Suicidal Tendencies (Suicide Squad, 2016)

After the cool reception to Batman V Superman from critics and fans alike (It has it’s supporters) DC and Warner Brother started providing hype for Suicide Squad to divert attention. Set to classic hard rock music the trailers screamed “This will be fun and exciting!”

Suicide Squad, for the uninitiated was a DC Comic written by John Ostrander (he actually was reviving an earlier comic, but the Suicide Squad as it is known now was Ostrander’s baby). It was a government task force that forced some of DC’s baddest villains to take high risk jobs for our government in return for reduced sentences. Of course, nobody was expected to survive long enough to get to take advantage of their reward. Not a bad idea.

The film always seemed out of place for the DC Cinematic Universe. We are actually meeting some of the enemies of heroes we have barely met. Including Suicide Squad? We have about two minutes of Flash time. I am including that Justice League trailer from SDCC. And this is actually one of the big problems with the film. They are trying to fill in so much information, we are bogged down with tons of background. The cast is pretty large, causing more than one character to get little to do. Killer Croc has a few moments, but gets little to do until the very end of the film.

I wondered how the Kitana character would fit in (she is not a villain in the comics). Here she is pretty much a baby-sitter until the final act. It feels more like they put her in the film in case they wanted to use her in the future and she would already be established.

The emphasis on the Joker and Harley Quinn relationship is that it…well, polishes up their relationship. We do get a moment that makes it clear that the Joker tortures Harley Quinn before she takes on the identity. The film apparently cut a lot of bit that really suggested the relationship was abusive. It could have been an interesting opportunity to have her standing against the Joker, but instead, she keeps running back to him. Harley Quinn is also often forced into the position of eye candy. The character has always had a sense of being…innocent. Like she just thinks she is being wacky and funny. Like when little kids insult grown up and are “only teasing”. One scene has her dressing in public, looking around and realize everyone is staring and then just asking “what?” Had Robbie not been stuck in outfits putting her on display throughout the film, that might have been more effectively funny.

Jared Leto’s Joker has been the source of much criticism and concern for many fans. I have run into many fans who were tired of him long before the film saw release. And I did feel like he was one of the weaker links of the film. Not because the performance was terrible…but rather the performance was inconsistent. He has an effective scary laugh which is barely used in the film. Sometimes he seems bored, but other times he is very menacing.

And yet, in spite of these things? I enjoyed the film quite a bit. I felt it worked far better than Man of Steel or Batman V Superman. Smith’s Deadshot is an interesting character who on the one hand is a deadly sharpshooter and a doting father. While not a wholly original dichotomy, it works pretty well here. Harley Quinn’s big focus is as the Joker’s Girlfriend. In spite of this, Robbie really captures the core of the character. She seems carefree, but yet dangerous. Almost sickeningly sweet, all while being thrilled by mayhem. Robbie is endlessly engaging. Viola Davis brought Amanda Waller to life in an amazing way. She was every bit as frightening as she should have been.

The big surprise for me was Diablo. I went in knowing next to nothing about him other than he was the fire guy. His character is a pacifist refusing to use his power for fear he will lose control and kill people.

The action is pretty easy to follow as it unfolds on the screen, and aside from the obligatory slow motion shot towards the end, is exciting to watch. The fact that you really have a bunch of characters that want nothing more to walk away makes a “Let’s Do this” speech entering into the final act really tough. Yet, somehow, the group choosing to act as a team works.

The rumor is that a lot of the humor was from re-shoots demanded by Warner Brothers. If that is the case, good call from Warner Brothers. The film peppers humor through out the film that works effectively at keeping the characters likeable. I know that there have been some real rough reviews…but I avoided reading them so far because I wanted to see the film without pre-set expectations of terribleness. And I walked out entertained. I am not saying it is a great film. Of the Super-hero films we have had this year? I still give it to Captain America: Civil War. But I had fun, and that can be hard to say with DC films as of late.

August 7, 2016 0

Alien Bomb Coming Through! (Transformers: Age of Extinction, 2015)

The title of the review comes from an actual line in the film. Of course, nothing seems to challenge Michael Bay’s toy based Franchise…as of this writing there are three more films (one being a Bumblebee spinoff film) in the pipeline. There is no stopping it…not even this film. It picks up ten years after the destruction in Chicago. They have repaired and now the government is trying to wipe the Autobots and Decepticons out entirely. To that end they have a space robot helping them who has an agenda of his own.

Nobody knows where Optimus Prime is…and it turns out he suffered massive damage and is now asleep in an abandoned movie theater. He is found by failing inventor Cade. Cade and his hot daughter are on the verge of losing their house. His friend Lucas, hot daughter Tessa and her street racer boyfriend escape their house after government agents show up to claim Optimus Prime (who Cade revived). Much of the film seems to be going in the direct of Cade finally being less distrustful of his daughter and accepting her boyfriend Shane. Shane shows himself to be highly competent throughout much of the film. So it makes sense that maybe they become friends.

They discover that businessman/genius has been building his own robots, his pride and joy being Galvatron. You can probably see where this goes way wrong. Eventually he teams with Cade to save the planet from a bomb left by the Robot Bounty Hunter who reveals that the folks who created the Autobots and Decepticons want to take them back and get rid of them. Basically, it is the plot from Prometheus.

Remember my thoughts on Cade and his relationship to his daughter and her boyfriend? Boy was I wrong. For some reason they opted to make Shane totally incompetent and a complete fool that Cade has to suffer through. And when Cade saves the days? His daughter grabs her boyfriend and gives him all the credit for saving them. It is a sudden and unnecessary character change to make Cade look good, but it just does not work in any way. It is not even funny.

This is a better film than Revenge of the Fallen, but then, that is not saying much. But it does have Optimus Prime Riding a Robotic T-Rex.

August 5, 2016 0

Moonshine (Transformers: Dark of the Moon,2011)

So the Autobots came to earth in an attempt to escape with a weapon the Decepticons wanted. It was lost when it bumped into our moon. On board is Sentinal Prime. Turns out when they established Optimus was the Last Prime in the previous film…it was incorrect.

Sam is no longer with Mikaela, instead he lives with his new hot girlfriend who is introduced to the audience with a five minute tracking shot focused solely on her ass. Because what better way to introduce you cast member. It is not presented with any eye of satire or self criticism. The Autobot’s relationship with the Government is a bit stressed, and when there is a betrayal, the Decepticons make a threat to the world to get rid of the Autobots. Chicago is totaled as they take over.

Again, the effects look great and the cast is absurdly good. Frances McDormand, Alan Tudyk, Leonard Nimoy and John Malkovich join the mostly returning cast. But the frustrating thing here is that some of the characterization feels off. The fact that Sam is still lacking any confidence is tremendously nervous is tiring. He is a goof, yet (among other things) gets stunning girlfriends and has directly saved the world twice before this film. There is no evidence that people think he is a joke, so the idea he cannot get a higher level job than a mail-room clerk is hard to believe. The character has not grown at all since his introduction in 2007.

In the beginning, Optimus Prime is pretty in character as a noble leader and warrior. But towards the end of the film he lets thousands die to teach Earth a lesson about how needed the Autobots are. He coldly kills characters who are surrendering and begging for mercy.

I noted in the Revenge of the Fallen review that Fox was gone after that. According to production interviews with Bay the reason Fox was gone? She looked different when she came in for the third film. He heavily implies that she had enough surgery that she looked nothing like her character anymore. Bay laments that “for some reason” women in the entertainment industry feel a need to “change their looks”. Has Michael Bay actually seen one of his movies? Because if he has, he might get a clue as to why actresses “change their appearance”. And to replace Fox? He hired a model (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley) who had never acted before. Because being an actress is unnecessary for a Michael Bay film.

The story is another revision to the series…every film to this point revises why the Autobots and Decepticons are here. The effects and stunts are the high point. And that is about it. Maybe these are the best they can do with a toy robot collection. But that should not be the case. Creativity should be possible, even with a toy based franchise.

August 4, 2016 0

What Script? (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2009)

The story goes that they started filming the movie without a full script. Not a rough script…an unfinished script lacking an end…among other things. It is a real mess of ideas and makes for a completely incoherent film. Sam goes to college, leaves Mikaela behind until the action kicks in. And the army guys and Autobots are a team. Remember how the Autobots came to Earth for the All Spark? Wait, it is not why…now they came to stop the Fallen, who came to earth thousands of years ago. And Optimus Prime is Autobot Jesus. There are black stereotype Autobots (what is it woth Bay and race based “humor”?). The film brings in the Constructicons who make one big vacuum cleaner.

The cast is, as before quite good. But they seem lost and unsure where they are going…I almost expect to see a script supervisor to run into frame and hand people pages with their updated lines and story. The mess has great effect, but raises weird questions. The Decepticons send a sexy girl to go after Sam. She looks and apparently feels human to the touch…if this is a possibility…um, why are they turning into cars and planes and tape decks?!

Why?

This is the film that got Megan Fox in trouble…she called Bay Hitler. And word is Producer Steven Spielberg sent her packing. But I suspect it was different than that. Bay sticks with the Cleavage and Explosions formula. But in the end…nothing save this from being a complete implosion of a film.

August 3, 2016 0

It Meets The Eye (Transformers, 2007)

When it was announced that there was a live action Transformers movie on the way, former kids everywhere rejoiced. Even when it was announced that Eye Candy & Explosions Master Michael Bay was directing the film, we did not let that stop our hopes for “Awesome”. The final product? Well, I guess it as as good as any Alien Robots That Turn Into Cars and Stuff movie could be.

Introducing us to Sam Witwicky…in the old cartoons there was a Witwicky, but if they are meant to be related or if it is just a fan service thing…I don’t know. Sam is a …uh…jittery and nervous kind of guy. He has his heart set on Mikaela…who hangs with a different crowd. Unfortunately robots who turn into cars totally interfere.

It is hard to sum the film up, as the cast is huge. HUUUUUGE. There are army guys, secret undercover agents. Sam’s overbearing parents. Hackers (Cute Blonde and antsy black guy). Racial Stereotypes abound. In some way, most of them come together and help the Autobots fight the Decepticons.

Bay hires a lot of actresses for their eye candy factor. When an attractive girl is on screen, the camera lingers as he makes her pose. I can just hear him telling Megan Fox as she is looking over a car engine “Lean forward a little more!” The Autobots came to earth to find the “All Spark” and we humans have been hiding it. Okay…that is the basic plot. Plus cleavage and explosions.

Remember that huge cast? One thing that blows my mind is how Bay can populate his films with solid actors. I mean, Armageddon had a cast made up almost entirely of indie movie actors and Bruce Willis. The script is not confusing, but it takes awhile to come together as a whole.

The robots look quite good. And it is fun that they cast Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Charlie Adler (Starscream) reprise their roles from the 80’s cartoon. The film can be very exciting and it is a real effects spectacle. Light on plot and characterization, it may be okay for a mindless evening.

August 2, 2016 2

Back to the Future (X-Men: Days of Future Past, 2014)

Days of Future Past is a well loved storyline where Kitty Pryde is thrust into a future where Mutants are herded in camps, marked and in some cases killed. They are hunted by giant robots called Sentinels. And for the most part, Days of Future Past keeps these ideas. Except the film begins in the future and instead of Kitty Pryde going to the future, they send Wolverine back in time to stop it from ever happening. Kitty Pryde is still a part of this, as she can use her phasing ability to phase people through time. Only to a few days earlier, so they are playing a cat and mouse game with the Sentinels finding their hideout, Kitty sending Bishop back in time to warn them. They decide they need to go farther back, but it is to taxing on Kitty and the brain of the person she sends back. Wolverine volunteers to go, arguing his healing factor makes him the best choice.

Wolverine awakes in the 70’s and finds that the School Xavier opened is in shambles…there are no students. Xavier is addicted to a drug that allows him to walk, but also prevents him from using his powers. Beast is also there as his aide. They do not initially buy Wolverines arguments, but he eventually persuades them to the cause. They are trying to stop Mystique from assassinating Bolivar Trask. Trask is the creator of the Sentinels and he has been using mutants as part of his R&D. The research is fatal, and this is actually used to kill several characters from First Class off screen.

This is without a doubt one of the strongest films in the entire X-Men series. The return of Bryan Singer as director was clearly a smart choice. There is well timed humor and exciting action. We see the return of the original (still living cast). The future sequences are full of cool uses of power and we get new characters like Blink (who creates wormholes characters can escape through-the film is very inventive with these powers) and Warpath (a character from the 1970’s return of the X-Men comics). We have Storm and Iceman back. The films have always had a hard time placing Magneto on the side of evil and seeing real life friends Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan back together again.

And the new characters are pretty memorable. Quicksilver appears only a short time, but he totally steals every scene. He is funny and likeable. Peter Dinklage makes Trask a sympathetic and misguided villain. He is not simply evil…he is consumed by fear of what mutants mean for the human race. It does not make his actions acceptable. His choices are evil, but you can see what takes him there. William Stryker returns to the series and is trying to weaponize mutants, treating them as less than human already. The film is, of course, very Wolverine-centric.

There are two cuts of the film out on Blu-Ray. The theatrical cut eliminated Rogue entirely with the exception of the film’s final scene, even though they filmed several scenes focused on Rogue. The second is not a directors cut, it is the Rogue Cut and restores Rogue to the story. Both versions are good, but it is nice seeing the inclusion of Rogue and the important part she plays. It also brings things back to the first film and Rogue’s relationship to Wolverine.

The film has continuity issues in regards to the film series. One being how Patrick Stewart is back…it is a bit more focused on undoing X3 and “fixing a timeline”…which results in questions. Like First Class, Days of Future Past overcomes a lot of these questions while watching it. This film feels like the passing of the baton to the new cast (much in the way Star Trek Generations tried to do…but this does it oh so much better). It is, like X2, a film that has a strong identity that is built on strong performances.

August 1, 2016 0

Marvel (Studios) Vs DC (Warner Brothers)

So, there has been a fair amount of talk suggesting DC royally kicked Marvel’s butt at the San Diego Comic Con this years when it comes to the movie side of things. There was this article specifically citing nine ways that DC owned Marvel at SDCC. While the points are valid, the “nine ways” are really the same one point, repeated nine times.

What is all comes down to is DC brought their A Game. Marvel did not. I was not there, so I am trusting the word of people I know who were there. They were more impressed with DC (and Warner brothers) than Marvel’s contribution. Marvel has one movie left this year, Doctor Strange. I am excited for this film, I think it could be a nice and solid expansion into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They had some brief news, one that Kurt Russell is playing the human form of Ego the Living Planet. The full Cast of Black Panther (which looks like an excellent cast). They also announced Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel, Marvel’s first movie focused on a female lead hero. Which comes out two years after Wonder Woman. Way to drop that ball. But the thing is, these announcements are simply confirmations of rumors. Marvel relied mostly on concept art, rather than exciting new footage.

You see, DC Surprised everyone with brand new footage of Wonder Woman and Justice League. Footage that got even jaded fans tired out by Man of Steel and Batman V Superman. People got excited for DC’s cinematic future with actual footage. Marvel only had footage for Doctor Strange…not one scrap of footage from Guardians of the Galaxy or Thor Ragnarok. Now, that is understandable…filming just began on July 4th. Far to close to SDCC to provide anything substantial. But it would have been cool if Marvel announced their new name for the next Avengers film. And that they next two were not a two parter. Instead, they announced this after the con and they did not know what it would be called yet. They had no footage from Spider-Man homecoming either.

DC’s parent company WB also got people excited with a new trailer for the Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them and the first trailer for Kong Island, which looks quite thrilling. Disney (Marvel’s parent company) brought…well…nothing. It is pretty hard to say that Marvel did not get owned this years. They played the same game they always played, and their over confidence appears to have led them to underestimate their competition. It is to bad, considering how ahead they were, allowing DC to catch up may dampen enthusiasm.

July 31, 2016 0

The Most Ultimate Edition

So, I took the time to watch the Ultimate Cut of Batman V Superman. And you know what? It is a great improvement. It was enough for me to consider the film enjoyable.

The added footage really enhances the story filling in the blanks. We now understand why Superman misses something that results in major death and destruction, and to cap it off, we see him helping locate survivors. Also, while I already thought Bruce Wayne’s introduction was one of the best sequences in the film, we get extra seconds to show Bruce’s dedication to helping survivors. This version also explains why Batman’s branding of criminals “results in a death sentence”. It is part of Luthor’s plan to manipulate Superman’s perspective on the Batman.

On top of that, while we got evidence of Lois Lane’s dedication to find answers, finally we see Clark actively doing investigative reporting into Batman, as well as the discover of Luthor’s reach in influencing public opinion towards some of Superman’s actions.

This is not to say all my concerns and criticisms are alleviated. For one, I really wish they would have Superman talk less like Earth is not his home. He has spent 99.9% of his life on Earth. Raise by citizens of earth. He sees them as mom and pa. He loves Lois. He still talks about Krypton as “My world” as if Earth is not also his world. Batman is a great detective, except where Luthor’s plan comes into play. Superman gives up trying to convince Batman to help him a little to quickly and goes into fight mode faster than Superman really should. Superman is not a dumb brute. And honestly, I cannot help but find the thing that gets Batman to pause is…their mothers are both named Martha. While that is certainly an interesting coincidence…but that that is the only thing that causes Batman to question his view on Superman seconds before killing him…oi.

But still, the Ultimate Version has made this a much better film, one I feel more confident in. If this had been the theatrical version, the list of my negative feelings would not be nearly as long. In addition, after watching the promo trailer for the upcoming Justice League, I am actually looking forward to seeing it. The preview has an interesting take on Aquaman, Flash looks like a brighter heroic addition to the DCU. Even Batman and Wonder Woman have some fun banter.

It is to early to state as fact of course, but the Wonder Woman trailer looks exciting and fun. It looks like the Wonder Woman movie people have been wanting for a long time. And if Suicide Squad is as fun as it looks…well, DC might have three winning films in a row. Four if you include the Ultimate cut, though “winning” might be a slight overstatement. But the future is showing a brighter potential for DC films.

July 30, 2016 0

Rebirth (X-Men: First Class, 2011)

After the cool reception of X-Men Origins: Wolverine the producers stepped back to determine their next step. So they went back to the drawing board. X-Men First Class starts at the beginning with a Young Charles Xavier and Magneto. It also gives an origin of sorts for Mystique. Oddly, for a character who mostly served a function of henchman for Magneto in the original series, the latest set of films are heavily focused on Mystique as a tortured soul torn between Professor X and Magneto. One of the interesting things that happened as the film came together was the return of Matthew Vaughn as a director. He dropped out of X3 for family reasons. Returning for First Class was a good move.

While the first trilogy gave no hint that Prof X and Mystique know each other, but early in the film we see them not only meet, but young Charles Xavier takes her in to live with him in his giant mansion. But the film opens with a faithful recreation of the first X-Men film’s opening. Young Magneto is brought into a concentration camp where he is seen as a great weapon by Nazi Officer Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon). It is pretty clear that the X-Men Origins Magneto film morphed into this one and we get a well constructed scene where a grown up Magneto (now played by Michael Fassbender) finds two retired Nazis in a bar and torments them for information. We return to Charles Xavier (played by James McAvoy) with a full head of hair and Raven (Mystique, now played by Jennifer Lawrence). Xavier is recruited by the government for help regarding Sebastian Shaw, who has not aged a day. He is trying to play governments against each other in the midst of the cold war. The world does not know mutants are out there, but the government does and they want them. This help brings Professor X and Magneto together when Magneto tried to take down Shaw, messing up the sting.

They start working with CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) and A Man in a Suit (Oliver Platt) to locate new mutants. The entire time, Magneto struggles with his desire for revenge against Shaw. Raven finds herself drawn to Magneto’s pride as a mutant. Meanwhile, Shaw and his henchmen (Including Emma Frost, inexplicably a grown woman in a film set years earlier than X-Men Origins Wolverine) are working to incite nuclear war (the film is really set around the Cuban Missile Crisis).

Overall, First Class is fun, exciting and compelling. Magneto: Nazi Hunter is a great introduction. The collection of characters is an intriguing mix from the X-Men comics. You have longstanding members like Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and Havok (Lucas Till) and newer characters such as Angel Salvadore (Zoë Kravitz) and Darwin (Edi Gathegi). The film is extremely well cast and is filled with strong performances. There is a lone exception. January Jones once claimed her ex Ashton Kutcher told her she cannot act. I am inclined to agree. Her Emma Frost is dull and lifeless. Emma Frost is a character who should be intensely arrogant and cold. And here she feels entirely inconsequential.

While the original films irked people with the leather outfits, this film pays homage to the early costumes, with black and yellow color schemes. This is one of the strongest films in the franchise, full of life and character. There is much to admire and enjoy with First Class.

There are some slipups in the choices they make, such as the film kills some characters with great potential for the old “See How Great the Danger Is?” It also just happens to be one of the few minority characters in the story.

And yet, it starts some continuity cracks. First Class is going back to the beginning, not pretending the first three films never happened. Moira McTaggert is a scientist in the third film, played by Olivia Williams. First class has the same character in another job altogether decades earlier. They use characters without concern for whether they appeared in the previous films with entirely different incarnations. Jubilee appeared in the third film ad then in Apocalypse. Apparently never aging. The quality of the film overcomes these issues, but it starts a series of problems.

July 29, 2016 0

Lil’ Wolverine (X-Men Origins: Wolverine,2009)

No doubt, the fan favorite of of the X-Men films was the comics fan favorite Wolverine. Hugh Jackman held his own with some top talent in those first two films… a solo Wolverine film was kind of a no-brainer. And putting it in the hands of the director of the stunning Tsotsi, Gavin Hood seemed like a terrific idea. Then casting started to leak… Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool (what a good choice), Liev Schreiber as Sabertooth-wait…what? In the first X-Men Movie, Sabertooth was played by wrestler Tyler Mane. Now, the change in actors is no big deal, It happens. But the first movie played off the characters as unfamiliar with each other. Wolverine’s memory loss is his easy defense…Sabertooth’s? Don’t know.

Borrowing heavily from the comic series Origin the film establishes Wolverine and Sabertooth to by half brothers. Big plot point to miss. The opening credits feature a really nice montage of the young men growing to adult hood as soldiers in a series of wars, world war one, two and so on…finally settling on Vietnam …Jame’s brother Victor goes ballistic and kills civilians, as James tries to stop him…they end up being court marshaled. They are recruited by Stryker (Danny Huston) who is putting together a special ops team comprised of mutants. After a mission snafu, James, now called Wolverine walks.

Wolverine hides out in the wilds of Canada where he meets a beautiful young woman named Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins). They fall in love and live in a cabin. After she is killed (as super-hero girlfriends are prone to do) by Sabertooth, Wolverine seeks revenge. Wolverine is approached by Stryker with an offer to make him stronger to be able to take revenge. It is no surprise they try and double cross Wolverine.

He escapes and meets up with surviving members of Stryker’s crew, discovering that Stryker has a secret plan to build the ultimate mutant soldier that he can control. Wolverine finds out that Stryker is kidnapping young mutants and using his brother to do the deed. Wolverine runs off to the secret base with the help of Gambit (who doesn’t do much beyond fly Wolverine there and wish him luck.

A final confrontation results in Wolverine and Sabertooth fight Deadpool to the kind of death, Wolverine losing his memory via a magic Adamantium bullet and Kayla’s death-but not before sending Stryker for a long walk, and a digital Professor X who needs no chair.

The truth is, this film is what you call a major mess. By setting it in a vague “the 70’s” you start forcing the films into a specific timeline. The first three X-Men films all took place in “the near future”. The film features a high school age Psyclops. Making him in his mid to late 40s. Actor James Marsten was about 27 at the release of the first X-Men. And there are the confusing aspects of why nobody seems to remember this moment of history. It is hard to believe that Professor X knew where to pick up all those kids and yet is oblivious to Wolverine. And good grief did they muck up Deadpool, nearly killing the plans to spin Deadpool off.

The real positives of the films are the strong casting choices (Lost’s Kevin Durant is great as the Blob…Danny Huston, Liev Schreiber and Ryan Reynolds are strokes of genius). Jackman shows why he owns the character on screen again. The performances are mostly good…but they are in a story that seems overly convoluted and needlessly confusing-even by comic book standards. It has a nice beginning, but it falls apart quickly. It has some very goofy action set pieces and some legit humor going for it. It is so busy packing the film with so many characters and killing several of them off and making sure to fill in all the missing blanks of the original trilogy (How did Wolverine get his metal skeleton? How did he lose his memory?) that it becomes bloated. And it is under two hours. The fan service is very careless. We meet young Emma Frost, we meet Gambit, we meet…oh, it goes on.

There were plans for a series of X-Men Origins and the next film was going to be Magneto…but this film ended those plans. And no small wonder…in spite of excellent casting and a talented director, this film fails hard.

July 28, 2016 0