Disappointing

Rating: 5/10 (30 May 2006)

BEWARE SPOILERS! The final episode in the X-MEN trilogy proves disappointing on several levels. The script is atrocious and confusing, the actors are not nearly as compelling as they once were, and in general this second sequel flies in the face of what went before, much like the first MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE completely rewrote and dishonored its much-honored TV source. Xavier as a villain? Magneto as a hero? Cyclops disposed of in under five minutes? Angel used strictly as window dressing? These are just a few of the film's many sins. A couple of decent action sequences do not make up for a muddled plot that has the government offering a "cure" for mutants and Magneto trying to take over the world as usual. At least Bobby finally gets to be Iceman as we know him from the comics, and Beast shows up to provide some blurry ass-kicking near the end. Speaking of which, the final battle is way over the top, with CGI standing in for most of the live action. A "gag" involving Magneto redirecting the Golden Gate bridge tells us we have left any sense of even comic book reality completely behind -- and speaking of which, why is Magneto back yet again? He was unimaginably boring and pedantic in the two previous films, and is even more boring here. Tthis Magneto seems about as dangerous as a hangnail. Well, at least the series is over. Or so one hopes. And who keeps giving this director (Ratner) work? He is absolutely terrible. Give him a nail salon to run in Miami Beach.