By Edwin Hopkins
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Super

X-Men movie fans (like yours truly), comic fans and stalwart aficionados, had their doubts about Brett Ratner taking over the reins of this popular franchise from director Bryan (Superman Returns) Singer. After viewing X Men The Last Stand, I’m
sure there’ll be some dissenters. Like my friend Shawn whom I ride to church with. He along with many others will unabashedly pour out their dismay over this, supposedly, last chapter of the world’s most popular mutants .

Listening to these essentials of Marvel fandom before the film’s release caused some inner consternation and I admit during the course of viewing, that there were some things I knew, weren’t supposed to happen either. Nevertheless, my not being a staunch devotee gave me the advantage of shunting details aside to enjoy The Last Stand as simply good entertainment.

Jumping 10 years, Warren Worthington III has locked himself in the bathroom and is attempting a makeshift surgical operation on his back. He refuses to open the door when his father arrives, wanting to know what he’s doing. Thankfully, he manages to break in, stop him and tell him everything’s going to be alright.

Onto the present where we find our heroes practicing their team skills by combatting sentinels in the holographic danger room at Xavier’s school. I’ll give you one guess as to who finishes this little training session in short order. You do get to see all of them exhibit their special mutant powers including newcomer Shadow Cat.

When one of the original X-Men, Dr. Henry McCoy (Beast), Secretary of Mutant Affairs visits Xavier’s mansion talking about a “cure” for the mutant gene, naturally it sparks debate amongst themselves as well as others outside the X school. A debate that escalates to all out war between the good few and the malevolent many.

It certainly doesn’t take long for the two sides to develop, especially with such a substantial addition of mutants, some of which my friends or I have never seen or heard of before. Ratner and his scripters Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn tried to squeeze in as many as possible, a humorous irony since this one has a shorter running time than it’s predecessors.

Patrick Stewart, apparently born to play professor Xavier, is in top form as always. He seizes the role with a style and flair so indicative of modesty, you can’t help but to love his performance. His wisdom and understanding of mutants, remarkably holds everyone together. Even in the midst of tragedy. It was good to see him and Magneto as truly good friends at one time.

Hugh Jackman , Halle Berry, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, have all reprised their characters with no changes in personality except for Famke Jansen’s Dark Phoenix; but the newest member of the group, and the most prominent, is definitely Kellsey Grammer as Beast . He’s barely recognizable ( as it should be) through all that blue hairy makeup.  I’m sure many X fans will be pleased that he’s just as combatant as he is civilized.

One fledgeling also amping up the mix is a fully grown Kiity Pride (aka Shadow Cat) played by up and coming actress Ellen Page (Hard Candy) . Her spunky youthfulness gives her a slight edge over the invincible Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones) in a very dangerous situation involving Cameron Bright, another young mutant.

With a faction of mutant newcomers like Callisto, Spike, Angel et. Al., Ratner spares no opportunities for great fight scenes and breathtaking special fx. Not just for their own sake, but rising from the drama of all the characters . I was practically on edge waiting for the pinnacle battle towards the end.

Despite superfluous liberties, Ratner has conferred increased energy to the X-Men. And a trace for a fourth film. Stay after the credits roll. You’ll see why another installment could be possible.
 

By Peter Conticelli

Pathetic

I just left a sneak preview for this movie and I could not be more disappointed. The only people that will enjoy this film are the ones that know absolutely nothing about the X-Men. Shame on Avi Arad and Lauren Shuler Donner for allowing this terrible representation to be completed and released. After watching the first two X-Men films, I was positive this would be amazing, mind-blowing, and above and beyond any fan's expectations. Instead it did not even try to meet those expectations. Please do not continue to read if you do not want to read about details of the film.

There is one redeeming quality for this movie: Storm is actually powerful. Took them long enough to use her character properly.

I don't know whose idea it was to try and cram everything they possibly could into one film, but it really should have been reconsidered. The Danger Room finally appears, but only for a few minutes and there is no mention of its name, or purpose. In this scene a Sentinel is destroyed, but again no mention of why they are fighting a giant robot, or what it is called.

Next, the entire Phoenix story should have been ignored for this film. Jean Grey returns only to be a fireless Phoenix that resembles a psychotic demon rather than an all-powerful goddess. Not only is her return repulsive, but she kills Cyclops almost immediately in the film. Although I understand this cannot follow the comic book exactly, something that should not change is that Jean Grey's love for Cyclops is what gives her the strength to overcome the Phoenix and ultimately take her own life. In the film, Wolverine kills Jean Grey/Phoenix, even though in the comics his character's love for Jean Grey prevented this action. Not to mention earlier in the film Phoenix tossed Wolverine around like a rag doll, but could not take him down at the end of the movie. At least they could have pitted Storm against the Phoenix in the finale, but instead we are left with another stabbing.

Does this film ever say Shadowcat, Colossus, Psylocke, Angel, Beast, Danger Room, Sentinel, or Multiple Man? If it does it is very quick and quite lacking in explanation. It's oddly insulting because you have to be a fan to know who the characters are, but the story and world has been altered so much it creates frustration knowing this will be the best representation of these characters in
the film world.

The only way this film would work is if another one was coming out next week to portray Phoenix correctly, reconsider who lives and dies, reverse the cure, and actually identify key characters and elements by their names. This could have been one of the best movies ever made. The stories of the X-Men are identifiable, spectacular, and emotionally charged. This falls flat as just a summer special effects film with some creepy parts.