X-Men: Apocalypse

Bryan Singer returns behind the camera to bring the X-Men into the '80s with "X-Men: Apocalypse," now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

"Apocalypse" is the name of the world's oldest mutant (Oscar Isaac, unrecognizable under mounds of makeup and a heavy costume), a fellow who, resurrected after 3,600 years, takes one look at the world of 1983 and decides it's time to cleanse the world of mere non-mutant humans. Magneto (Michael Fassbender), distraught after the tragic loss of his wife and daughter, happens to agree; Magneto becomes one of four accomplices in the Apocalyptic posse, along with Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Angel (Ben Hardy), and Psylocke (Olivia Munn).

But Magneto's old friend Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), concerned for him, enlists the aid of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) to find him, and once Apocalypse realizes the scope of Xavier's telepathic powers, he's keen to add a fifth member to his entourage. Where Xavier goes, of course, his loyal X-Men -- including Beast (Nicholas Hoult) and fresh recruits Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), and Cyclops (Tye Sheridan). Also along for the ride are Mageto's speedster son Quicksilver (Even Peters) and CIA agent Moira MacTggert (Rose Byrne). Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) shows up, too, during a plot detour that's just enough fun not to be exasperating.

The film itself has enough action to please fans of comic book blockbusters, but the extras on this release offer a mix of extended and deleted scenes, a gag reel, an audio commentary track, and an exhaustive Making Of suite of featurettes that peek into every aspect of the production, with designers, cast, and others commenting on the film and its production. (Clips from the film are featured heavily.) The best of the extras just might be the extended and deleted scenes, which come with brief audio introductions by Singer; especially fun is a deleted sequence that follows several of the young mutants to a shopping mall, a montage set to the '80s hit "Safety Dance." (The "wrap party video" and gallery aren't especially interesting.)

"Apocalypse" is far weaker than "First Class" and "Days of Future Past," the two "retro" X-Men movies that precede it -- the film itself makes a jest out of how third movies tend not to live up to the expectations set by the first two -- but until the epic showdown in Egypt, it's well paced, funny, and plenty colorful.

"X-Men: Apocalypse"
Blu-ray/DVD Combo
$39.99
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