The much maligned X Men film

Rating: 5/10 (23 May 2016)

The much maligned X-Men: The Last Stand is the unloved film that caused so many screen writing headaches later on, due to the premature idea that this would be the last X-Men film in the series. But did it deserve the reviews that it received on it's initial release, or was it simply fan backlash because of Brian Singer's replacement Brett Ratner?
The film has a bizarre throwaway attitude to characters, both mutant and human. Vinnie Jones is rubbish as Juggernaut, uttering that stale meme "I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!" And why give a pre- credits set up to Angel, when Ben Foster is barely in the film? Halle Berry is again, given nothing to do, and Mystique, one of the best characters in the series, is thrown away halfway through. And was it really worth getting Bill Duke in the film for two minutes of screen time, or an off camera R. Lee Ermey shouting at soldiers? I mean, I know that after Full Metal Jacket he's been repeating his "shouting army guy" role ever since, but still, it feels like a waste of talent. James Marsden (Cyclops), due to filming commitments with the concurrently shooting Superman Returns, is sidelined quickly too.
No, it's not as bad as the reviews would have you believe. The action is impressive, the film's score gives momentum, the special effects are top notch, and even if the aforementioned characters do get sidelined early on, the acting is good. Ian McKellen gives a very strong performance, and Hugh Jackman is dependably good. At the end of the day though, Ratner made a solid, if unspectacular film, whereas Brian Singer would've made an amazing one. Days of Future Past proved that.