Bryan Singer's anticipated return to the director's chair on the “X-Men” franchise finally hits theaters this weekend in the for of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” And it's being met with some pretty exceptional reviews, the best of the series so far, it seems. In noting that the new film “gives the franchise a new lease on life,” HitFix's own Drew McWeeny wrote that it “feels like the single most successful attempt to pull the shape of one of the beloved comic stories into the film world.” I'd agree with that, as it's very much in the spirit of (if not a direct adaptation of) the 1981 Claremont/Byrne two-issue arc (which is recommended reading).
I think what people are really responding to is, yes, the film is a fun ride. But – and at the risk of wading into spoiler territory (though if you're reading this, I imagine you're ready to tell us what you think) – it seems the way the film offers a reset of many of the franchise's transgressions, and ultimately in a fairly emotional way, is allowing people to hold it in a certain regard. I don't mean that as a back-handed compliment, though, because I had a ton of fun with this movie and consider it second only to “X2” in the overall scope of things. But let's hear what you think. If you make it to the theater this weekend to see it, head on back here with your thoughts and feel free to vote in the poll below. (Oh, and don't forget to stay through the credits!)