If this was the end... then they obviously knew how to go out with a pang.

Rating: 4/10 (16 February 2009)

The first time I saw X-3, I was absolutely mesmerized by the action scenes and effects. 1 year later, I started going to movies with friends that utterly loved Independent films, and I quickly matured into someone that developed a finer taste in terms of the entirety of the movie, the dialog, the character developments and the way the characters could grow on me, rather than the mindless action lover I was a year prior. Remembering my love for X-Men, I watched X-3 first, because at the time; it was my favorite of the three. I was absolutely bewildered as to what the happened to the epic film I tagged as one of the best comic-book adaptations to date, and why it was replaced with something so much less than profound. I still thought somewhat highly of it- that is until I watched the first 2 films before watching 3 again, one last time to make a final judgment.
From X-1 to X-2, there seemed to be an apparent 'evolution' (no pun intended) in the storyline. As the main characters were established, there was more time for action to be instilled and the characters could really be further fleshed out into what made them lovable in the original comics. Story lines became deeper, intense. Characters grew up and matured, and the plot line became more complex, delving deeper into Wolverine's past.
X-3 completely disregarded this, and it totally caught me off guard upon my realization and how blind I was the first time around, watching the 'epic' film. I had no idea what Bryan Singer was thinking but wait, therein lies the flaw. As far as I was concerned, Bryan Singer had directed all of the X-Men movies and how mistaken I was, in thinking that. Upon discovery, you couldn't imagine how angered I was that someone that taken no part in either of the previous movies could have possibly attempted to out-direct Singer and create a massive hit, let alone being able to take the movie under his own wing. Inevitably, it missed the mark. By a mile. Not only had Ratner thought he could complete the trilogy with a film bigger than the first 2 movies, he completely demolished the solid foundation Singer had created and built on in the first 2 movies and constructed something on very unstable ground;
(HadExpandedOnThePointsButwordLimitStoppedMe)
Point 1. The impossibly fast pace. Point 2. Unholy amounts of new mutants being squeezed into the picture. Point 3. The killing off/departure of some originals/favorites. Point 4. The detachment from the suspense created by the end of the Second movie.
Within the first 20 minutes of the movie, Jean is resurrected, (Only to die again in the end), Scott is killed in the next 5 minutes of that and Professor Xavier is killed half an hour after. If X-3 wasn't a game of "Let's see how many of the original cast we can kill off before pushing our luck", then I'll kiss the ground Ratner walks on. This was the deal breaker of the movie. I could sit through the movie not knowing half the new character's names, and I sure as hell could deal with the feeling that the movie felt out-of-sync. But to kill two of the original characters just lost me completely especially after they had such a solid fan base (I'm a major Marsden and Stewart Fan, so you could imagine the outrage at killing off Cyclops. Still recovering from the shock, only to be stabbed again by killing off Professor Xavier! I almost threw my remote at the new television). By then I was only semi-angry at the way Mystique departed from the film earlier. Rogue should have been killed off too considering she played hooky for 95% of the film. By then, Jean's death meant nothing. She's been there done that, killed off 2 of the major characters and figures in her (and our) life, and died again. Joy.
I often fathom on how X-3 would have turned out like if Singer had directed it. I had instincts telling me SUCH different things. Rogue's transition from troubled runaway, into a confident and (more) secure young woman showed me that she could get some decent fight scenes for X-3. In the X-Men 1 and 2 deleted scenes, Jubilee is acknowledged. Playing such a major role in Wolverine's character in the comics, I was half-expecting her to be introduced and fleshed out in the third installment. ( but half expecting her to still play a minor role because Singer had established and did not wish to intrude on the strong bond between Rogue and Wolverine). Either way, though she's listed in the cast for X-3, I didn't see her at all.
Guesses aside, I can safely bet that had he done it, it would have been just as good, and if not better than X-2, which to me was Singer's finest piece
However, X-3 is not entirely lacking. 5/10 was given to it for its redeeming properties.
Gorgeous cinematography. The trailers for it looked *so* good because the composition, camera angles, colors and effects made it look like art if you freeze framed it.
And
The brilliant musical scores in this movie, was to me, the light of hope for this movie. The score being played in Xavier's death scene gave me goose bumps.
Don't get me wrong, this movie is 'entertaining' if you're not seriously into X-Men and are only 'acquainted' fans the first two films for the comic-brilliance that they were. Or if you like massive action and fight scenes that take up two-thirds of the movie a 'Popcorn movie' to be accurate. But if you're a die-hard X-Men fan, or someone that truly appreciated the substance, and magic Singer brought into this franchise, I suggest sticking to daydreams on what could have been  than seeing the highly anticipated 'final installment'.