Minor spoilers for a major movie

Rating: 7/10 (25 May 2006)

After two genre-defining films, Bryan Singer jumped ship on the X-Men franchise, leaving it in the hands of "Layer Cake" director Matthew Vaughn, who promptly ditched the project and left it adrift, only to be given to Brett Ratner.
This farcical, musical-chairs style production history could have boded ill for the franchise, and many were worried.
Ratner, after all, was a risky choice. Known for fun but ultimately by-the-numbers films, Ratner was a popcorn director. (This is, after all, the man who gave the world Rush Hour movies, and I, for one, thank him.)
He was, however, being called on to fill the shoes of a visionary (Bryan Singer, who gave the world The Usual Suspects, for which many of us worship him.)
So, first, the bad news: The change of director is noticeable, and has an adverse effect on the movie.
The good news is: Not THAT adverse.
First and foremost on the "bad" front is the fact that the series also changed scriptwriters for the third installment, and as such many of the characters lack a sense of cohesion. Part of the genius of X2 was it's ability to take an already large ensemble cast and give them all room to breathe. Last Stand, however, suffers from a script that all but amputates previously crucial characters. James Marsden may as well not have bothered showing up at all as Cyclops, and indeed, anyone who went to the toilet during the early part of the movie will probably be convinced that he didn't bother at all.
Anna Paquin's Rogue, a character who was introduced before all others (save Magneto) in the first film, is largely absent from any meaningful scenes in Last Stand, except a brief jealous spat with her boyfriend which feels like a tacked-on excuse to have her around at all.
And, as many had feared, casting Vinnie Jones as the Juggernaut is one of the worst ideas anyone in the history of film has ever come up with. His lame one-liners and ridiculous muscle suit make a mockery of a great character. As a threat, he is laughable, and as comic relief he falls flat. This is probably because Vinnie Jones can't act and isn't funny.
Also, despite the title, some of the plot threads are a little TOO final for my liking, but this may be a case of personal taste.
The plus side of the equation, however, is substantial. Kelsey Grammar's casting as the shambling, hairy, intellectual Beast proved to be an excellent choice, his presence lending gravitas to the character whilst clever special effects bring his more fantastic attributes to life.
The return of Famke Janssen as the Phoenix, the dark, repressed side of her former character's potentially limitless power, is given most of the effects budget, and some of her scenes are jaw-droopingly impressive as a result.
Halle Berry's Storm, too, is finally let loose in the effects department, after being left in the background for most of the previous two films she is finally given enough screen time here to establish her character and her abilities.
Ian McKellen coolly walks away with the entire film, as usual, as the misguided separatist Magneto, aside from one moment that doesn't quite ring true; when a "cure" is forced on another mutant, he flatly dismisses them as "not one of us anymore" instead of treating them as a martyr, as Magneto almost certainly would.
For the fans, there are numerous wish-list boxes checked, but telling you about them would spoil most of the fun of spotting them in the first place, and baffle non-comic fans. Suffice to say that catchphrases, special moves and cameos are all in place.
My main complaint with the film is really it's bitty nature. The opening half feels like it's trying to cram too much in, and as such often feels fractured, losing it's flow amongst the jostle of plot threads, so that by the time the film picks up speed, we're nearly at the end. In changing a large part of the crew, there is a faint feeling that we're back to square one, introducing people and setting up ideas for a continued series, which should never be the case with a film entitled "The Last Stand."
However, any complaints I have are mainly small-fry, and overall X3 produces a decent, if not revolutionary, third part of the series.
Oh, and for God's sake stay until the end of the credits. You have been told.
In summation: Although never scaling the incredible heights of X2, Brett Ratner ably supports the franchise through a difficult time, and creates a film that should leave the majority of fans properly satisfied.
7/10