A great premise is dumbed-down by too much action and not enough heart

Rating: 6/10 (26 May 2006)

X-Men: The Last Stand had so much promise. It's concept was by far the most interesting to date, that a cure has been discovered for mutants, that if they so wished they could become "normal." Of course, Magneto fears that this is tantamount to an extermination campaign by the U.S. government, and he fears that this cure will not be voluntary for long. This storyline was initially created by Joss Whedon's innovative X-Men comics of the 90s, and what could have been such an interesting storyline in this film is watered down by the addition of too many new characters and multiple other story lines. The Phoenix Saga is explored at long last as Jean Grey is revived after her apparent death at Alkali Lake by the Phoenix force which has long remained dormant inside her. Also, we have romantic subplots with Rogue, Iceman, and Shadowcat. Many new mutants are introduced as well like the aforementioned Shadowcat, Kelsey Grammar's Beast, Angel, Colossus, Callisto, Arclight, Juggernaut, and, of course, Leech, whose ability to drain mutants of their powers is the source of the cure. I feel that Brett Ratner bit off more than he could chew with this film. All these story lines are so interesting that they could have merited films of their own and to combine all these new stories and characters in one film doesn't add complexity, but dilutes the overall narrative. There could have been more psychological complexity as characters like Beast and Rogue contemplate whether or not they want this cure to better "fit in" with society. I wish that there had been more explanation of whether or not it is actually cowardice to get this cure. Instead, the X-Men seem committed to protecting the rights of mutants to choose whether or not they should get this cure, while Magneto sees the cure as a weapon that can be used against his people forcibly. So what could have been psychologically complex became merely a battle between the X-Men and Magneto.
Admittedly, the battle sequences in this film are breathtaking, with appropriate bullet-time slow-motion effects to allow the viewers to take in the CGI in all its glory. I felt these battle sequences were extremely well-shot. Ratner doesn't give in to the temptation to use rapid cutting to cover-up shoddy effects. I just feel that the emphasis in this film was on effects rather than heart. I didn't feel as much a connection with the characters in this film as in Singer's movies, but there could have so easily been a connection. There is such fertile ground for psychological complexity in this movie that somehow wasn't harvested. The worst aspect of this being the Phoenix storyline. Jean Grey's mental battle with the Phoenix could have been such an emotionally rich narrative, to see her struggle with her desire to unleash her caged powers despite her love for her friends and family. Instead, we don't get inside Jean's head at all, and she is merely presented as a mysterious, emotionally disconnected "other," whose character is totally defined by other people's reactions to her, rather than by Famke Janssen's performance. This isn't a fault of Famke, who is truly a goddess, but of the writing.
The writing is stilted, stagy, and over-theatrical throughout the film, prompting a number of appropriate giggles in the audience. I think a perfect line representative of the shallowness of the character development in this film is Juggernaut's line to Shadowcat when he reveals who he is: "Don't you know who I am? I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!" Basically, that's his only character development in the movie, and many of the other character's have equally shallow personalities and motivations. Even Magneto, the emotional heart of the first two films for me, is turned into just a deranged warlord, rather than showing how his actions are motivated by fear and the emotional scars from his past. He was never presented as an insane, monolithically evil villain, but as someone with genuine motivations for his actions. Charles Xavier could be seen as the Martin Luther King of the mutant world, while Magneto is the Malcolm X, but certainly Malcolm X is never presented as villain in our history textbooks. Yes, he adopted militant tactics for the civil rights movement, but he had genuine cause to do so. Therefore, as the first two films are about defending what makes you unique, this third film is about being given the choice to be "normal," to fit in with the mainstream. Whereas to be different was a badge of honor in the first two films, the third movie is about taking the path of least resistance, not fighting for who you are or what you believe in, but just acquiescing to what is easiest. In this regard, I refer primarily to Rogue whose cowardly choice at the end of the film is presented as a triumph.
X-Men: The Last Stand had such tremendous potential for being as intellectually stimulating a roller-coaster ride as the first two X-Men films, but gone is the character depth and the psychological complexity, the moody atmospherics and philosophical ruminations that made Bryan Singer's films such a rewarding viewing experience. This third film is a very enjoyable movie, but in a more superficial way. The action scenes and special effects are incredible. I'll certainly never forget the sight of the Golden Gate Bridge hovering across San Francisco Bay to rest on Alcatraz or Magneto's mutants flying in at the end to protest the insult that is the cure. It's a pretty good film that hints at greatness at times, but never follows through. What could have been a brilliant examination of the pros and cons of being different and fitting in became a CGI spectacle devoid of relatable characterizations and emotional depth. If it were any other saga, I'd say it was a good movie, but it certainly is comedown from Singer's brilliant work on the first two installments.