While light on new character development, X-Men III is a blast to watch. Action sequences are energetic, the special effects are amongst the top tier, and the excellent story provides enough of a backdrop to justify the constant fighting. It also does a great job of winding the series up should there not be sequels to follow.

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X-Men III is still the only movie in the trilogy available in HD, and it quickly makes you want more. The stunning detail in close-ups ranks amongst the best in the format. Long shots rarely suffer from any flaws. A layer of grain is usually evident throughout, though rarely is it distracting. The only noticeable flaw is some trouble with the whites, which tend to bloom at times. This is still better and toned down from the DVD edition where it made some scenes unwatchable. Contrast is otherwise strong, with deep blacks producing a striking image.

A 6.1 DTS HD audio track is an amazing piece of work. Action sequences never miss a beat. Objects consistently move through the sound field accurately and effectively. Bass produces a none too subtle boom with every necessary on-screen action. The first action sequence, the house fight, and the final confrontation are all worthy of repeated viewings for the audio alone. This track never disappoints.

Fox carries over the DVD extras for this Blu-ray effort, with one exception. Two audio commentaries begin the features, one with Brett Ratner and his screenwriters. The second seems rather pointless with four of the producers discussing the film with little insight.

Deleted scenes follow (10 in total), and these include three alternate endings. These flesh out the characters enough to be considered for official series canon. The new piece is a Marvel trivia track that runs along the film, testing fans on their geekiness during the movie.

When Bryan Singer was attached to the film, this was to be a wildly different movie. Sigourney Weaver was planned to play the role of Emma Frost, and Gambit, who never got a shot in the series, was also ready to go. Neither character made the final cut, nor did any piece of their storylines.