Review: X-Men: Apocalypse Blu-ray

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

PG-13; 144 minutes; Retail - $39.99; Best Buy

Back in July 2000, less than two months after my high school graduation, the X-Men, based on the Marvel comic books arrived in theaters. I didn't see the film until I received a the VHS (Remember those?) for Christmas that year. While I had never watched the old animated series or even read one single issue of the comic books, I became an instant of the fan of the movie franchise.

Now sixteen-years later, there have been nine feature films, with a tenth film, Logan, coming out next March, and a spinoff television series, Legion, debuting on FX next year.

The latest film in the franchise X-Men: Apocalypse is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. Directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, X2, X-Men: Days of Future Past), the film stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn and Lucas Till.

Inspired by Ultimate X-Men's Apocalypse arc and X-Factor storyline Fall of the Mutants, X-Men: Apocalypse is set in 1983, where CIA agent Moira MacTaggert accidentally awakens En Sabah Nur, otherwise known as Apocalypse, the first mutant, from his tomb in Egypt. Believing the world has lost it's way, Apocalypse enlists four horseman to help him rebuild the world. The four horsemen are: Ororo Munroe, aka Storm; Psylocke; Angel; and Erik Lehnsherr (aka Magneto).

Professor Charles Xavier had reopened his school for mutant kids since the events that took place in X-Men Days of Future Past. His most recent students are Scott Summers, who has a mutation that gives him the ability to shot optic beams out of his eyes, and, Kurt Wagner, who has the ability to teleport.

Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the original and most powerful mutant, embark.

While using the mutant-locating computer known as Cerebro, Professor Xavier's mind is taken hostage by Apocalypse, who uses his powers to release mayhem upon the world. This brings in Colonel William Stryker and his soldiers to lead an assault upon the school and in the process kidnapping some of the students. Luckily, Quicksilver happens to arrive in the nick of time to save a few of the kids. However, he couldn't save Professor Xavier from being taken by Apocalypse.

All of this leads to Raven, aka Mystique, and Beast taking command of the X-Men by rescuing the students from Strykers facility, and confronting Apocalypse in the hopes of saving Professor Xavier and the entire world.

Left to right: Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), and Jean Grey (Sophie Turner).

Blu-ray Special Features includes:

• X-Men: Apocalypse Unearthed

• Wrap Party Video

• Deleted/Extended Scenes with Optional Introductions by Bryan Singer

Blu-ray and DVD Special Features:

• Gag Reel

• Audio Commentary by Bryan Singer & Simon Kinberg

• Gallery

Erik/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) has the power to manipulate magnetic fields.

Final Thoughts: X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of those rare films that was both a critical and commercial hit. Due to the high expectations of the follow up, I can understand why many were disappointed with  X-Men: Apocalypse.

Visually, the film features excellent CGI effects and exciting action scenes. The entire cast gives excellent performances, especially Michael Fassbender as Magneto. My two favorite scenes from the film is the Quicksliver sequence and the short scene with Hugh Jackman in his uncredited cameo as Wolverine.

The actual plot is a little weak and the motivation for Apocalypse is very thin. The villain is very one-dimensional; he was actually uninteresting to me. The character could have been better written.

Overall, despite it's many flaws, X-Men: Apocalypse is still one of the better sequels in the franchise, and it's also of one of the few standouts from 2016's box office lackluster summer.