X-Men: The Last Stand
[WARNING: Contains Spoilers]
As you may have noticed, I didn't watch these films in the right order. (For previous post see The Wolverine.)
In the finale of the original X-Men movie trilogy, the government discovers a "cure" for mutants using (ironically) a boy's mutation which causes all other mutants to lose their power when they get close to him. Simultaneously, Jean Grey comes back stronger than ever after everyone presumed her to be dead. However, secret details of her past are revealed as she struggles to fight off the dangerous, long-hidden Phoenix part of her powers and personality. The Phoenix is more powerful and more dangerous than Jean, and she becomes a threat to the mutants.
Here are the sides: Magneto and his Brotherhood are absolutely against the government and the "cure" and, as always, they are against non-mutants, so they want to take over the world and destroy normals and all that jazz. Obviously, Professor X and the X-Men do not agree with this, but they are also afraid of and offended by the "cure". The government (more of a secondary party, or a catalyst for the mutant conflict) wants mutants to get the "cure" so that they won't be a dnager to themselves and others.
Events surrounding Jean and the "cure" result in the loss of more mutants than in both of the previous films. Phoenix kills Cyclops, Mystique loses her mutant powers in order to prevent Magneto from losing his, Phoenix (attempts to) kill Professor X when he tries to help Jean, and Wolverine kills Jean to end her struggles against Phoenix and all of the damage she has caused. Interestingly, Rogue chooses to lose her powers because she feels that they only hinder her ability to have real relationships with people. It was shocking and sad to witness the end (or at least what appeared to be the end) of some of these primary characters.
I feel like the ending, particularly the last battle, was almost anti-climactic. The small number of X-Men in the fight was unexpected and frankly a little sad. I know that they have lost numbers, and that those faithful few are standing alone to defend mutants and humanity as a whole, but the team of less than 10 X-Men going in to rescue the boy while fighting Magneto's army was somewhat pathetic. The events of the battle are dramatic enough, but I would have loved to see mutants battling on a Tolkien scale.
There was definitely a different feel to this movie from the previous two, but it still feels like it belongs in the trilogy. I know that not everyone is a fan of these movies (specifically this trilogy), but there is something about the cheesy-superhero-drama-X-men films that appeals to me (sorry, I couldn't find the right word, so I decided to mix some). The Jean/Phoenix conflict felt a little out of place to me, and I definitely think that Famke Janssen is better at playing Jean than Phoenix.
Overall, the cure plot was a fitting conclusion to the X-Men trilogy, bringing the war between Magneto, Professor X and the "normal" world to a head. Unfortunately, I still feel that the last battle was a let-down for the finale to such a big conflict.
If you lover superhero movies, or if you have enjoyed other X-Men movies, this is one you should see. I also recommend watching it to understand its message regarding being a misfit, as it addresses how those who feel they don't belong deal with the chance to be "normal". I think that theme is what really draws me to the X-Men, as I'm sure it does for so many others.
As you may have noticed, I didn't watch these films in the right order. (For previous post see The Wolverine.)
In the finale of the original X-Men movie trilogy, the government discovers a "cure" for mutants using (ironically) a boy's mutation which causes all other mutants to lose their power when they get close to him. Simultaneously, Jean Grey comes back stronger than ever after everyone presumed her to be dead. However, secret details of her past are revealed as she struggles to fight off the dangerous, long-hidden Phoenix part of her powers and personality. The Phoenix is more powerful and more dangerous than Jean, and she becomes a threat to the mutants.
Here are the sides: Magneto and his Brotherhood are absolutely against the government and the "cure" and, as always, they are against non-mutants, so they want to take over the world and destroy normals and all that jazz. Obviously, Professor X and the X-Men do not agree with this, but they are also afraid of and offended by the "cure". The government (more of a secondary party, or a catalyst for the mutant conflict) wants mutants to get the "cure" so that they won't be a dnager to themselves and others.
Events surrounding Jean and the "cure" result in the loss of more mutants than in both of the previous films. Phoenix kills Cyclops, Mystique loses her mutant powers in order to prevent Magneto from losing his, Phoenix (attempts to) kill Professor X when he tries to help Jean, and Wolverine kills Jean to end her struggles against Phoenix and all of the damage she has caused. Interestingly, Rogue chooses to lose her powers because she feels that they only hinder her ability to have real relationships with people. It was shocking and sad to witness the end (or at least what appeared to be the end) of some of these primary characters.
I feel like the ending, particularly the last battle, was almost anti-climactic. The small number of X-Men in the fight was unexpected and frankly a little sad. I know that they have lost numbers, and that those faithful few are standing alone to defend mutants and humanity as a whole, but the team of less than 10 X-Men going in to rescue the boy while fighting Magneto's army was somewhat pathetic. The events of the battle are dramatic enough, but I would have loved to see mutants battling on a Tolkien scale.
There was definitely a different feel to this movie from the previous two, but it still feels like it belongs in the trilogy. I know that not everyone is a fan of these movies (specifically this trilogy), but there is something about the cheesy-superhero-drama-X-men films that appeals to me (sorry, I couldn't find the right word, so I decided to mix some). The Jean/Phoenix conflict felt a little out of place to me, and I definitely think that Famke Janssen is better at playing Jean than Phoenix.
Overall, the cure plot was a fitting conclusion to the X-Men trilogy, bringing the war between Magneto, Professor X and the "normal" world to a head. Unfortunately, I still feel that the last battle was a let-down for the finale to such a big conflict.
If you lover superhero movies, or if you have enjoyed other X-Men movies, this is one you should see. I also recommend watching it to understand its message regarding being a misfit, as it addresses how those who feel they don't belong deal with the chance to be "normal". I think that theme is what really draws me to the X-Men, as I'm sure it does for so many others.
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