The only trilogy ever that got better with each one

Rating: 10/10 (26 May 2006)

Have you ever gone to a movie saying to yourself, "Well, it's probably not going to be very good, but I'll give it a shot and try to be entertained." This is probably how many will feel going to this movie. After the second movie improved on the first, it would be ludicrous to think they could keep moving up. Well, they did.
***** Possible Spoilers Below *****
Here are just a few reasons why this movie moves beyond great entertainment and into classic.
First, people die, and not just the ones you expect or the ones that you don't care about.
Second, it defies expectations. Anyone with a firm knowledge of the X-Men Universe (and I am not such a person, but have the beginnings), can probably guess that they are not going to bring in aliens with a Pheonix saga or mysticism to rationalize Juggernaut, but when a certain mutant actually loses his/her powers (I didn't want to spoil too much), I was surprised for the first time in a long time at a movie. A little disappointment follows when a certain other mutant starts to possibly regain powers, but apparently they didn't want to rely on too much originality of villain in the next one, which there is most likely to be if only as an aside on individual characters.
Third, I, like many fans was a little disappointed in the choice of Beast. Well guess what. Just about everyone involved in this film puts forth a good performance (possible exceptions include Pyro overplaying the bad guy part, some porcupine character, and the underemotional part played by what should have been a key role in the mutant power removing child whose name I can't even remember due to a stand where told and say what your supposed to performance.). At one point in the movie, I forgot who was behind the Beast mask.
Fourth, it actually manages a plot in a somewhat rushed experience. I was expecting a somewhat longer film. In fact, if there was a negative, it was the 13 minutes (yes 13) of previews I was forced to watch before the actual movie began.
I could keep listing reasons, but I think by now you can get to point.
Oh, one last point. I keep an ear on the family friendly reports by certain parties with a religious following. Well, there is violence in this movie, but it is done in a way that could easily have been gored up, but wasn't. Furthermore, the language is soft. In general good triumphs at a cost. In so many ways, this movie is family friendly, and yet many reviewers will tell you otherwise. I have a feeling that they are too (well, too something) to accept a character named Angel and can't get past the association of special powers with magic to accept that this is a family friendly movie. Yes, there is a bit of sexual tension and violence, but they resist going overboard, and present it in a proper light.