210'000'000 dollars and they stick to the 100mn format? What a waste!

Rating: 6/10 (23 November 2006)

In a way it was a pleasant surprise as I was honestly expecting far worse than this. The movie is somewhat coherent and the direction is competent (the biggest surprise). Even Berry seems to act this time... she must have been taking lessons. *LOL*
OK there are many Hollywood clichés (the graveyard scene being the worst) but what do you expect from a blockbuster? Thrills. And thrills are present in fair amounts. Rather enjoyable if you're not expecting some life-altering experience. I particularly liked the "Magneto vs Trucks" sequence, and the bridge re-location is funny.
Now what have they done with it. It's obvious that many scenes were left out, or shortened beyond all reason. For some reason the producers decided to stick with the 100mn format and when you've spent such an insane budget, I think it's kinda dumb. Even more so since there are so many new characters, and they insisted in fitting in some sub-plots that are extremely under-developed (Angel, Rogue/Iceman relationship, Mystique's transformation..), better have left it out entirely if you ask me, or give us a full 120/130 minutes movie with a better development of these elements.
Also just like in "Revenge of the Sith", we have a key character "turning to the dark side" for no believable reasons. Phoenix is supposed to be "all joy and rage", yes we get it that she's dangerous and all-powerful, but it's never clear why she quietly follows - and OBEYS - Magneto! What are her motivations to follow Magneto's agenda instead of having her own? Sounds rather contrived.
Besides, has anyone noticed that funnily, the Phoenix presented is not the one in the comics (a star-eater endangering the whole solar system, or even the universe) but is more or less exactly "bad" Willow from Buffy the Vampire slayer, season 6, including the eyes color shifts, the veins on the face and the "love as taming" ending device? *LOL*
There is some good material in here, too bad they messed with it. It's just a walk through more or less good scenes, not a movie with a flow. At least, it doesn't look like a video-clip like most action movies recently. Maybe they're holding an extended version for cynical commercial reasons...