An outstanding addition to the X-Men franchise!

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2006)

X-Men: The Last Stand is an excellent movie that meets or exceeds the standards set by its forerunners.
I have never read any X-Men comic books (or "graphic novels," for you puritans). Before the original movie came out, I had heard of Wolverine and the X-Men, but knew very little else. I was blown away by how well the first movie held up as a tremendously entertaining action film while simultaneously introducing new viewers to a complex universe of characters. The second movie was even better, deepening the characterization of the lead roles even as continued advances in computer graphics provided impressive visual effects.
That brings us to the third movie. Wow! Visually, the film is stunning, but what really surprised me were the unexpected plot developments. I won't spoil any details, but I will say that I was astonished when several major characters were eliminated before a third of the movie was over. Fortunately, in a franchise the size of the X-Men universe, there's never a shortage of new and interesting characters.
In addition to loads of action, there are moments of comedy (thank you, Juggernaut!), tragedy, drama, and wonder. I'm especially glad the movie makers didn't take the easy way out with a "Hollywood" ending where everything turns out peaches and cream. To paraphrase Professor Xavier in X2, this is a war between good and evil, and there are casualties on both sides.
As for the stereotypical complaints of plot holes or stilted dialog: Relax, people, it's an *action* movie! Certain story elements are always going to be influenced by what looks cool on the big screen, and a certain style of dialog is almost de rigueur in superhero movies. Have you ever actually read the dialog in a comic book? Fortunately, neither issue becomes distracting.
Does the movie stray from the X-Men canon? Apparently so, but get over it! The movie industry is unlikely to cater to those hardcore fans who are, after all, only a small fraction of its viewers. As a Tolkien fan, I was concerned that the Lord of the Rings movies would distort the complex, interwoven stories for the sake of viewers who didn't know the difference between an Orc and an Ent. To my relief, the changes were carefully thought out and never detracted from the grandeur of story. Never having read X-Men, I am in a poor position to judge the movies, but it seems that the major characters have retained the complexity of conflicting emotions and motivations that make them three dimensional.
All in all, X-Men: The Last Stand is a fine action film to lead us into summer. "Take a Stand!"