X-Men: The Last Stand Review
Posted by Jacob Ziegler on 05.26.2006
Which side are you on?
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND
May 26, 2006
Wolverine: Hugh Jackman
Storm: Halle Berry
Magneto: Ian McKellen
Xavier: Patrick Stewart
Jean Grey: Famke Janssen
Rogue: Anna Paquin
Mystique: Rebecca Romijn
Cyclops: James Marsden
Iceman: Shawn Ashmore
Pyro: Aaron Stanford
Colossus: Daniel Cudmore
Dr. Henry McCoy: Kelsey Grammar
Juggernaut: Vinnie Jones
Kitty Pryde: Ellen Page
Warren Worthington III: Ben Foster
Warren Worthington II: Michael Murphy
Callisto: Dania Ramirez
Multiple Man: Eric Dane
Leech: Cameron Bright
Dr. Kavita Rao: Shohreh Aghdashloo
Twentieth Century Fox presents a film directed by Brett Ratner. It was written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn; based on the comic created by Stan Lee. The running time is 104 minutes. It is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, some sexual content, and language.
BY JACOB ZIEGLER, 411Movies
I never watched the "X-Men" cartoon. I never read the "X-Men" comic. I have no emotional connections to the franchise and have no expectations about what should happen in the movies. I thought "X-Men" (2000) was a good little action movie, and that "X-2: X-Men United" (2003) was one of the best comic book movies I have ever seen, and superior to the first film in every way. Both of those films were directed by Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects").
Now we come to the third installment of the series. Singer is out as director, and Brett Ratner ("Red Dragon" and the "Rush Hour" films) is in. This has caused a small uprising in the nerd community, for they don't think that Ratner can handle the delicate balance of action, one-liners, and pathos that have characterized the first two "X-Men" films.
I'm happy to say that "X-Men: The Last Stand" should be enough to satiate most fans (some may still be disappointed by the lack of a certain character). All of the key players from the first two films are back, including Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen, in his second film in as many weeks after "The Da Vinci Code"), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and Storm (Halle Berry), among others. "The Last Stand" also offers up several new characters, including Dr. Hank McCoy, also known as Beast (Kelsey Grammar), Juggernaut (the always entertaining Vinnie Jones), and the most intriguing of which is Jimmy (Cameron Bright of "Thank You for Smoking"), called Leech due to his ability to suck away the power of any mutant that comes near him.
The plot concerns development of an antibody for the mutant X gene, which government officials, particularly Warren Worthington II (Michael Murphy), say is a permanent cure for the mutants. This creates interesting dilemma for mutants – do they want to be normal and fit in, or do they want to maintain their mutant powers? This is a particularly important question for Rogue (Anna Paquin), who can't engage in any form of physical contact.
Magneto and Xavier are diametrically opposed on the way to handle this. Xavier takes a Martin Luther King Jr. approach, emphasizing understanding, while Magneto takes the Malcolm X approach, going for his goals by any means necessary. While there is a rivalry between the two factions of mutants, there is a great respect between Magneto and Xavier, and that is just one of the storylines that make up the emotional core of the "X-Men" story. The other main thread would be the relationship between Wolverine/Logan and Jean Grey.
Despite many people's misgivings, director Ratner does a fine job putting together all the elements of the story. The action is pulse-pounding and the drama is mostly on track. Storm gets in a few cheesy lines trying to be dramatic, and Wolverine has a few lame one-liners, but those moments pass by quickly and are overshadowed by the parts of the film that work.
Is "X-Men: The Last Stand" the last installment in the series? Stay all the way through the end credits and you tell me.
The 411: “X-Men: The Last Stand” is a worthy inclusion in the “X-Men” series, as it tops the first installment (but can't measnure up to the second). Any movie that can boast a performance as good as Ian McKellen’s while wearing a ridiculous helmet is obviously worth something. This is likely one of the most satisfying blockbusters of the summer season.
