In this, the third X-Men film, there are two main plot lines. One concerns Jean Grey and her return from death in the form of the ultra powerful Dark Phoenix. The other revolves around a cure for the mutant gene, and what this will mean for the X-Men, and for mutants everywhere.
Only trouble is, this film is such a mess that neither story gets the treatment it deserves. We get a cursory look at what such a cure might mean to the likes of Rogue, after all her gift is much more of a burden than many. And then it is straight back into the fight. In the other story line we get exposition dumps and sudden information that makes no real sense in connection with earlier films.
Add to that the desire to stick in as many other mutants from the comics as can be seen on the big screen and you end up with a rubbish film. And such a disappointment after the previous two films which I really enjoyed.
Of course, it isn’t all bad. There are some elements that work; that quick glance at Rogue’s problem being one. And it all looks great, costumes, explosions, stunts. All great. But this merely serves to highlight how lacking in any sort of depth this film really is, and so makes it even worse. And then there is all that clunky dialogue, which not even Ian McKellan can make believable. Plus, plotholes.
All in all this seems more like the writers wanted to stick everything up on the big screen, to show how great the X-Men universe is, but instead managed to throw a lot of elements together and create a disapointment
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I gave it a good review but in retrospect I think you're probably right. Especially about the clunky dialogue. But then again, I didn't think the first two were much cop either.
The first two made one great film. They had characters that you could believe in, and a story worth watching. This was pants.
I completely agree. It felt like such a mish mash of characters and stuff going on that I just felt it was thrown together in a hurry because the public wanted another X-Men movie. And because they knew that even if it sucked, people were still going to see it.
Did you stay through the credits to see the extra scene? That, plus the ending with Magneto just screamed "SEQUEL!!!" If there's an X-Men 4, I'll be going to see it, but damn, I hope it's better than this one.
McKellan was on the Jonathan Ross show and, as he hadn't actually seen the finished film, asked if "a certain scene that left open the possibility of a sequel" made it into the final cut.
And a while back Ross had Jackman & Berry on, and it there will be a Wolverine film.
I liked it a little better than you I think and don't think its quite the mish mash that you do but I do believe it would've benefited greatly by being a bit longer to address each of the storylines better. It was okay, not great…not X2, but the second movies of trilogies are almost without exception the best.
Carl, I am kinds rethinking how negative this review is. I mean had it not been an X-Men film I may have expected less and so liked it more, you know what I mean?
I know exactly what you mean. I have a feeling that when I finally get around to watching it on DVD that I will actually like it less than I thought I did on first viewing. I may be wrong but I have a feeling that it is going to turn out that way.
And such a pity given that the first two were so good.
But if they do make the Wolverine (and other) spin-offs then maybe we'll get a return to good films.