In case anyone in comic-book fandom's been cryogenically frozen for the past year, an update: Brett Ratner is killing the franchise directing X-Men 3, set to release in May.
If I was trying Brett Ratner in Movie Court for Crimes Against Humanity, at this point I'd say, "No further questions, Your Honor." But I'll include my entire closing arguments for the public record.
Brett Ratner was not tapped to direct because he's a creative, visionary, and dextrous filmmaker (if you disagree, check out this interview, where he sort of admits his own limitations). Not because he's a comic-book fan (though he may well be). And certainly not because he's a shrewd or smart storyteller. Brett Ratner is the Chosen One because, plain and simple, he's always only ever been a company man.
Ratner's previous movies have grossed $605,548,205 for studios. Two of these movies — Rush Hours 1 and 2 respectively — grossed more than half that total all by themselves.
Brett Ratner is accustomed to helming movies with eleventy-billion dollar budgets, huge crews, Name-Above-The-Title-And-Potentially-Diva-ish Actors, their agents, their managers, their lawyers, their assistants, their entourages, their double-high and triple-wide custom star trailers equipped with plasma screens, XM, Tivo, and DirecTV, and their contractual demands as thick as Tokyo phone books. He's not here for trifles like the performances, the script, or the narrative. He's here for everything else.
Big budget-tentpole-popcorn-event movies exist, first and foremost, to protect a business and marketing investment. X3 isn't a movie, it's a brand. Fans won't be buying tickets for a dynamic, thrilling, emotional, visual storytelling experience — they'll buy styles, reputations, celebrities, and the idea of what the first two movies represented: X3 as lifestyle choice.
"Directed by Brett Ratner" is a tacit acknowledgment that quality comes unfirst. He's the designated driver — Fox handed him the keys knowing he'll keep his hands at 10 and 2 on the wheel at all times. Brett Ratner is to X3 what Joel Schumacher is to Batman & Robin — a greenlit money train chaperone.
The subtitle of this movie is "The Last Stand." It ain't Custer's, it's definitely the X-Men's, but it won't be Ratner's. Because there'll always be another Rush Hour.
Magic 8-Ball says about the Brett Ratner-directed X3: Don't count on it.
This article appeared in slightly modified form on Tiffany Leigh's blog, Soundtrack To The Motion Picture.
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Article comments
1 - Guppusmaximus
Funny as this may sound(I may be getting abit old),I liked X-men 1 & 2. Compared to what atrocities people did to comic book movies(The japanese Spider(Supaida)Man releases, The Punisher-Dolph Lundgren,Spawn-Live Action movie)about 10-15+ years ago...I would say that these newer movies stick to the story better and capture the essence of the comics, which is fantasy... But, I did like your article because some people get carried away and destroy a good thing with sequel upon sequel.
2 - Nick Jones
I haven't seen more than bits and pieces of the Rush Hour movies, but they seemed enjoyable in a cheesy, B-movie, can't-take-it-seriously way. I have, however, seen Red Dragon the totally-unnecessary-except-to-complete-an-Anthony Hopkins/Hannibal Lecter box set remake, The Manchurian Candidate of that year. Feh. I could go point-by-point on why Manhunter was the better film, but suffice to say, I don't see glad tidings for X3.
3 - Tiffany Leigh
I *loved* the first two X-Men films and thought that the second movie actually topped the first. Both were excellently structured films, and they got a lot of things right that most folks take for granted. (Namely, how to juggle so many characters and not have it seem like a cattle drive of ineffectiveness like Batman & Robin.
With Red Dragon all Ratner did was watch -- and ape frame for frame -- Jonathan Demme's superior Silence of the Lambs.
Ratner has no discernible style or aesthetic of his own but is good at mimicry, which is following orders and keeping the Suits from sweating.
There's Spielbergian, Hitchcockian, etc. But "Ratnerian" is a stinkbomb like "After the Sunset."
The worst thing about it? He laughs all the way to the bank. Box office keeps him employed. Family Man might have sucked, but it sucked to the tune of almost 75 million dollars. Talk about creatively failing upwards.
4 - Tan The Man
"(Unrelated note: Ratner's next movie after X3 = Fox's Rush Hour 3)"
Uh... Fox didn't make the Rush Hour franchise, New Line Cinema or Warner Brothers did.
5 - Tan The Man
By Warner Brothers, I mean New Line Cinema's parent company.
6 - Tiffany Leigh
Ooof. Thanks for catching that, Tan; I'm fixing it now. Gosh, you'd think an article decrying the fair-to-middlingness of the Ratner would be a bit tighter with facts. =)
7 - Triniman
I also loved the two X-Men movies and thought the second topped the first.
I wonder why Bryan Singer decided to film Superman instead. Maybe he wanted a new challenge.
I thought Spiderman with Sam Raimi directing would be a loser but I was quite wrong. He impressed in ways that I didn't expect.
I won't poo poo X-Men 3 just because there is a new director. I'll decide opening night.
8 - Steve
I'm with Triniman on this one.
9 - Tiffany Leigh
Well, another mitigating circumstance for me is not just who's directing. But who's writing. Zak Penn is given a writer's credit. While it's always difficult to parse out who ultimately wrote what, especially with uncredited rewrites and the like, I think a sample size of his work can at least give you an idea.
Ladies and gentleman, Zak Penn's selected filmography:
The Last Action Hero
Suspect Zero
Fantastic Four
Elektra
Inspector Gadget
This, coupled with the fact that Brett Ratner could give a Ratner's ass about whether or not the script is any good, gives me serious pause.
10 - sarah
I thought both x-Men 1 and 2 were gr8,as well as spider-man.I however don't have my hopes up for superman.I am keeping an open mind towards x-men 3 though.
11 - Joseph
I think its gonna be the best x-movie ever!!! Dark Phoenix is my favorite Character anyway!
12 - Scott Montogmery
As soon as I heard that the chararcter of Mystique would be killed off (and Cyclops and others),I knew X3 was in trouble! I loved X1 & X2 and although Storm is my favorite, I thought Mystique "rocked the house"! I hoped the rumors I've heard are not accurate!
13 - local_boy
i think this movie is going to be great...more characters and a wider scenary...not to mention Pheonix ....looks like this movie is going to be bigger that the last two...
14 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
First of all, I would like to say that this is NOT the "Ruvy from the Polotics Section this is his son 'Avi in Tel-Aviv'
Second of all, have any of you actuly SEEN this movie?! 'Cause I have and if you guys have any questions, I'm just a click away
15 - Avi in Tel-Aviv
Scott,
Although the rumors were correct about Cyclops, and you might have heard who killed him, they were inacurate as to Mystique.
You're not going to like this, but it's even worse than you heard. Mystique did not die - close though - she got hit with a dart that had the "cure" you've all been hearing about, and she lost her metamorphasis power and was abandoned by Magneto because she wasn't "one of them" anymore.
16 - Juan
Excellent critique. The writing of this movie (plot, dialogue, etc) was horrible. Even the comic books or cartoons this is based on had a much better and complex story. X-3 is full of completely illogical situtions, even within the X-men universe, and seriously lacks enough action, effects, epic battles, good character interactions, or anything that made the comics so popular amongst teenagers. Kills off most of the main characters for no good reason whatsoever other than to put an end to the franchise.