X-Men: The Last Stand / ***
Logan/Wolverine: Hugh Jackman
Prof. Charles Xavier: Patrick Stewart
Magneto: Ian McKellen
Ororo Munroe/Storm: Halle Berry
Dr. Jean Grey/Phoenix: Famke Janssen
Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast: Kelsey Grammer
Mystique: Rebecca Romijn
Scott Summers/Cyclops: James Marsden
Bobby Drake/Iceman: Shawn Ashmore
Pyro: Aaron Stanford
Juggernaut: Vinnie Jones
Warren Worthington III: Ben Foster
Callisto: Diana Ramirez
Kitty Pride/Shadowcat: Ellen Page
Twentieth Century Fox presents a film directed by Brett Ratner. Written by Zak Penn
and Simon Kinberg. Running time: 104 min. Rated PG-13 (for intense sequences of
action violence, some sexual content and language).
When I went to see the third installment of the “X-Men” franchise, I fully expected to
be writing about its allegorical parallels to our current political hot button issue of illegal
immigrants and the necessity for societal tolerance of others. The first two “X-Men”
films, like the comic book they’re based on, have delved heavily into the topics of civil
rights and tolerance (or lack there of) in this “land of the free.” “X-Men: The Last
Stand” is no more shy about wearing its political banner on its sleeve than its
predecessors, but it’s much more concerned with just getting down to the nitty gritty of
an all out brawl between mutants and man (and other mutants).
In the X-Men universe, there are some people who have “taken the next leap on the
evolutionary ladder.” These “mutants” developed super-powers that as unique as
personalities, ranging from the ability to heal almost instantly to the ability to control and
manipulate metal. Since only a select few have developed these powers, naturally the
rest of the human race fears them. The first two films explored the socio-political
ramifications presented by this development. Some mutants were shown working for
the good of humanity by trying to promote tolerance and harmony between the humans
and mutants, while other mutants, bitter from the humans’ fear of them, were shown
trying to assert their dominance over the human race.
In “The Last Stand” a medical research facility has developed a “cure” for the mutant
gene. Some mutants whose mutations are a little more obvious, such as Beast (Kelsey
Grammar, TV’s “Frasier”) and Angel (Ben Foster, “Hostage”), or those who might find
life easier to live, like Rogue (Anna Paquin, “The Squid and the Whale”), are not sure
where their feelings lie about this cure. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of Mutants, lead by
Magneto (Ian McKellen, “The DaVinci Code”), sees this so-called cure as a call to
arms for their kind to take their rightful place as the masters of the human race. The
group of mutant heroes known as the X-Men are all that stand between Magneto’s
Brotherhood and the fall of mankind.
The X-Men find themselves at a crossroads as the story opens. With mutantism having
worked its way into society’s mainstream, their school for gifted young children,
founded by their leader Prof. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart, “Star Trek: The Next
Generation”) as a safe haven and mentoring school for unwanted mutants, has become
somewhat obsolete – especially if this cure becomes widely accepted. Some of their
members are considering the normal life they’ve never been able to have before.
The group is also recovering from the loss of one of their own. In the previous film, Dr.
Jean Grey (Famke Janssen, “Hide and Seek”) sacrificed herself for the rest of the team.
When the two love interests of the deceased psychic, Cyclops (James Marsden, “The
Notebook”) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, “Van Helsing”), begin to receive messages
from her, things start heating up in some not so good ways.
“The Last Stand” is quite a prophetic title considering some of the surprises the movie
has in store for fans of the series. There are some deaths of major characters. (Yes,
there’s an ‘s’ at the end of that word.) 20th Century Fox has also promised it would be
the final installment, but the box office receipts may rescind that order. And if you stick
around for the credit cookies (I did not and had to be informed of what I had missed) it
becomes apparent that nothing is final in the X-Men universe.
It is good to see some characters that have stood in the periphery of past installments
take larger roles this time around. Storm (Halle Berry, “Catwoman”) takes a more
prominent leadership role in Jean’s absence, which is natural considering the character’s
formidable ability to control the weather. Pyro (Aaron Stanford, “The Hills Have
Eyes”), who started out as a good guy in “X2”, is promoted to Magneto’s number one
stooge, inviting a climatic face off with former friend Iceman (Shawn Ashmore,
“Terry”). Colossus (Daniel Cudmore, “Alone in the Dark”) and Kitty Pride (Ellen Page,
“Hard Candy”) have gone from cameo appearances to frontline X-Men.
As always, the casting for this series is perfect. Grammar is an inspired choice for the
highly intellectual mutant Beast. It seems nobody but the former professional footballer
Vinnie Jones (“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”) could have personified
Juggernaut. And Ben Foster makes for a good looking Angel even though his role is so
condensed he never even gets a chance to take his mutant name and is only ever known
in the film as Warren Worthington III.
I’ve always loved the “X-Men” for its blatant socio-political allegory, but probably
what most people find fascinating are the mutant powers and abundance of different
characters. Both of these elements are featured prominently in this “last stand.” Director
Brett Ratner (“Red Dragon”) does a good job retaining the mood of the previous films
and an even better job of pumping the action up to a state of near anarchy by the final
battle. This installment has so much action it makes the first seem like an episode of
“Masterpiece Theater”. It is very much a success in those terms but seems to lack some
of the intensity of meaning of the previous films. Regardless, it remains true to the comic
book and should satisfy fans and summer movie goers, as well as leaving a high bar to
live up to for the makers of “Wolverine”.
