Good but could have been better

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2006)

OK Here's the deal. X-men the last stand is a decent movie,but could have been SOOOO much better. To blame Bret Ratner for the movie is just wrong. True he had some input into the overall "feel" of the movie. It was not Bret that wrote the script and it was not Bret that held slavish to the Memorial Day release date. These circumstances made for a "rushed" product which was ever so apparent on the screen. ****spoiler alert***** The fact that Cyclops was assumed killed has everyone in an uproar. Show me the body. They needed to give James Marsden an out so he could film Superman with Bryan Singer(or punish him for leaving) The rushed atmosphere of the film left several characters under developed and the cure aspect was very interesting but again under developed. The complaints about Rouge going for the cure are absurd, she is totally in character for the movie continuity. And to all the nay sayers out there.....JUGGERNAUT was a pretty lame character in the comics too. His on screen incarnation was enjoyable, I mean how do you make a 6ft plus hulking none stoppable mass interesting? Ian Mckellen as always was excellent. His portrayal of Magneto is without compare. And Kelsey Grammar's portrayal of the Beast is AWESOME!to hear "Oh my Stars and Garters" was for this fan worth the price of admission. Did the "deaths" of three major characters upset me? Surprisingly no. They felt natural to the story and to the overall trilogy arc.And only one "death" could truly be confirmed (ps stay for the end of the credits) Would the movie had been different if Bryan Singer was still involved? Most likely,but I don't like to dwell on "would've's or could've's". What we got was ultimately a more than passable entry into a hopefully longer running series of films. My only wish is that they discard Halle for an actress that will understand her role in the greater scheme.
Its worth seeing. Go and enjoy my friends it stays true to the established movie continuity.
This has been a review from an avid Xmen comic reader since the 60's who can separate the two mediums and the difference in the print characters and their on screen counter parts.
Go enjoy the film...its good.