The Last Act

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2006)

Or the last episode. I remember reading a quote from Huge Jackman saying that while they were shooting this film, the slate read X3 (the cast had no idea that the studio planned on making this film the last X-men film in the series). However, it was during post production the words, "the last stand" were added to the film.
Now before seeing the movie, I had no idea why such a title was given to X3. But after seeing it, everything makes sense. Think of all the X-men films as four acts or four stands of a chair.
The first stand was completely covered in the first X-men film. Stands two and three were covered in X2 and X2 left open the question, what happens next?
In X3: The last stand, this question is finally answered. Some people are complaining that this film lacked character development, plot, story, etc. I disagree.
I would only agree with them if this film had been a completely new story. However, such is not the case. Think of X3 as the ending of X2 that you're just seeing a few years later.
Everything you need to know about the existing characters is carried over from the previous two films. The newer characters are not given much of an introduction or character development because their back-stories are not important to the current story being told. All we need to know about them is that they are mutants and this is the last X-men series film.
Instead of telling you what you'll see in the films, I have elected to tell you what you won't be seeing in the film: any sex scenes between Logan and Storm, any cameo appearance by Gambit, and no sentinel storyline in this film.
There isn't much I can say about the film without giving it away. In essence, it picks up right where X2 left off. That and there is a cure being offered to mutants. That's all I'll say regarding the story.
The acting in this film was top notch! All the regular cast's acting was great, but Halle Berry's performance as Storm was a real surprise! She was INCREDIBLE! At the conclusion of X3, a creak in the door has been left open for a possible X4 film. But honestly, with all the choices made in this film, I just don't see it as happening. Spin-off's (as are being written), definitely yes. Another film in the X-men series? Doubtful.
Seeing as X-men is so profitable for 20th Century, why would they allow their cash cow to be slaughtered? It's mind boggling. And in this film, they made grave decisions. Not controversial ones - grave ones.
Dirty studio politics aside, overall, I give the film a 10. It was nice seeing all my favorite characters back in action again. I'm looking forward to seeing some spin off films that include Halle Berry as Storm.