XMEN - The Final Stand?
The beautiful wife and I went and saw the new XMEN movie last night at the Pinnacle 16. I only mention the theater because we so it in the digital theater with HD sound. It is not the first time we have seen a movie in that theater, but it is the first time I think the movie was better due to the theater. Chronicles of Narnia and End Of The Spear were both good movies, but the theater did not make the experience better as the movies did not lend themselves to enhancement via technology. XMEN III did.
A bit of background. I did NOT grow up watching XMEN, in fact I never followed it until I graduated college and moved in with a guy that LIVED XMEN. In the end I learned a lot about XMEN from him and I am better off for it. I do not read the comics, I do not own any back issues, I have some XMEN trading cards he gave me and a 12″ Beast action figure in a box. NO I am not going to sell it too you or put it on EBAY so do not ask. I only give you this background to say that though I am a XMEN fan - i.e. I know a bit of the background and know roughly what is going on and what mutants are who and what their powers are usually - I am not a XMEN fantic and I think that allows me to be a fairly good judge of the movies.
Ok now to the movie. Beast as FINALLY in a XMEN movie, or at least for more then a second like he was in X2 in the background. Kelsey Grammer does a surprisingly good job as a mutant and I hope when X4 comes out, and it will I am sure, that Hank McCoy / Beast makes a strong return. Beast made the movie for me, I was happy to finally see one of the original XMEN given his due, and I loved to see the role of educated mutant played out well on screen. I also liked it when he decided it was time to fight and showed the world why they call him Beast, or Furball to Wolverine.
Moving on, many have knocked the movie for being predictable…well yeah…it is a based on a cartoon I am not expecting Shakespeare here people. Is it as strong as The XMEN, the first movie, well probably not, but the CGI was smooth, the special effects great, and the writing was descent. I liked the Stan Lee cameo early in this one as well, better then the other Stan cameo’s in the past movies.
Jean Gray / Phoenix is well done, but from the beginning you know how it has to end in the end and it builds nicely to that. Hugh Jackman / Wolverine does a good job, Halley Berry / Storm is the same - average and forced. Rogue…well she has always been too young to be Rogue and she does a good job considering. The Rogue twist in the movie is unfortunate for the future, but I will not give it away. Magneto..well lets just say that it is a well played role and the future is wide open for him. Professor X well just not a bright of a future and we will leave it at that. Mystic’s “change” in viewpoint and intention toward Magneto is classic. I was glad to see Cyclopes move on as I always thought the role was badly written. Juggernaut is well played and the “I don’t swim” line is great. The background mutants are good. The Ice vs Fire is classic. Good to see Angel finally in a movie too.
Simply it is a good movie, not a great one, but I think you should go see it in a theater with good / great sound as it will be better out then no matter how good your home theater system is. Was it worth $7, for me yes - due to Beast, but probably not for everyone. Get a matinee or get it at the $2 theater. Definitely rent it / buy it for the home and watch it a few times to get all the background. I would say X4 comes out winter 2008, but that is just a guess.
