One of the most successful comic book-movie franchises, X-Men, continues with the third installment entitled The Last Stand. There were worries that Brett Ratner, taking over Bryan Singer as director, might not be able to keep up with the franchise's unique blend of big-budget, high-octane action, thought-provoking political commentaries, and riveting characters and sensibilities. In many ways, Ratner has managed to put everyone at ease with some interesting surprises.
When an industrialist finds a "cure" for treating human mutations, a war is raged between the militants led by Magneto (Ian McKellen) and the "Homo sapiens." Magneto believes the "cure" is only the first step toward a mutant genocide. While Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast (Kelsey Grammer), the Secretary of Mutant Affairs, strives to reach peaceful resolution through diplomacy, the President (Josef Sommer) is ready to use military force against the rebels when necessary.
Meanwhile, Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Storm (Halle Berry) discover that Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) is still alive. Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) concludes that Jean is not the same person, but is instead her alter-ego Phoenix, who is the only Class 5 mutant possessing an incredible, deadly power. Unfortunately, Phoenix is ruthless and uncontrollable. When Magneto recruits Phoenix as his secret weapon against the humans, Xavier and his X-Men have no choice but to combat the militants in a war of right vs. wrong.
Jackman (Van Helsing) reprises his famous role as Wolverine with the same intensity, broodiness, and sensibility. His love for Jean results in tragic consequences, and Jackman's portrayal is heartfelt and heroic, paving the way to the spinoff, Wolverine (2007). This time, Berry (Catwoman) has a bigger role as Xavier's would-be successor. Her character has matured over the years and Berry handles the subtle growth very well. Together, freethinking Wolverine and sensible Storm make an interesting team.
McKellen (The Da Vinci Code) continues his reign as Magneto with relish, turning the role into one of the most sympathetic, yet loathed villains in movie history. In contrast, Stewart (Eleventh Hour) is wonderfully composed and genuine as the peaceful and philosophical professor. If Wolverine is ever the heart of X-Men, Professor Xavier clearly is the mind and soul behind it. Janssen (The Treatment) has the most interesting task of playing Jean's "evil" twin, Phoenix. But the former Bond girl does "bad" so well that we almost end up not missing Jean Grey.
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Article comments
1 - Andy Marsh
No offense, but I'm glad I saw the movie before I read this piece. I don't want to watch a comic book made into a movie and try to compare it to all the crap that goes on in the world today. I go to the movies to forget about all the crap that goes on in the world today and watching the mutants go through what they go through did just that. If I wanted to get my self all worked up I'd go see flight 93 or something along those lines...not a comicbook movie.
Do you really sit through movies and think to yourself...hey...that's just like this issue in real life...or that issue? I bet it makes a lot of movies suck for you!
I did enjoy the movie though...man, I wish I had a pair of wings!
2 - Ray
I happen to enjoy a lot of different movies (just read my other reviews) that have nothing to do with today's issues. But to say X-Men is just mindless and ignore the allegories such as terrorism is pure escapist. You'll have to be dumb to not see some of the similarities. It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. Comic books (or graphics novel), like any literature, could be "deeper" than just fluff that provoking thinking. I think you're wrong to say that comic book movie should be all fluff. The best comic book movies (Spider-Man, Superman, etc.) all say something about real life -- and that's why they're so good.
To each his own, I suppose.
The bottom line is, we both liked the darn movie. So what's there to disagree with?
3 - Andy Marsh
You're absolutely right...and after thinking about it...I guess I did see some of life in the movie too.
4 - Donncha
x-men 3 was total rubbish, letting bryan singer go was the biggest mistake that they could have made. in my opinion he created fantastic characters espically in wolverine, professor x, magneto, storm. they were fantastic in x-men and x2 but the characters were ruined in x3. all they did was kill off most of the best, had a rubbish story line and ldft me thinking bryan singer should actually come back and remake x3, that is truly how bad it was. and i am still waiting for him to announce that he is going to try and do that. something that really annoyed me was how wolverine's character was not advanced as it had in the previous movies. he became a spearhead for the movie rather than a real character as he was in previous movies. the whole gene/phoenix storyline didnt work at all, not saying that phoenix should have been in it but the way she was in it didnt work for me. overall x3 pathetic, bring back singer any day