Entertaining but not exciting

Rating: 6/10 (30 May 2006)

The third installment in the X-Men series is entirely watchable, but doesn't have anything to get excited about. The direction is smooth and competent, the actors all show up to do their job adequately, and the design and special effects are close to top of the line. As with most comic book sequels (think Batman Forever), the film suffers enormously from being stuffed with so many plots that none of them has any time to develop or take on any weight or meaning. There are at least four major story lines, any of which could have made a great movie, but together they are so rushed that it is almost comical. What should be breathtaking revelations or shocking, deeply moving developments are all treated as minor plot points as the movie saunters toward its only real reason for existing, the final big action set piece. That piece is well staged and pretty to watch, but with no investment in any of the stories, the climax is nothing more than a nice circus fireworks show. X-Men is still deeper and more creative than any other action franchise--- the central metaphor is always appealing, watching super-heroes is a lot more fun than watching little men run around with big guns, and it is the only big movie world that includes women as more than just sex props. But this installment reaches too far and, as a result, does far too little. Enjoy it, but don't expect anything more than a glossy big budget puppet show.