After the government creates a mutant cure, the X-Men must
stop Magneto's Brotherhood from waging war on humanity. ACTION/SCI-FI
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X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)Directed by Brett Ratner
Written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Elliot Page, Kelsey Grammer, Ben Foster, Daniel Cudmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones Sequel to 2003's X2 Based on characters from Marvel Comics |
While not as good as the first two, this third installment was not as bad was critics said it was. The plot is decent and the the battle scenes are epic. I will admit that there were a lot of poor story decisions in this one, but it is still an enjoyable film.
I felt that the Dark Phoenix story could have been done better, but Famke Janssen did a great job channeling the duel personalities of Jean Grey and the Phoenix. Ian McKellen finally got to be the full-blown enemy the series has been building to, and the scene where he moves the Brooklyn Bridge is nothing short of awesome. I must also praise Kelsey Grammer's flawless portrayal of Hank McCoy, better known as Beast. He brought some serious gravitas to the role and stood out in an otherwise lackluster entry in this epic franchise. I really wish that Bryan Singer had stayed to do the epic finale he had envisioned, but Brett Ratner still did a serviceable job. I'm glad this wasn't the end of the series, but it's not terrible. |
While critics and fans have constantly talked about how bad this final installment is in the original trilogy, I don't think it's that bad. It's definitely not nearly as good as the first two, but it's still an entertaining movie that features plenty of fun moments. It just wasn't the epic conclusion the series had built up to.
Bryan Singer steps down from the director's chair for this third outing, with Brett Ratner taking over this time. While he lacks the skills Singer used to make the first two installments so great, Ratner still does a serviceable job. The film does end on a rather exciting note, as the attack on Alcatraz Island is one of the series high points. The new cast members also do a good job of meshing with the returning ones. Kelsey Grammar, in particular, is great as Beast. The main thing bringing this movie down is the butchering of the Dark Phoenix story. What should have been the cause for the most epic movie yet, turned out to be merely a subplot. The decision to leave some characters out from previous installments didn't help matters much, either. I'll say it, I don't hate X-Men: The Last Stand as much as others do. It doesn't do the Dark Phoenix story any favors and the characters are not always given their due. But, it was still a fun movie that left me entertained. I just hope that one day this story is done justice. |