X Men 3: The Last Stand is a movie fans of the series has either been looking forward to or dreading for about a year. The reason for the mixed feelings? The change in directors from Bryan Singer (who directed the first two films) to Brett Ratner. While Singer was an unpopular choice for director at first, he emphasized characterization and emotion over spectacle which gave the movies heart. When Singer decided to leave X Men for Superman Returns, there was much speculation over who would replace him. To the dismay of many, including myself, the choice was Brett Ratner.
Brett Ratner? On the one hand, Ratner directed Rush Hour 1 & 2. On the other hand, Ratner DIRECTED RUSH HOUR 1 & 2! I mean, was it really hard to tell Jackie Chan to jump and Chris Tucker to talk fast? Don't they do those things wherever they go anyway?
So, going into X Men 3 today I had fairly low expectations of what I would see. The good news is the movie isn't the total train wreck I was expecting. It was actually better than that. But, one thing that was clear with this film in comparison to the previous two movies is a choice of quantity over quality. All of the heart from the previous two movies are sucked out and replaced with empty, yet glorious, spectacle.
Where the first two films focused on a limited number of characters and spent time developing their personalities, X3 plays out like a X Men checklist of names and superpowers. Juggernaught, Calisto, Arclight, Leech, and Angel are among the flood of characters brought in to be named, show off their power and then fade into the background. Some character's benefit from the new approach, as Storm is finally given her due as the leader / heavy hitter function she had in the comic series. Finally, Halle Berry seems comfortable in the role and is able to imbue some humanity in what was previously a sketchy role. New hire Kelsey Grammer also excels as the highly intelligent Beast. Ian McKellen continues to chew up scenery in his commanding performance as Magneto.
Most of the emotion of X3 comes from the associations I had with the characters from the comic or the other movies. Other than some exciting moments (Magneto's attack on a police caravan is awesome!), much of the movie left me cold. Unfortunately, the movie piles on too many storylines (cure for mutants, the rebirth of Jean Grey / Phoenix, death of key characters, rise of evil mutants, love triangle for minor characters, closure of the school) for anything to stick. It was like watching cliffnotes of what the real stories were. However, Ratner does have Singer beat in the ability to showcase outsized comic book action. Ratner's eye for framing set pieces like moving the Golden Gate Bridge or the final battle against Magneto's forces have the exaggerated size and thrilling impact used in comic books.
Much like when Joel Schumaker took over the Batman series, Ratner's X Men seems desperately corporate in its approach. While it is louder and bigger than the other two movies, it's made from cheaper material. Special effects seem to be used in just about every shot, but the effects look fake and cartoonish (on par with the cruddy Fantastic Four). The makeup is also unconvincing with the exception of the Beast character. Also, minor background characters are slightly builtup (Kitty Pride, Colossus and Iceman) to suggest they'll come to the foreground if there is an X4. Younger, cheaper talent is often the way to go with an established brandname.
It may seem like a negative review but I do feel this movie got it right more often than it didn't. The action was exciting and the actors gave credible performances. The draggy middle section is punched up with the eventful death of a major character. Fans will enjoy seeing the Fastball Special or hearing Beast say "Oh my Stars and Garters." Much like the overt symbolism used for Angel (look at him fly, he's freedom incarnate! You can't take away mutant / minorities freedoms!!) the movie tries really hard to beat you over the head with its kind message: Peace!!!
I give this movie a 6 out of 10.
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