"X-Men: The Last Stand" -- Stands above all the Others by Homer Yen (c) 2006
Here it is! The avowed last of the trilogy comes out swinging like a boxer at his prime and as if this was the most important fight of its life. And like that great champ, "X-Men 3" floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. This final installment is grittier than the previous two films. It is also more engaging. And, (dare I say it?) it is even operatic.
Threats to our benevolent X-Men come from several different angles this time. It allows the film to explain the evolution of Jean Grey (Famke Jansen). It allows more new mutants with fabulous powers and looks to be introduced. It also gives Magneto (Ian McKellan) more purpose and bite because he is a fighter at his prime, and this may be the most important fight of his life.
Some progress for the better has been made since we last saw our benevolent mutants. We see that a new Department of Mutant Affairs, headed by Dr. Hank McCoy (an aptly cast Kelsey Grammer) who is himself a mutant known as Beast, works to presumably bridge greater acceptance of the mutant population. Perhaps Dr. Xavier's dream of peaceful co-existence may be near.
But when it is revealed that a mutant anti-body has been manufactured, it stirs Magneto to action. Injecting this solution into a mutant will cause all of their powers to disappear, reverting them back to normal human status. Magneto begins summoning up mutant revolutionaries to join his dark brotherhood to fight back against the human population. "They say they have the cure? I say we are the cure," affirms our charismatic villain.
This 'cure' intrigues some like Rogue (Anna Paquin) who would like to lose her gift/curse because whenever she touches someone, she seems to drain the life force out of them. However, Storm (Halle Berry) brings up a good point questioning who has the moral authority to say what 'normal' is. This premise evokes thoughts about the holocaust, the 'gay gene', stem cell research, immigration, and other politically charged topics. The allegorical references are stimulating.
Complicating matters for Dr. Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his band of X-Men is the emergence of Dark Phoenix, previously known as Jean Grey (Famke Jansen). "Will you control that power, or will you let that power control you?" asks the venerable Dr. Xavier to his former student. You may recall her sacrifice from the second installment of the X-Men trilogy. Here, she returns, transformed into a creature with powers that seem uncontrollable and yet limitless. We are no longer sure if she remains an X-Men or is more of an X-factor to their success.
"X-Men 3" does a lot of things correctly, not the least of which is the quick removal of the whiny, lovelorn Cyclops character. It plays with the relationship possible between Wolverine and Jean Grey. The special effects keep up with the wild imaginings of this comic-book world, which now has a bevy of new characters that could supply us with an X-Men 4, if need be. It is an efficient film, clocking in at just over 100 minutes. And, it delivers wow-tastic fun with the confidence of a Superhero. With so much to cram in, it may not be the perfect film. But, for summer entertainment, you'll need telepathic powers to find a blend of story and action better than this.
Grade: A-
S: 1 out of 3 L: 0 out of 3 V: 2 out of 3
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