Going back to the drawing board

Rating: 6/10 (13 June 2006)

The loss of director Bryan Singer affected X3 immensely. The great build-up and characterisations of X2 did not bear any fruits, as X3 lacks quality, consistency and coherent narration.
Throughout the movie Brett Ratner's direction is sporadic, with high-octaned battle sequences and low in-betweens. It is clear from the start that he is uncomfortable or rather inexperienced in directing a fantasy/comics-based movie, as he couldn't decide if X3 should be a Prison Break drama, a Rush Hour comedy or an X-Men movie.
The introductions of Angel and Jean Grey/Phoenix feel abrupt, while too much time is given to Iceman, Rogue and Kitty Pride love triangle. The wonderful Nightcrawler has completely disappeared from the movie, whilst the highly potential characters of Beast and Colossus are not given enough development time that merits their characters' importance on the comics.
Furthermore, killing Cyclops and Professor X makes the latter half of the movie unbalanced and insubstantial. Professor X IS the core of the X-Men and the main reason the story even exists. By removing both vital characters, and undermining Storm's powerful persona, the leadership of the X-Men is then left to Wolverine. Wolvering is not and will never be a leader material. His personality is such that he is a cool darkhorse, an outsider or a vagabond. He is neither a teacher nor a leader, and it is the wrong direction to take the movie.
The screenwriter also made the wrong choice of additional villains, although Juggernaut was fun to watch. Finally, the last stand at the Alcatraz Lab island feels more of a skirmish than a full blown war. Bring out the Sentinels in X4 and get rid of Brett Ratner, if there will ever be another sequel.