"The Last Stand' couldn't hold a candle to its predecessor!

Rating: 5/10 (25 May 2006)

Why wasn't the third installment of the X-franchise rated 4 stars like X2 - I tell u why... Besides the SHORT runtime, and introducing too many characters in the movie, the movie somewhat fell backwards by 2 notches, I should have expected it to be more brilliant than X2 in terms of character development , it was otherwise... Apart the fact that new character BEAST, gets a lot of screen time... the rest like Kitty, Colossus & Angel are just simply mere cameos. From the start of the movie, X3 kinda lack the continuity of what normally Prof X would be narrating before the titles come out. Ellen Page displayed a good reminiscent of what the real Kitty's like in the comics. FYI - the photo about Bobby & Kitty kissing and Rogue saw them - that was FOX's lie to cheat us fans of our feelings!!! It did NOT happen in the movie!
Ben Foster's display of the hunky Angel/Warren is pretty dyslexic - shouldn't he be the one that takes control of the Worthington corporation? I felt the comics version of Warren's vain, conceited, impulsive personality isn't shown on the screen but rather display of him being the daddy's boy. I felt Warren should be the one that insinuate the cure instead of his father cos Warren has always been vain of his looks and his physical deformity should be part of his drive to insinuate the cure, not the father!!!
Even the final battle seemed too rushed for me though I can't deny that the effects of Dark Phoenix send chills down my spine. I begin to understand why no fire-bird effects though there's a slight tinge of fire in Jean's eyes momentarily, I am glad, otherwise the whole thing would have make it look cheesy!
Luckily the writers did not make the standoff between Phoenix and Storm, otherwise for sure, Storm will NOT stand a chance of survival against Dark Phoenix! No one can survive against her, except for a certain clawed- mutant. (What's with HIM always having a finale fight against female mutants??!! First it was Mystique in X1, then Deathstrike in X2, now Dark Phoenix in X3?! But the final fight between Wolverine and Dark Phoenix is more emotional than the first 2 because of his love for Jean!)
As for Magneto's fateful ending, it is a question of doubt whether the cure is permanent, or NOT? Same goes for Rogue who finally able to touch at the end of her moment with Bobby. Oh course if u would wanna stay throughout the credits for the surprise scene... oh well, in my opinion u can miss it, cos it is only a 20 sec clip... what a bummer... Otherwise i clocked the whole movie in my watch which says 1hr 43mins, which is 103 minutes including credits... bigger bummer!!!
Overrall, i wish Bryan Singer should have come back to direct X3, but because of FOX's impatience and stringent attitude about die, die must release X3 on May 2006. When they got Ratner to do it and though he did an overall good job... It is no match for Singer's magic touch of X2... If only the runtime is longer like 2hrs or more... perhaps we will get to see more establishment of the characters - perhaps audience might wanna know how Cyclops disappeared.. Brace yourself at the end - the tombstones we saw at the still picture posted at SHHboards weeks ago wasn't fake, it is real unfortunately... sigh...
Oh well, at least the ending of Magneto moving a chess piece and Moira hearing Charles' voice might prove there's definitely a sequel... A well-closed chapter of the trilogy... But treatment could be done better... For those u who wonder if Jean dies again, all i can say is, Ratner stay true to the comics... GO READ PHOENIX ENDSONG and u mite find the final scene of Jean & Logan are pretty much re-enacted from PHOENIX ENDSONG! That's all i have to say for now!