A step back from its predecessors

Rating: 4/10 (6 December 2017)

X-Men: The Last Stand is the third film of the X-Men series and has been routinely criticized and panned somewhat in comparison to the two previous X-Men films, and deservingly so. Having seen this film only once when it was released and having little memory of what occurred, a more in depth rewatch was in need. The film's tone was noticeable different, being more over the top, silly and more comedic in some one-liner dialogue and overall tone as it feels like it was more watered down for children. This is perhaps more due to a director change with Brett Ratner directing The Last Stand, in comparison to Bryan Singer directing the first two films.
X-Men: The Last Stand doesn't fully live up to the hype for several reasons. The plot is less thickened and more messy and rushed as to where many characters don't feel as fully developed. A few too many subplots are brought in. Also the film went out and killed main characters (Cyclops- very beginning, Charles Xavier- midway, Jean Grey- ending) giving more screen time to some of the lesser uninteresting characters. Halle Berry as Storm feels miscast as her role is larger and the character is more annoying, whinny, grumpy and overall there to lead (which isn't a great thing). Anna Paquin is still there as her role is more reduced than the previous films where Ellen Page comes in and takes up some of her screen time, setting a somewhat love triangle between them and Shawn Ashmore. Mystique is also reduced as she is there briefly and made out to be a human, once injected with the "cure"- which was a waste of her appearance. What worked in X2 isn't here for the Last Stand such as Nightcrawler who was great, where they replaced him with Beast (a large part of the film) and Angel (Ben Foster).
The action is still there but the film isn't as clever and interesting and entertaining. The end finale scene with Magneto and his crew coming together battling the other mutants by the Golden Gate was well done as the action there was fulfilled. There are still some moments of entertainment and the special effects and visuals are very nice (which was one of the main highlights). Though in comparison to X- Men (2000) and X2, The Last Stand as a film is a disappointment and let down, as one can see after watching the film directly after the previous two films,.