X-Men: Days of Future Past

(*** out of 5)

     I am a huge nerd and was so excited about this film.  The films continue to impress me, especially after the last film, X-Men: First Class.  It was fun, action-packed, and character-driven.  I couldn't believe the producers were able to get so many academy actors into one film.  Most films that have tons of famous actors tend to "droop," and I think that's the only reason I gave this film a three-out-of-five rating.  My best friend and I discussed that we thought this was the second best film, First Class being the best one.
     If you haven't seen the previews, which will not ruin the movie, the plot is simple.  Set in the future, humans and X-Men face extinction after a robot designed by men turns against its own kind.  The opening is an intense sequence.  It's dark, and the characters that we loved are all grown up and ready to die if they need to.  It opens with Charles Xavier and Magneto working together.  This is how desperate the mutants have become.  It was in the last film that the audience discovered their previous friendship.  Kitty, who you may remember as the girl who can run through walls, has figured out a way to time travel in short distances.  It's dangerous and can damage the physical body.  In order to prevent the extinction of the world, someone must travel back in time to stop the production of the robots.  Logan, aka Wolverine, is the only one who can survive physical damage in time travel of this proportion.  He must travel back to create an alliance among the mutants.
     The majority of the film takes place in 1973.  All but Logan are young.  There are a few flashes to present day, but not many.  There were so many characters brought back in the film, that it lacked certain character development, a pet peeve of mine.  The story made up for this.  The audience gets a lot of Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence).  She is the one who the plot focuses on as, believe it or not, the enemy.  Because I have seen all of her movies, I'm used to seeing her as the heroine.  This was great!
     The ending of the film was an adrenaline rush.  Obviously, I can't tell you what happens, but you won't be disappointed.  For comic book fans, there IS something after the credits.  I had no idea what it was but I was later informed.  Overall, if you haven't seen the other X-Men films, you probably won't understand this one.  Watch the last four films and then see this one.  You won't be disappointed.