Ancient Egyptians who feared him. Revealing this to Xavier, they realize Apocalypse is coming to the mansion. As he arrives, Apocalypse takes Jean, viewing her as a potential replacement body for himself, and takes Rogue as an acolyte, revealing he can allow her to control her death touch, as well as fly. The group then leaves.

At the Pentagon, Logan and Stryker hear of McCoy's kidnapping and the destruction of the X-Mansion. Logan tries to get out, but the Pentagon is on lockdown. Stryker offers to help, if Logan lets him out. The two men find a way out of the prison block and find a helicopter to escape in. However, Logan betrays Stryker, leaving him behind. Apocalypse, with his Four Horsemen and a replacement, goes to Cairo, to start reshaping the world there. Jean manages to contact Xavier, revealing their location. Xavier, Scott, Storm, Kitty, Bobby, Remy, and Kurt prepare to leave, though Xavier forces Wanda to stay behind, due to her connection with Apocalypse leaving her as easy to get to. However, Kurt gets past Xavier's guards and saves Wanda, teleporting them inside the jet just as it leaves. In Cairo, Apocalypse senses the X-Men's arrival and sends Jean to a cell in a Pyramid, with McCoy watching over her. Magneto begins taking the magnetic fields to control the surface of the Earth. The X-Men arrive and Kurt, Scott, and Xavier go to rescue Jean, while Storm, Kitty, Bobby, Wanda, and Remy attack Apocalypse. Storm manages to knock Mystique out of Apocalypse's control, as does Remy with Rogue by kissing her, though it knocks her unconscious. Bobby is killed by Apocalypse, devestating Kitty, who manages to injure Apocalypse, who goes to begin the transference with Jean, relying on Magneto to continue. Kitty and Remy get Rogue to the jet, while Storm, Wanda and Mystique try to talk to Magneto.

Scott and Xavier manage to take out McCoy and save Jean. However, Apocalypse arrives, but is taken on by Logan. Kurt takes Xavier and McCoy to the jet to get Remy back into the field, while Jean and Scott get to the battlefield. Mystique is forced to seemingly kill Magneto to stop him, while Storm and Wanda go to the battlefield as well. Mystique goes back to the jet, while Kurt gets Remy to Scott, Jean, Storm, and Wanda. Logan is defeated by Apocalypse, who finds the Scott and the others. Remy, Scott, Storm, and Wanda use their abilities against Apocalypse, who manages to take them on, until Magneto arrives and turns on Apocalypse. Jean combines all of their various abilities to kill Apocalypse, who warns the X-Men that Jean will soon be their enemy, which they choose to ignore. Logan leaves to finally find his son, while everyone else returns to the mansion. Erik joins Xavier as a mentor to the X-Men, which are joined by McCoy and Mystique. Rogue now has full control over her abilities and can fly, while Kurt and Wanda begin an official relationship. In a post-credits scene, Jean dreams about burning the world down, while smiling in her sleep.

## Cast

* Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine
* Karl Urban as Scott Summers/Cyclops
* Charlize Theron as Jean Grey
* Regina Hall as Ororo Munroe/Storm
* Kyle Chandler as Hank McCoy/Beast
* Oscar Isaac as En Sabah Nur/Apocalypse
* Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Raven Darkholme/Mystique
* Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Bobby Drake/Iceman
* Rebecca Ferguson as Marie/Rogue
* Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit
* Ophelia Lovibond as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
* Sebastian Stan as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
* Brian Cox as William Stryker
* Ian McKellan as Erik Lensherr/Magneto
* Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X