Author: James Levee


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So, the third (and final?) X-Men, movie, movie sees Jean Grey return to the world, but…oops…Charles Xavier forgot to mention that Grey has a split personality and a powerful psychotic alter-ego exists inside her head! Thankfully, when Jean resurfaces she takes a moment to kill her former boyfriend, the utterly pointless Scott Summers (Cyclops).
All this takes place amid the discovery of a cure for the Mutant X gene which promises a normal life for mutants. It's met with a mixed reaction - some mutants are glad of the prospect of a cure while others (Magneto's crowd) see, movie, the potential 'extermination' of the mutant race and choose to fight against it.
The movie remains, movie, fast-paced throughout, and it's abundant in shocks and comic moments throughout: Mystique getting shot, movie, with the Mutant cure and losing her abilities, Phoenix (Jean, movie, Grey's alter-ego) disintegrating one of the X-Men in a tense battle, and getting frisky with Wolverine (the bit where she whips his belt off using her psychic powers was a hoot).
One of the set-pieces was completely over the, movie, top though: the, movie, bit where Magneto raises the Golden Gate bridge and floats it across to Alcatraz Island. In the name of God, why? In X-Men II, Magneto conjures floating, movie, discs from atoms of liquid metal! Plus, he has Phoenix in tow with her devastating psychic powers. Surely between them they could have thought up better transportation?
The Acting
As usual, Wolverine and Magneto get their share of the best, movie, lines. Ian McKellen is at his wicked best as Magneto,, movie, especially turning his back on a newly human Mystique (who'd sacrificed herself to protect him moments, movie, earlier) and cunningly convincing Jean Grey to join his rebellion. Hugh Jackman makes the transformation from mild-mannered Aussie to the gruff, blade-fisted Wolverine with ease, and just about, movie, steals the show. Wolverine, movie, is always the best thing about an X-Men movie.
Kudos should also go to newcomers Vinnie, movie, Jones (as rock-headed Juggernaut) and Kelsey Grammer (as Dr. Hugh McCoy). Who would have pictured, movie, Frasier as the ol' blue furball?
On the down, movie, side, Halle Berry as Storm is a, movie, waste of space. It's hard, movie, to tell if Storm's, movie, character is at fault, or if the the finger should be pointed at Halle Berry's, movie, acting, but three movies down and Storm, movie, has yet to play a central role. She's almost as expendable as Cyclops was. A new hairdo does not the superhero make!
(Oh, why exactly do all the 'bad' mutants dress like junkies? Talk about stereotyping…)
X-Men: The Verdict
It's hard to put your finger on it, but X-Men:, movie, The Last Stand is slightly different to its predecessors. Perhaps it's the departure of director Bryan Singer, perhaps the storyline is too busy, not enough, movie, effort on character development.
Whatever your opinion, this is still a comic book translation, so suspend your disbelief for a couple of hours and enjoy the ride. As one reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes said: The Last Stand is as good if not better than X2.
If there's a morality message, it's,, movie, movie, lost in the dizzying special effects and fast pace of the movie. It's definitely worth a visit to the, movie,, movie, cinema, so don't believe the nay-sayers!
James Levee writes about politics, movies, music and modern life on his blog, The Levee Breaks. He is a father of three young children and an IT Manager, movie, in his spare time (read "Day Job") and lives in Northern Ireland.