Great potential somewhat squandered

Rating: 5/10 (8 October 2006)

Just when it seems that the coexistence of mutants and Homo sapiens sapiens is secured and safe, a pharmaceutical company comes along with a "cure" for the X gene. The cure is offered voluntarily at first, and several troubled mutants take 'the cure'. Of course, the government immediately weaponizes it and this feeds Magneto's predictably xenophobic reaction. And by the way, Jean Grey is back... sort of... Fans of the comic books will know what that means.
X-Men III is a pastiche of some of the most profoundly emotional and well conceived stories the X-Men comics have produced over several decades. In saying this, I am actually saying that some of the stories pilfered for this film are among the best that have ever appeared in the comic medium. Unfortunately, from beginning to end, this third installment suffers from detached and nearly inept directing, a mediocre script, and inconsistent characterization. Characterization is not simply inconsistent with the characters portrayed in the X-Men comics, as several reviewers here have pointed out, but inconsistent from film to film within the trilogy. The fans have it right this time, this film should have stuck much closer to the original material. In compensation, the audience is treated to some amazing visualizations and effects. And while effects also helped to make the first two movies, X-Men III subordinates characters, feeling, and intelligence to effects and plot - a fatal mistake in the comic book film genre.
Having said this, I should also note that the film is not absolutely awful, but just mediocre. It is the comparison with its excellent predecessors that forces my low rating. The major message the film should carry to would-be film makers is "don't fix what ain't broke". In this case X3's creative team should have stuck with the original stories and the original characters rather than half-thinking out personalities and plots and trying to force so many different stories to weave into one. Less would have been much much more in this case, and the Phoenix saga would have been more than enough for an emotionally engaging and intelligent film to cap off this trilogy. The worst aspect of The Last Stand, however, is probably the clichéd, over-dramatic and unengaging soundtrack.
Kudos to Famke Janssen for an outstanding performance. Hugh Jackman also handled his somewhat difficult interpretation of Wolverine well enough. The rest of the cast did what they had to do but were not given enough script to fully realize their characters.