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[The Guard]

But the worst of the movie was Magneto.
For the first time, i couldn´t stand Sir Ian Mckellen.
Long lost was the honorable villain, but, in his place, the crazy old man.

Uh...what was honorable about Magneto in X-MEN and X2? First he decided to sacrifice an innocent girl to fuel HIS machine...and when he found out it would kill tons of people, he went ahead with his plan anyway. Then, in X2, he tried to eradicate the human race by using his former best friend. What's ever been honorable about him?

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Uh...what was honorable about Magneto in X-MEN and X2? First he decided to sacrifice an innocent girl to fuel HIS machine...and when he found out it would kill tons of people, he went ahead with his plan anyway. Then, in X2, he tried to eradicate the human race by using his former best friend. What's ever been honorable about him?

Magneto was always about the survival of the Mutants...
I give you that, the all "changing humans into mutants machine" was not so honorable, but that that easily the worst part of the first movie.
The eradicate the human race of X2, was his answer to the all "eradicate the mutant race" that Striker wanted, so, it was eye for an eye.

But my beef was, if you read my post again, was about turning his back of Raven and turning half the mutants into cannon fodder.

 

[bluewolv]

Uh...what was honorable about Magneto in X-MEN and X2? First he decided to sacrifice an innocent girl to fuel HIS machine...and when he found out it would kill tons of people, he went ahead with his plan anyway. Then, in X2, he tried to eradicate the human race by using his former best friend. What's ever been honorable about him?

Well he did save all the X-men (more than once) and every mutant on earth

 

[Holy spirit]

I thought the film was good not sure if brilliant I need to see it again now. The ending was as it should have always been from 1 and 2.

It had so many more ideas in this and innovations. Problem is I want more I guess.

But one thing its quite shockingly sad, I avoided the spoilers and I never know they would go this far with the characters in terms off killing them off. Maybe this is the last X-men so much of the universe gone the story has ended really, only spin off can give more.

Can't believe the characters they killed off its quite sad really, it never happened in the comics apart from other realities.

What do you think? Best comic book movie? Or will superman have to fight a giant robot that B Singer forgot to add in his other movies?

 

[The Guard]

Magneto was always about the survival of the Mutants...

Not survival. Prosperity. "We are the future, Charles, not them! They no longer matter!" He wanted mutant superiority. And so what? Does that give him the right to sneak attack murder billions of innocent people? How is that remotely honorable?

I give you that, the all "changing humans into mutants machine" was not so honorable, but that that easily the worst part of the first movie.

So what you're saying is...an essential part of Magneto's character in the film was...not being honorable? I left out the part where he kidnapped a man and subjected him unwillingly to his machine.

The eradicate the human race of X2, was his answer to the all "eradicate the mutant race" that Striker wanted, so, it was eye for an eye.

That's not honorable on any level.

But my beef was, if you read my post again, was about turning his back of Raven and turning half the mutants into cannon fodder.

Since he turned his back on/used HIS BEST FRIEND and used INNOCENTS as cannon fodder in the first two films...this is a surprise WHY?

Well he did save all the X-men and every mutant on earth

I'll give you that he saved the X-Men. But in the end, he turned around and stabbed his friend in the back, and sought to kill billions more than WOULD have died anyway if Dark Cerebro succeeded to fulfill his own ends.

 

[Dark_Zavin]

K, its been 17 hourse since my midnight screening and here's my very small review (spoilers ahead):

Despite all the rumours and reviews of people who saw it weeks before, I was very hyped with the idea of seeing the so called 'last movie' of the xmen, I have to admit that I had my doubts but after I listened to the score, my hopes started to grow again. And on midnight, I noticed that I wasn't wrong.
The movie is x-cellent, a worthy addition to the xmen saga, on par with x2 (while I was seeing it, I completely forgot about the greatness of x2) and way better that X-Men. Brett Ratner has managed to make the best of that little 14 month schedule the studio gave to him and morph it into the movie everyfan had been waiting to see since 2000, this is really the xmen, in all it's glory. But well, let's start.
The famous opening scene with the dna sequence is shown after the two flashbacks. The scene was nicely done, it involves the cure and how it's made. We see some dna strings, and the change it's form into an X, and the name is shown: X-Men : The Last Stand.
Then comes the Danger Room sequence, which only lasts like 2 mins including the Sentinel clip. OK people, here's when it get's serious: THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THE SCENE, the best one is that

Spoiler

after the fastball special, while u're waiting for the sentinel head to fall, if u pay attention to the background, you can see the SHAPE OF THE SENTINEL, JUST LIKE the TAS version

. Ok, Class Dismissed, Storm is pissed. Now we go to Cyclops, who has had a hard time since Jean died and has strange visions of Jean at the lake, alive. He packs and leaves to the Lake.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hank Mccoy is introduced to us and has this little meeting with the president and he shows a live transmision of mystique being interrogated. She was captured while looking for info about

Spoiler

leech and the cure

.
Then we go to the class scene where the Professor is teaching some students (we can notice that everybody has grown up) and that Kitty is very intelligent. Xavier shows a video of

Spoiler

Moira checking a lifeless body and explaining that the body was in a deep coma or sth

. He is interrupted my Storm's clouds. He reaches her, and after some talking about the weather and the students, they meet Hank in a very familiar way. Wolverine enters the conversation and the cure is announced on tv, Rogue watches it and asks Xavier if its true, however, Storm does not agree.
Then we go to the cyclops scene, where he gets to the lake, and starts hearing loud voices on his head again, he blasts the water and cries in agony. Then

Spoiler

a whirlpool of water is seen and a big wave knocks him off.

He stands up and Whoa! it's Jean who has no clue about how she got back, she only wants to kiss him and see his eyes again. After some struggling, he takes them of and his poeer starts to dissapear, they kiss

Spoiler

the camera starts on the left side and shows them kissing, but then, it goes to the left and the dark phoenix face can be seen; Cyclops's skin starts to move like bubbles (for the ones who have seen Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets, its like the effect when he drinks the potion that morphs him into other person.

We are again at the mansion, where everybody hears Jean scream SCOTT!! Storm and Wolverine rush to the Professor, who instantly sends them to Alcali. They arrive and found Cyclops's glasses and Jean's body.
They take her to the mansion where she is examined.
Then, the whole church of Magneto scene happens, they get together with Callisto, Quills, ArcLight and the other Morlocks. Magneto asks Callisto if she can locate Mystique. They Locate her and magneto stops the trucks and cars off the road

Spoiler

like they were toys

. They enter, free multiple man and Juggernaut, because Mystique killed the other guardian with her own legs LOL, but there is another guard who wakes up

Spoiler

aims at Magneto, but Mystique sees the laser sight and intercepts the darts, She is Cured...Magneto Leaves her).

The we go over the Angel and the cure scene, which everybody knows, but there are some different camera angles.
We are back at the mansion, where Logan is with Jean in the medical room, she wakes up and they start to make out (The Ellen clip) she unbelts his pants with her mind!! But Wolverine notices sth strange, he remembers what Xavier said about Jean's other personalty, he

Spoiler

shows Jean Cyclops's glasses, she goes crazy, destroys everything around and escapes. Xavier and Storm arrive, they head to Jean's Neighborhood, while Callisto also feels Jean's energy and takes Magneto to Jean's house. Only Magneto and Xavier enter. But when the

Spoiler

mental battle starts

Wolverine and Storm also start to attack the brotherhood. Juggernaut kicks Logan's ass and Storm gets knocked by Callisto.

Spoiler

INside the house, everything is nuts, water goes against the roof, everything is floating in circles around Xavier and Jean, who stands up in front of him.

Wolverine, Storm, Callisto and Juggernaut enter the house fighting and they raise to the ceiling, the house is levitanting.

Spoiler

Wolverine manages to see the mental battle, Charles is levitated by Jean and his clothes start to rip, his skin also starts to dissapear (we can see the bones in his hand fingers) then everything goes slow-mo, Charles delivers his last line : Dont let it control u! Smiles at Logan, and Magneto screams: CHARLES! and BAMF! he's gone...

Then comes The funeral, very sad moment. The main xmen are deciding to close the school or not, but Angel enters the room and makes them realize that there are other mutants in need of their help.
Anyway, Bobby and Kitty skate in the frozen pond, Rogue

Spoiler

decides to take the cure and leaves

. Logan goes to the woods to find jean, fights Spike and some other mutants, and then there's Magneto's speech. Logan follows Jean, he is beated up by Mags, and thrown into the forest. Then we go into a scene were

Spoiler

Mystique (Raven) tells the government the secret location of Magneto's hideout in the woods, however, Multiple Man was a decoy

.
OK, then it mainly goes better this time: Magneto moves the Bridge to Alcatraz, Logan tells the Xmen, they also go. Magneto sends his brotherhood against the soldiers in Alcatraz, who have

Spoiler

Plastic Weapons, so they kill almost more that the half of the brotherhood. Arclight destroys the guns

, The Xmen arrive in a xpectacular way (made me remember the Power Rangers) Psylocke, Quills and Arclight

Spoiler

leave to get Kavita Rao and Warren Sr.

The Xmen form a line and they help the soldiers fight the brotherhood. Wolverine and Beast kick mayor ass!! Juggernaut is send to get leech, we all know that part...

Spoiler

I'm the Juggernaut *****!!! AWESOME!!

Anyway, Quills

Spoiler

kills Kavita

and Psylocke and Arclight throw Warren Sr out of the building, Angel comes and rescues his father!! nicely done!!! Then....Well it goes to the climax. Juggernaut

Spoiler

loses his powers due to leech's mutation and they escape

Callisto fights Storm

Spoiler

who fries her until she's more than dead

Only 3 main brotherhood members left. Then it gets serious, the xmen actually work as a TEAM! Bobby faces Pyro and

Spoiler

we get to see a close up of iceman's face when he transforms into ice, and he freezes Pyro's arms

. Then, the 2nd fastball special, Magneto stops him

Spoiler

Beast comes from Behind and inyects him 3 darts of the cure. Magneto is CURED

. Then soldiers come from behind of Jean and shot a thousand darts of the cure at her, she destroys all of them and

Spoiler

Rises to the SKY, kills every soldier left and every brotherhood member alive

the Xmen leave the island, Except for wolverine, who believes he can bring back Jean. Jean starts going at him, We can see his adamantium skeleton!! He reaches her, and

Spoiler

stabs her. She smiles and dies peacefully in his arms...

We go back at the mansion, more kids are entering the school, even leech, and we see the tombs of

Spoiler

Jean, Scott and Xavier

Wolverine goes to the balcony and the camera starts to zoom off, we see the beautiful garden.
Then we go to the park were Angel is flying around, and Mags is playing chess, he extends his hand

Spoiler

and one of the pawns move SLIGHTLY

The credits roll...

Overall, I give it a 4.75 of 5, it kept me and the theater at the edge of my seat and the soundtrack its just great. POSITIVE: the action, everyone had been waiting for it. NEGATIVE: lack of structure (there is no middle part) and character background, maybe more screentime.

 

[The Dark Defender]

Singer did such a poor job of developing them going into this movie that their deaths didn't really pack the emotional punch that they should've,

Spoiler

except Xavior's, one of the very few things that Singer's films got right.

 

[Holy spirit]

I still think from a comic book fan its even more emotional these are our some of our best characters. But no movie in recent years have killed that many key characters or changed them, that is Hollywood taboo. In a way it is very brave move. It's also sad too have parted with these characters after many years reading in the comics and it takes 3 films to kill them off in this trilogy story.

The thing is I don't buy the comics any more because these movies are as real as one is going to get, maybe its also a personal good bye to the characters I no longer read about so much.

 

[Iceman]

Nice summary Dark Zavin

 

[DarkDog]

POSITIVE:

Great action
Xcellent fights (Jean's house, just great , Alcatraz, forest)
Stunning climax
brilliant creative moments (Kavita Rao's death, Shadowcat/Juggernaut chase, Phoenix VS Xavier, etc)
Awesome SFX n CGI work
Score
Cinematography

NEGATIVE:

Weak story
Random, crappy, forced, pointless deaths (Psylocke Quills Arclight Callisto Juggernaut? WTF!)
ROGUE (OMG... They really managed to ruin this character and her story)
Runtime (NOT enough, simply not enough)
Silly, weak dialogue moments
("I could use someone of your terms... - I'm in" WTF!!!!! that's so friggin fake, i was hopping for that moment to get expanded. "I'm the juggernaut *****!" we all luv it but... just NOT for this movie)
REALLY poor character depth. I'm talking about the new ones specially, they were almost plain hollow puppets of magneto, so fake.
Rushed... rushed... . oh so rushed.
BIG FAT LIES L-I-E-S FROM ZAK PENN & SIMON
"Q: We'll see the firebird at leas once?
A: Once? oh yes, you'll see " LIE
"Q: Do the x-kids, like jubilee and the rest got more to do??
A: Oh yeah... they all get some cool stuff to do this time" LIE
etc.
Wasted characters Angel, Psylocke, Multipleman...

2 Words... RUSHED MOVIE.

 

[ororoandme]

Singer did a good job with Logan, Xavier, Magneto and Rogue and Stryker ( from X2). No one else got the development they deserved. So obviously to introduce the remaining characters with new improved stronger powers leaves the audience puzzled...how did they get so powerful?

 

[Holy spirit]

The answer is in the desperation of the use of the powers they needed, some of the characters were still in development of maturity like pyro, boby, kity pryde etc. Magneto and gene Gray's powers were not really exploited I don't think like this movie did to give valid reason to do so. It felt normal to me.

 

[DACrowe]

I was sad that this movie failed to live up to the first two in terms of depth, direction, writing and emotional punch. It also killed off a character at the beginning (you know who) who should have been one of the larger players in this film as Singer set up in the last one. Also who got cured on the X-team first was a complete insult to the relationship developed strongly in the first movie which should have been exploited for the end of this movie and the climax instead of thrown away.

Also the adding of characters who weren't needed and wasted (Juggernaut, Callisto, Angel) just crowded the movie in a way too-short length to be fully satisfactory. And if one rereads the Dark Pheonx and realizes what this could have ben.....

It is a sad shock, especially after rewatching X2 this week and realizing what this movie could have been.

Oh well. At least it had the best action of the three though.

 

[Dark_Zavin]

Nice summary Dark Zavin

thanks, I'm studying to be a journalist

 

[VinnieB]

hey i still think they had heaps more scenes like an extra 15 - 20 mins and hopefully will be put on the DVD.
Also some scenes i think were either cut or due to budget/time

Storms tidal wave scene (shown in trailer)?
Wolverine Vs Mulitple Man?
Psyclocke Psy blades didnt she say in an interview bout this?
When jean rises i think it was effective with the light but maybe if they had more time and money would of had the bird scene there?
I really think this is the reason we had Calistro, Quills/Omega Red, Archlight and Psyclocke so they could be killed but not such a big loss.

 

[tonytr1687]

I was sad that this movie failed to live up to the first two in terms of depth, direction, writing and emotional punch. It also killed off a character at the beginning (you know who) who should have been one of the larger players in this film as Singer set up in the last one. Also who got cured on the X-team first was a complete insult to the relationship developed strongly in the first movie which should have been exploited for the end of this movie and the climax instead of thrown away.

Also the adding of characters who weren't needed and wasted (Juggernaut, Callisto, Angel) just crowded the movie in a way too-short length to be fully satisfactory. And if one rereads the Dark Pheonx and realizes what this could have ben.....

It is a sad shock, especially after rewatching X2 this week and realizing what this movie could have been.

Oh well. At least it had the best action of the three though.

Maybe someday Singer will pull a "Superman Returns" and make an X-men film that takes place after X2 and ignores this one. Of course I'm not comparing this to Superman III but still...wondering what could've been. Theres really no excuse for underdeveloped characters in this film since they could have easily made the movie longer to fix it. But no, they wanted the film to MOVE MOVE MOVE!

 

[Kurosawa]

Maybe someday Singer will pull a "Superman Returns" and make an X-men film that takes place after X2 and ignores this one. Of course I'm not comparing this to Superman III but still...wondering what could've been. Theres really no excuse for underdeveloped characters in this film since they could have easily made the movie longer to fix it. But no, they wanted the film to MOVE MOVE MOVE!

That would be awesome.

 

[apollolancer]

X3: THE WEAK LINK

New director lives down to expectations in third installment of X-Men.

By Phoebe Flowers
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Film Writer
Posted May 26 2006

Bashing Brett Ratner is such a popular sport that, were it televised, it would probably net higher ratings than the NHL playoffs. So when the director of Rush Hour and Red Dragon was handed the third X-Men movie, it was widely viewed as an unconscionably bad idea.

But "America's most extravagantly gifted fauxteur," to use Defamer.com's nastily apt assessment of Ratner, has not hacked up the comic-book franchise beyond all recognition. His greatest sin is simply a lack of distinction. X-Men: The Last Stand is not terrible -- it even holds your attention, which is something -- but there isn't a single moment that holds a candle to the previous installments. It feels a lot like "X-Men: The Diluted TV Adaptation."

The story picks up "in the not-too-distant future." The U.S. government has finally come to terms with its special-powers population, even forming a Department of Mutant Affairs. Within its offices, Dr. Hank McCoy (Kelsey Grammer) gets to hover from the ceiling and peruse Scientific American, despite the fact that he's bright blue and also answers to Beast.

Elsewhere, Dr. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is still running his School for Gifted (i.e., mutant) Youngsters, and preaching assimilation and peace. His former friend Magneto (Ian McKellen) continues to think killing all humans is the simpler, better solution. Because the most discernible element of the X3 plot is the introduction of an anti-mutant vaccine, it's hard not to think that maybe Magneto, nerdy helmet and all, is on to something.

The requisite mutant roundup: Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who died at the end of X2, is poised to rise as Phoenix, sporting Lohan-esque crimson hair extensions. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) brings to mind a lupine Danny Zuko. Storm (Halle Berry) is boring, has a stupid choppy wig and cannot act. (We could be confusing actress and character, though.) Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) is still hotter than anything covered in scales has any right to be. (The former model also out-acts a certain Oscar winner, so it's a shame her role is so much less significant than it was in X2.)

There's a new character named Angel (Six Feet Under's Ben Foster). He serves no purpose other than to represent self-hating gayness -- sorry, "mutancy" -- and sport some cool wings that he spent his childhood trying to repress -- sorry, "chop off with scissors" -- while his disapproving father looked on.

The X-Men films, of course, have always been predicated on obvious metaphors like that one. But Bryan Singer -- who nimbly directed the first two and then bailed in favor of Superman Returns -- was able make them feel salient and compelling despite their intrinsic heavy-handedness. Singer's movies worked even for those not conversant in Fanboy.

The stunning visual effects are in evidence -- Ratner knows how to spend money -- but the characters are not. (Just compare Beast and Angel to X2's Nightcrawler and Deathstrike.) Frankly, it takes a director with mutant-like powers to inspire an otherwise comic-averse adult to even write the preceding sentence. While Ratner is not a complete abomination, he is not that director.

______________________________________________________________________

X-Men: The Last Stand
Reviewed by: Edward Douglas
Rating: 5.5 out of 10

Summary:
The last chapter in a trilogy should be the biggest and the best, and it's disappointing that this one never really achieves its full potential.

Story:
Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and his mutant superteam of X-Men once again take on Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in a battle that has repercussions for all mutants, when the government offers a "cure" for mutations that may be a blessing to some, but an attack on mutantdom as a whole.

Analysis:
(Note: Minor spoilers for this movie and the previous one may be included.)

There's little question in my mind that "X2: X-Men United" was one of the best translations of a comic book onto the movie screen, and quite a step up from Bryan Singer's introduction of the characters three years earlier. Because of this, there are probably more expectations for "X-Men: The Last Stand" than any sequel could possibly endure, let alone a director trying to step into Singer's shoes.

That be as it may, the plot for the third movie is loosely based on the classic "Dark Phoenix" storyline with bits from a hodgepodge of sources that creates a strange chicken and egg scenario. While the comics have slowly morphed to more closely resemble the movies, the screenwriters then turn around and cherry-pick bits from the recent comic books: the "cure" storyline is taken from Joss Whedon's "Astonishing X-Men," the Iceman/Kitty Pryde/Rogue love triangle is taken from recent issues of "Ultimate X-Men," and the relationship between Wolverine and Jean Grey is similar to how Grant Morrison explored it in "New X-Men."

The big problem is that like in the comic books, the number of mutants have gotten out of control, and there's no way that all of them could possibly get the amount of screen time or focus they deserve. Because of that, they all get their moments and then are quickly discarded or forgotten. The worst of these is Colossus, who has a slightly bigger role than the last movie though still lacks any personality, and Multiple Man, who is little more than a cool gimmick.

Of course, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is still the driving force of the movie, but with his origins being explored in the previous movie, it doesn't leave much more to add to the character except for him to react to Jean Grey's return from her watery grave. Most of the quips that made Jackman so much fun in the role are gone. It's also hard not to be disappointed at some of the missed opportunities like when Magneto and Wolverine face off. True comic fans will expect to see the Adamantium ripped out of Wolvie's body; instead, he's just thrown around.

Halle Berry negotiated herself a much larger role, but frankly, it might have been a mistake to have appeased her. Storm just isn't particularly impressive, with her powers enhanced to allow her the power to spin like a tornado. Likewise, those who've followed the developments of Bobby Drake AKA Iceman since his cameo in the first movie will be expecting a lot more him. While we do get to see him ice-up, expectations of elaborate ice slides should be laid to rest, and even a fire vs. ice showdown against Aaron Stanford's Pyro comes too late in the game.

Then there's the new mutants: Ben Foster's Warren Worthington AKA Angel, a mutant with beautiful wings, is introduced in a grisly flashback where he's trying to saw them off. Years later, his rich father has developed a chemical formula to "cure" mutations, but Warren isn't having any of that. This subplot has many possibilities but like so many of them, it's never resolved in a satisfying manner, making this one of the first and only times this year I wished a movie were longer to deal with these issues.

Kelsey Grammer, TV's "Frasier," dons a ridiculous looking blue pelt to become Dr. Hank McCoy, the Secretary of Mutant Affairs--"Beast" to his mutant pals. By the time we actually see him in action, it involves the same cheesy wirework that looks so bad in so many other superhero movies. Maybe this is a fanboyish quibble, but the look of Vinnie Jones' Juggernaut and how his powers are used isn't so great either. In the comics, he's an enormous behemoth, a wall of a man, who can slowly tear everything down in his path. This Juggernaut isn't as big, and he runs through walls at super-speed, which just isn't the same thing. Ellen Page's Kitty Pryde probably comes the closest to living up to her comic potential, though her part is so small.

At times, the movie seems like those interlude issues of the comic that popped up after every big event, where the characters deal with their feelings about what happened. It's good reading, not so much when you're expecting a lot of action, and the writing really isn't up to snuff, mostly made up of lines that sound foolish when said aloud. Considering how tight the writing was in the last movie, it's a serious step back for the franchise.

Then there are the deaths and the mutants "cured," which I won't reveal. At the end of "X2," a character supposedly killed was given hope for new life. Of course, she's back, but then another key character is disposed of off-camera and then quickly forgotten, while another gets a glorious death before an obvious out is inserted after the credits. Just knowing that these mutants may be no more makes it hard to enjoy the movie, while disproving the old adage of comic book characters not truly being dead unless you see the body. Still, when someone important dies in a movie, you should be forced to feel something, and even these prominent deaths don't elicit any sort of emotion.

That's not to say that the movie is completely terrible, the best parts of the film being when Magneto and Phoenix let loose with their powers, which gives the stunt and effects department a chance to do the same. One has to imagine that given more time in post-production would have allowed these scenes to be even more refined.

It's not entirely the fault of new director Brett Ratner, who did a decent job pulling together a complex movie with a big cast in far less time than any director should have, although it's easy to see where corners were cut. The movie also lacks the general sense of style that Singer brought to the table, and the dark and serious nature of the story could have been greatly helped with a few lighter moments, which Ratner should

The Bottom Line:
Fans of the first two movies will probably want to see what happens with the characters they've grown to love, but with the exception of a few action-packed effects-laden set pieces, they're likely to be disappointed at this mediocre step back that doesn't live up to the expectations set by the previous movie.

 

[apollolancer]

Well I juz got up after long restful sleep from last nite watching X-MEN: The Last Stand. Overall I give it a 3.5 out of 5, based on the effects and everything that laid out! (Minor spoilers ahead for those who haven't watch the show yet!)

Why wasn't the third instalment of the X-franchise rated 4 stars like X2 - I tell u why... Besides the SHORT runtime, and introducing too many characters in the movie, the movie somewhat fell backwards by 2 notches, I should have expected it to be more brilliant than X2 in terms of character development , it was otherwise... Apart the fact that new character BEAST, gets alot of screentime... the rest like Kitty, Colossus & Angel are juz simply mere cameos. From the start of the movie, X3 kinda lack the continuity of what normally Prof X would be narrating before the titles come out... It cuts straight away into the scene at Jean's house twenty years ago. For me personally, I would prefer Patrick's deep voice that creates the mood in the beginning instead of juz showing a typical 'Wysteria Lane' scenario, i was almost expecting Bree Van De Camp to come out to greet Magneto and Professor X.

Speaking of titles, OMG, i know John Powell is a good composer but i hear nothing of the X-MEN theme i heard from X2? Why oh why? Even the famous Jean Grey theme from X2 is lack in this film... No doubt, John creates a whole new compositions of his scores that does drive the force into the film.

Apart from Kitty's outspoken and witty lines though short, Ellen Page displayed a good reminciscent of what the real Kitty's like in the comics. FYI - the pic about Bobby & Kitty kissing and Rogue saw them - that was FOX's lie to cheat us fans of our feelings!!! It did NOT happen in the movie!!! They really make Kitty's role very meaty for sure, haha...

However, I can't say the same for Colossus, apart from what u see in the trailer, TV spots and film stills, that's basically all he ever appeared in the movie, which is what i called CAMEO MuscleHand. Ben Foster's display of the hunky Angel/Warren is pretty dyslexic - shouldn't he be the one that takes control of the Worthington corporation? I felt the comics version of Warren's vain, conceited, impulsive personality isn't shown on the screen but rather display of him being the daddy's boy. I felt Warren should be the one that insinuate the cure instead of his father cos Warren has always been vain of his looks and his physical deformity should be part of his drive to insinuate the cure, not the father!!!

What about Scott? Cyclops fans shouldn't complain much about his lack of screentime cos of the actor's commitment to Superman Returns - blame FOX for not waiting! Scott appeared only in the first half hour of the film, then he met Jean, and then... (shan't reveal anymore!) Same case for Mystique, i felt she was cured too early in the film! What were the producers thinking? Saving makeup money on Rebecca?

Other than the usual treat we see of Pyro vs Iceman fight, it was brief... again i blame it on the short runtime.... the battle of Wolverine and Deathstrike in X2 wasn't clocked 1min only!!! Even the final battle seemed too rushed for me though I can't deny that the effects of Dark Phoenix send chills down my spine.... with the menacing look on Jean Grey which basically wipe every being that stands in her way... the effects are too binding that i felt i will BE KILLED by her, by juz watching the movie, it is that SCARY! That's one good thing i must comment about Jean's role, which the fact her powers have gone beyond her control that has tapped into her dark side known as the PHOENIX entity, not the PHOENIX force we see from the comics. So no FIREBIRD EFFECTS THERE, sorry... I begin to understand why no firebird effects though there's a slight tinge of fire in Jean's eyes momentarily, I am glad otherwise the whole thing would have make it look cheesy!

Apart from the breathtaking and phenomenal aura she projects - her psychic dementia proves that she is in a league of a CLASS 5 mutant as determined by Callisto. Hell! With those eyes of fury, she makes Shadow King and Apocalypse look like puppies! If any of you wish to compare Phoenix to Dark Willow from Buffy - Willow pales more in comparison! Famke's portrayal as the schizophrenic Jean Grey, display a form of presence which commands more attention than she speaks. I am glad the writers made Phoenix the strong dark silent type that scares the shucks outta the audience instead of incorporating that cheesy line well known in the comics/TV series, 'I AM PHOENIX' bullcrap! Luckily the writers did not make the standoff between Phoenix and Storm, otherwise for sure, Storm will NOT stand a chance of survival against Dark Phoenix! No one can survive against her, except for a certain clawed-mutant. (What's with HIM always having a finale fight against female mutants??!! First it was Mystique in X1, then Deathstrike in X2, now Dark Phoenix in X3?! But the final fight between Wolverine and Dark Phoenix is more emotional than the first 2 becos of his love for Jean!)

Speaking of Storm, Miss Berry is NOW smiling ear to ear at Movie premieres and talk show appearances, of course that her role is meatier this time round. Apart from the all too quick, too fast, too dizzy one-off with Callisto - she manages to fry Callisto pretty good. As what Moriarity said, Juggernaut is as useless as a bucket of bolts... his muscular stature is not match for Kitty's wittiness. (Watch for yrself and u know why!) ooooh, i love Kitty's line at her confrontation with Juggernaut! Multiple Man and Psylocke's appearances are short. Blame it on the short RUNTIME again, besides the moment deaths of certain characters in the film, there is NO TIME for them to grief! That's how 'RUSH HOUR' the movie can feel, dammit, sigh!

And since when Ken Leung is Kid-Omega at the end credits. It is so clear that Ken Leung is QUILLS... Either FOX are not paying attention to the comics or else thet are juz making names up! Also introducing two female doctors into X3 is ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY - Dr. Kavita Rao and Dr. Moira Mctaggart?!! I felt if 2 characters are underplayed, i rather have one cast only - my bet was juz to leave Dr Kavita Rao out and have Moira in the movie instead cos of her relationship with Charles Xavier... That way they won't have too many characters involved, which already ended up a very cluttered movie.

As for Magneto's fateful ending, it is a question of doubt whether the cure is permanent, or NOT? Same goes for Rogue who finally able to touch at the end of her moment with Bobby. Oh course if u would wanna stay throughout the credits for the surprise scene... oh well, in my opinion u can miss it, cos it is only a 20 sec clip... what a bummer... Otherwise i clocked the whole movie in my watch which says 1hr 43mins, which is 103 mins including credits... bigger bummer!!!

Overrall, i wish Bryan Singer should have come back to direct X3, but becos of FOX's impatience and stringent attitude abt die, die must release X3 at 2006, they got Ratner to do it and though Ratner did a overrall good job... It is no match for Singer's magic touch of X2... If only the runtime is longer like 2hrs or more... perhaps we will get to see more establishment of the characters - perhaps audience might wanna know how Cyclops disappeared.. Brace yrself at the end - the tombstones we saw at the still pic posted at SHHboards weeks ago wasn't fake, it is real unfortunately... sigh...

Oh well, at least the ending of Magneto moving a chess piece and Moira hearing Charles' voice might prove there's definitely a sequel... A well-closed chapter of the trilogy... But treatment could be done better... For those u who wonder if Jean dies again, all i can say is, Ratner stay true to the comics... GO READ PHOENIX ENDSONG and u mite find the final scene of Jean & Logan are pretty much re-enacted from PHOENIX ENDSONG! That's all i have to say for now!

I hope the rest of you will enjoy the movie, I did but i guess my expectations were too high after X2, i am slightly disppointed but not terribly disappointed. Again i will mention it boils down to the short runtime, which i feel alot of character and plot establishment can be fulfilled if the movie could be stretched at least 20-30mins longer. Perhaps too much characters and too much dialogue were fed to us audience at such a fast pace that we are force to grasp what we must see, otherwise we face a blink-or-miss-it situation that requires us to see the movie again to understand the dialogue better. There's no room to breathe in X3 unlike X2 which ride along smoothly for me personally. Which sequel do I prefer - X2 or X3? Oh well, no movie is perfect - but it's a clear cut I would choose X2 for storyline and X3 for special effects.

 

[thev01]

I agree that X-3 was a sad shock for every fans who wanted to see their favorite X-men live at the end of the movie. But still It's a great way to end a franchise. Nothing says "the end" better than killing off some of the prominent characters in the series.
Hopefully this is really going to be the end of the X-men movie storie, regardless of how much this film make. I really don't want to see an X-4 in the future because judging by this last installment ( and all other superhero movie part 4), the series is only going to get worse before it gets better. Still its a fun film.

Please FOX spare us a Superman 4 and a Batman and Robin.

 

[user123456789]

What do you think? Best comic book movie?

Hardly. But great action!!

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Good movie. Wish my boy Colossus could have had more face time though.

"I'm the Juggernaut, *****"

 

[SuperT]

I don't know what the critics are smoking, but I just got back from my midnight screening and WOW!

This movie was ****ing great. Now let me say, it is not as good as X2, but it is definitely better then the first X-Men. It had action out of the ass, but it had loads of small moments to make it a great movie.

Man, the theatre was packed to the seams where I was at, and the crowd gave it a huge clap aftewards that went on for like almost two minutes. It was nuts! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and this movie.

There was just so much to take in. I'm definitely gonna have to go back and watch it again. It did have it flaws at some points, but I think the positives so outweigh the negatives on this one.

Great, simply, Great. Definitely see it in the theatres.

 

[LEX]

I want to see it again just for the Jean/Xavier battle...

You cannot tell me that you did not like it when everything went slow-motion in Jean's house!

That AND Magneto crushing and throwing the cars on the road. Let's see...I've spent about 20 bucks so far on watching XMTLS. The box office this weekend better be huge.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I like how they explained "The Phoenix". I didn't wanna hear anything about "Shi'ar" or space or anything like that.