12 June 2006

X3 is no X2 — but, then, what is?

Finally got around to seeing X-Men: The Last Stand this last weekend.

How did I like it? Well, in judging its merits, the question really is: Should it be compared to the other X-Men films or should it be compared to other superhero movies?

If you compare this movie to other X-Men films, it doesn't fare very well. For one thing, Brett Ratner is no Bryan Singer when it comes to the characters' quieter moments. He also seems to lack Singer's belief that this stuff should seem as real as possible. Plus, the film's low budget and rushed production schedule really show through, making the scale of the plot look kind of silly.

However, if you're comparing it to all other superhero films, it's really not that bad. Never forget, this is a genre that includes Catwoman, Daredevil, and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen — not to mention both of Joel Schumacher's Batman films. So while it may not be up to snuff with the (nearly) wall-to-wall quality of a Batman Begins (cough, cough Katie Holmes) or an X2, it has its moments.

Some of them, believe it or not, come from James Marsden. I've not been a big fan of his so far in the series, but here he really makes a lot out of his limited screen time. To be fair, at first his scenes feel overblown and silly, but when you realize that was Cyclops' big send-off, they're fairly operatic.

Also, Kitty Pride is really incredible in this film. Rather young to be involved in an "another woman" subplot between Iceman and Rogue, I say, but, on the other hand, the remarkable poise and bravery she showed in the "hold the line" sequence is almost enough for me to overlook the strangeness of the X-Men keeping child-sized leather jumpsuits on hand.


5 Comments so far

  1. Jake June 13th, 2006 4:56 am

    The fact that Ice, Kitty, and Collosus have more strength and resolve then their supposed "leader" Storm, makes me hate Halle Berry even more for demanding more screen time.

  2. Maryann June 15th, 2006 4:56 am

    I think you blocked me from commenting because I had a rebuttal for your James Marsden review. Fascist.

  3. Maryann June 15th, 2006 4:57 am

    I agree with Jake. For all her big talk, the most she delivered was in her new hairstyle.

    I don't like James Marsden. Never have. His few moments in the film only amplified, for me, his sissiness and fairweather commitment to his girl, Jean Grey. Now, it's been awhile since I've read an X-men comic book, but as a young person, when reading the comics, I always pictured him to be much more of a man than I felt James Marsden portrayed him. He was pretty good at portraying that ex-frat-boy aspect, though.

    What do we think...an X-men 4 in our future??

  4. Ray June 15th, 2006 4:24 pm

    I agree with both of you. Halle Berry sucked. Should we expect anything less of the star of Catwoman? Even worse is that Singer managed to get a fairly decent performance out of her in part II by making her into a bit of a militaristic zealot, but that went out the window like it was a baby and Bret Ratner was Michael Jackson. With butter on his golve.

    As for an X4, probably not. However, they are going to make a Magneto movie and they are going to make a Wolverine movie. I also hear rumblings that doing the ole body switch thing with Professor X will let them use that character in the body of less well-paid actor and launch a low budget New Mutants movie series or TV show.

  5. Mike June 20th, 2006 4:06 am

    Can't get enough Marsden? Don't worry, he is in Superman.

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