Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Make a Stand for X3, 31 Jul 2007
104 minutes to sum up two astounding X-films was Brett Ratner's challenge to complete for a deadline of this summer. But how has he faired? A clever overall plotline shapes old character's pasts (with Wolverine now content with his memories, Jean Grey is re-visited as the terrifying Phoenix), and introduces the much-awaited Juggernaut, Beast and Angel, pleasing fans of all ages. The outcasted mutants must deal with the invention of a "cure", which pushes Charles Xavier to the limit.
Ratner has certainly brought a new, lighter feel to the finale through several puns. A scene on the golden gate bridge with an angry Magneto in his element, smashing cars and generally destroying everything in his path, cuts to one woman in her car, silently locking the door, while all hell burns behind her. Personally I think this wittiness and sarcasm is necessary in such an emotional and action-packed film - it is after all a summer movie, which Brett has aimed at a worldwide audience. And there is certainly something for everyone.
Hard core comic-book fans were less then impressed though with the portrayal of Juggernaut. "He's not beefy enough," one fanatic told me. But I didn't know it was possible to be beefier than the huge, muscular, monstrous man who I saw on the screen.
But the comic buffs were as impressed as I was (very) with both Angel and the combination of Pyro and Iceman. Both have deeper meanings when you scratch the surface. Angel or Warren (for those of you who don't know) is the `cure-inventers' son a mutant with angel with white feathery wings (hence the name) that enable him to fly. The CGI effects that create these masterpieces make him impressively realistic. He has a terrifying and emotional scene near the start of the film as a child which again maintains the reality of the film, by showing vividly the terror that mutants face. Angel will appeal to rebellious teenagers or anyone who wants to break-free from an expectation of them. But does he play a big enough role in the film? To many Ben Foster's character is not memorable because Ratner only touched on his story, giving him just a minor role.
The situation is similar as with the character Jimmy aka Leech, (another new member of the seemingly ever-growing community of mutants) who should in fact have had a very important part to play, being able to momentarily remove other mutant's powers.
Pyro and Iceman's relationship comes to a climax in X3, as their characters are given a chance to grow and develop. The films theme of Good Verses Evil is shown between these two rivals on a smaller scale - more relevant to a viewer from this world.
In contrast Scot Summers (or Cyclops) is not developed at all, and is in fact `faded out' of the story two thirds through the film with no explanation as to why or how. As the credits rolled at the end, I wanted to scream - "What happened to Scott?" But perhaps this unfinishing of several characters plots leaves a small chance for a...4th X-film? Maybe this is just the `culmination of one saga', the conclusion of the first trilogy and there is more in store...?
Relationships have been more thoroughly explored in `The Last Stand' with the young love of Bobby and Rogue, and the more mature pairing of Jean Grey and Scott, in which a love triangle develops with Wolverine.
The `X-kids' have also been more prominent in X3 and gave Brett another chance to increase the comedy value. One boy changes the TV channels by blinking, a girl takes notes at school by simply passing her hand over paper, and another can break windows with an inhumanly piercing scream. And you'll be pleased to hear there's plenty more of Kitty Pryde, played this time by Ellen Page.
But with so many infuriately complicated and intricate storyline, many other characters are lost in the tangle of plots, although their brief appearances are important. Mystique and Storm, both from the previous sequels don't get half enough of a look in as they should shunned aside in favour of fresher faces, and perhaps the new effects.
Ratner took the plunge and used all the technology available to make X3 bigger and better than it's predecessors, but he did get rather carried away with the huge explosions, and struggled to keep track of all the characters and keep the plot coherent and followable.
However plenty of new characters were needed (if not quite as many as Ratner managed to stuff in). Beast especially was a huge success - the friendly, furry and blue secretary of mutant affairs. One of the less serious characters, he is laid back and jokey for most of the film, and was definitely needed in X3 to lighten the ominous mood.
Overall Brett Ratner has created a fantastic fast-paced finale, action packed and exciting, beautifully wrapping up (most of) the loose ends in a film which balances emotional, funny and even romantic aspects perfectly. Let's just hope this isn't the end of the `X-era'...
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent bookend to the series...or is it...?, 1 Nov 2006
A number of people have been unhappy at this production, either due to the last minute change of director or due to the departures from the comics...however, as part of the x-men film series this film is a worthy successor. X-Men 2 will always be hard to beat, in my opinion, but this one ranks alongside, if not slightly ahead, of the first film in my opinion. There has obviously been some significant cutting of material, resulting in a much shorter feature. Whilst this does mean some characters get less development time than deserved, it does keep the action flowing thick and fast. However, the final part of a trilogy it is not, with plenty of scope for another film (beyond the Wolverine spin-off)...many people did not wait in the cinemas until the credits had stopped rolling, I'm guessing a similar number hit the stop button when they started to roll in the dvd release. Go back to this film, and watch the short (approx 10 seconds) scene AFTER the credits!!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
x-mens downfall , 15 April 2008
if you are looking for lots of action and not a lot of story then this is the film for you. the reason i think that x-men 3 is so bad is that the first film had good action good story. and then the second had great action great story. but x-men 3 has amazing action and terrible story. which is such a big disappointment. this movie had some incredible fight scenes and breath taking special effects. but the story that was built up over the first two has been ruined by relationships being stopped and changed after being such a crucial part of the first two. then with key characters loosing there powers and dieing its like they do not want a sequel. and just when you think it cant get worse you see Vinnie Jones acting as Juggernaut. it could be that i am such a big fan i am finding so many issues with it. so if you want a good action movie you will probably like it. but if you are a big fan of the series like me the you will probably feel the same as me.
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