X-Men: The Last Stand [M]

In the not too distant future there has been progress made in the way of human/mutant harmony: a President who understands governs the country and mutants now have active roles within the government. But all that glitters is not gold. A mutant antibody has been created and made available for mutants who wish to permanently suppress their genetic mutations. When ‘the Cure’ becomes available to the public, its further divides the mutant community with half calling it a blessing and the other half taking extreme offense. Now is the time when Magneto chooses to ignite the war against humans and mutants who stand with them and the X-Men find themselves horrendously outnumbered; not just against Magneto’s army, but also against its shocking greatest weapon. 

Out of the complex and confusing forest of the second film, The Last Stand focuses on exactly what its title says. It probably would have been wiser for the franchise to sit snugly at a trilogy rather than continuing to bring out film after film: I mean it does get to a point when you have to say, “oh come now”. Although I have to admit that I really liked First Class, the Wolverine movies that are being released have gotten to the annoying point, but that could be because I’m not really a Wolverine fan: despite that fact that it’s Hugh Jackman and Aussie pride. 

In the not too distant future there has been progress made in the way of human/mutant harmony: a President who understands governs the country and mutants now have active roles within the government. But all that glitters is not gold. A mutant antibody has been created and made available for mutants who wish to permanently suppress their genetic mutations. When ‘the Cure’ becomes available to the public, its further divides the mutant community with half calling it a blessing and the other half taking extreme offense. Now is the time when Magneto chooses to ignite the war against humans and mutants who stand with them and the X-Men find themselves horrendously outnumbered; not just against Magneto’s army, but also against its shocking greatest weapon. 

There are still a number of small plotlines running alongside the central one, but the structure works a bit like a lake feeding all the little rivers and brooks that stem out from it. The film focuses on the war that the series has been leading up to with the division of the mutant community being at the forefront. We then have the resurrection of a previously lost character and a strong psychological battle begins to wage alongside the physical one, bringing a layer of greater depth into the mix and shifting the film from the realms of mere action/science fiction. 

The special effects are another knockout with a whole new group of mutants coming into the mix and displaying some new powers that the computer wizards can have fun with. We’ve got heaps of realms covered here really: we’ve got a guy who can multiply, a minor teleporter who can sense other mutants and their classes, a guy who can cover himself with spikes, a shockwaver… the list goes on. 

Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ellen Page, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones, Ben Foster, and Ian McKellen, X-Men: The Last Stand is a great way to end the trilogy (back when it sort of was a trilogy). Filled with action, romance, drama, battles of all kinds, and a little more comedy than its predecessor, it’s a good action movie to come back to now and again.