X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Bryan Signer’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” –- his first return to the Marvel Mutant franchise in 11 years -– has one of those plots that would jump several Marvel titles and have me buying and reading lest I miss a twist. “Future Past” is literal as we focus on clawed-hero Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, Marvel’s hardest working man) leaping from 2023 to 1973 to stop an Orwellian existence started by a mad scientist (Peter Dinklage) bent on domination. Indeed we get the heroes and villains of the two “X-Men” time-line franchises, with seniors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan and sophomores James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender respectively playing hero Professor X and (non)villain Magneto, all for one admission. Singer serves the giddiest fun scene of the entire “X” films -- a punk speed demon (Evan Peters) breaks Magneto out of a Pentagon cell -– but, damn it, all the time leaping and plot erasing reminds me of the futility of so many comic books. No one dies. Watch a well-known character perish? No worries, wait three minutes, it won’t matter. Emotional investment? Suspense? Wet fireworks. Pay up for the next chapter, please. In three-color print, it worked. On screen? It rings empty. B-

X2: X-Men United (2003)

“X2” -- Bryan Singer’s sequel to 2000’s “X-Men” -- goes deeper, darker and more politically blunt with barely veiled references to discrimination, imprisonment or murder of any group (Muslims, gays) deemed “dangerous” and “subversive” by right-wing flag waivers. In a LOL scene, a mom asks her super-powered son: “Have you ever tried not being a Mutant?” Nearly all of the heroes and villains of the first chapter return and reluctantly bond when threatened by a third party, a wild horse Army Special Ops guru named William Stryker (Brian Cox, making sinister look easy). Tones of faith, religion, trust, and the lure of evil are mixed in with a strong plot that further makes Professor X (Patrick Stewart) into an MLK Jr. figure and Magneto (Ian McKellen) into an early Malcolm X gone evil, while pushing the story forward. Hugh Jackman rocks as Wolverine, tough guy and babe magnet. I still hate the title: There’s not much uniting here. A-

X-Men (2000)

I love the in-your-face politics of “X-Men,” from the 1963-born comic book to the 2000 film. The set-up: A group of super heroes, born with powers through genetic hiccups at birth, fight for the common good, even protecting those who discriminate against them. In 1963, it was all racial equality. This film, directed by Bryan Singer, tilts toward immigrants and gays. And 10 years on, this take remains fresh with Arizona’s new immigration law and the Pentagon still insisting that only straights are worthy of serving their country. But I digress. Here, the righteous X-Men battle the menacing Brotherhood of Mutants for New York City, after the latter attacks with a sort-of genetics bomb. (Hey, it’s still a comic book movie.) Surprisingly thoughtful, the movie suffers greatly from Halle Berry’s stilted performance as weather-manipulator Storm, some clunky action scenes, and dialogue that often floats like a rock in water. Leading the respective sides are Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto, who were born for these roles. Or maybe the characters were written for them 50 years ago? B