X-Men: The Last Stand

The film opens twenty years in the past, and we see the opposite ends of 'Good-and-Evil', Professor Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr as the best of friends, visiting a young girl's home. They were trying to convince her parents to send her to the 'school for the gifted young children', who saw their daughter as "sick". And through the witty conversation between the young Jean Grey, Charles and Eric, we come to learn that this young girl possess the 'power' so potentially powerful... and perhaps, harmful if she does not learn how to control it.

Then, the film brings us back ten years into the past, and we see a young boy desperately trying to cut and saw something off his back. The drawer-ful of sharps... blood... what-looks-like feathers... and his father saying to him "No.. not you.." leaves the audience in anticipation for what happens later in the movie.

Finally, it brings us back to the not so near future... where it was announced that there is a "cure" for mutancy. [Quoted from the official website of X-Men: The Last Stand *sorry guys, a little lazy to tell more about the story. Haha... coz need to sleep early for tomorrow. sigh*]

"For the first time, mutants have a choice: Retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them; or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test – triggering the war to end all wars.

Within the framework of an epic, action-packed story, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND raises issues with strong contemporary relevance: Is conformity an antidote to prejudice? Is it cowardice to give up individuality to fit in and avoid persecution? Do ends justify means? Is great power a blessing or a curse?

Attempting to make a great closure to the trilogy, X-Men: The Last Stand has done a decent job in terms of packing the film full with CGI, impressive stunts, fighting scenes, and most importantly, style and design of each character. However, in many other areas, the film had rather much failures, such as the glimpse of the characters who finally appear in this last chapter, the weak storyline and the cast.

With much of the story revolving around Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), with her class 5 seemingly unlimitless powers, we would have expected a better performance from her. Apart from that cold look from her, most of her other expressions were pretty much touched up by CGI...

The younger students also had more appearances and showtime in this last chapter of X-Men... But then, was it their age or was it just simply their acting, for it felt that the characters of Iceman, Shadowcat and Juggernaut were rather dull, with nothing much from them. Rogue and Pyro certainly did a more convincing job, especially with Pyro hating the people on Professor X's side, proving to them that he is much more powerful under Magneto than he was when in school where they tried to tame him.

Then, there were characters who finally make their appearances...like Beast, Juggernaut, Angel. Beast did a good job as the Secretary of the Council *can't remember the name of the council. oops*, and as well as the Beast while in the war between the mutants. And if you had caught the trailers for this film, Angel pretty much appeared in trailers as in the movies. Nothing much to comment about him, for he had that little appearance; but we all can't help but wonder how does it feel for a human to be able to fly like a bird.

And continuing on for more bad acting, the extras certainly did a terrible job. From the President, which seems so unconvincing, to the soldiers and other not-so-important mutants, acting was certainly plain, uncharacterised and amatuerish.... especially when you have castings such as Hugh Jackman and Ian McKellen...

Thumbs up for these two men, who potrayed Wolverine and Magneto so real... Especially Ian McKellen, who undoubtedly is one of the best few on the cast, potrayed the angry Magneto trying to start a war and convincing Jean Grey/Phoenix to be on his side with such conviction that there are many parts of the film that would simply make your jaw drop. Such as the scene with the Golden Gate Bridge, and when Jean Grey revisits her old house.... Together with the CGI effects and his potrayal of Magneto, it certainly is worthy of its high ratings among many reviews. Just like his other appearance in the Da Vinci Code, Ian McKellen brings life to the characters he play... and this time around, the lines exchanged between Eric and Charles were certainly exquisite, just as his lines in Da Vinci as Sir Leigh Teabing asking 'Shall I serve coffee or tea?'

Well, despite the not-so-great acting by many of the cast, the film is chunked filled with probably all the latest technology in CGI that it makes the film an enjoyable and money-worth film on the whole. If you had only time to catch one movie, I'd say catch this one! =)

Hint: Do stay until after the credits!

Spoilers: Anti-climatic scenes. Beware. Haha.

X-Men: The Last Stand

The film opens twenty years in the past, and we see the opposite ends of 'Good-and-Evil', Professor Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr as the best of friends, visiting a young girl's home. They were trying to convince her parents to send her to the 'school for the gifted young children', who saw their daughter as "sick". And through the witty conversation between the young Jean Grey, Charles and Eric, we come to learn that this young girl possess the 'power' so potentially powerful... and perhaps, harmful if she does not learn how to control it.

Then, the film brings us back ten years into the past, and we see a young boy desperately trying to cut and saw something off his back. The drawer-ful of sharps... blood... what-looks-like feathers... and his father saying to him "No.. not you.." leaves the audience in anticipation for what happens later in the movie.

Finally, it brings us back to the not so near future... where it was announced that there is a "cure" for mutancy. [Quoted from the official website of X-Men: The Last Stand *sorry guys, a little lazy to tell more about the story. Haha... coz need to sleep early for tomorrow. sigh*]

"For the first time, mutants have a choice: Retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them; or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test – triggering the war to end all wars.

Within the framework of an epic, action-packed story, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND raises issues with strong contemporary relevance: Is conformity an antidote to prejudice? Is it cowardice to give up individuality to fit in and avoid persecution? Do ends justify means? Is great power a blessing or a curse?

Attempting to make a great closure to the trilogy, X-Men: The Last Stand has done a decent job in terms of packing the film full with CGI, impressive stunts, fighting scenes, and most importantly, style and design of each character. However, in many other areas, the film had rather much failures, such as the glimpse of the characters who finally appear in this last chapter, the weak storyline and the cast.

With much of the story revolving around Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), with her class 5 seemingly unlimitless powers, we would have expected a better performance from her. Apart from that cold look from her, most of her other expressions were pretty much touched up by CGI...

The younger students also had more appearances and showtime in this last chapter of X-Men... But then, was it their age or was it just simply their acting, for it felt that the characters of Iceman, Shadowcat and Juggernaut were rather dull, with nothing much from them. Rogue and Pyro certainly did a more convincing job, especially with Pyro hating the people on Professor X's side, proving to them that he is much more powerful under Magneto than he was when in school where they tried to tame him.

Then, there were characters who finally make their appearances...like Beast, Juggernaut, Angel. Beast did a good job as the Secretary of the Council *can't remember the name of the council. oops*, and as well as the Beast while in the war between the mutants. And if you had caught the trailers for this film, Angel pretty much appeared in trailers as in the movies. Nothing much to comment about him, for he had that little appearance; but we all can't help but wonder how does it feel for a human to be able to fly like a bird.

And continuing on for more bad acting, the extras certainly did a terrible job. From the President, which seems so unconvincing, to the soldiers and other not-so-important mutants, acting was certainly plain, uncharacterised and amatuerish.... especially when you have castings such as Hugh Jackman and Ian McKellen...

Thumbs up for these two men, who potrayed Wolverine and Magneto so real... Especially Ian McKellen, who undoubtedly is one of the best few on the cast, potrayed the angry Magneto trying to start a war and convincing Jean Grey/Phoenix to be on his side with such conviction that there are many parts of the film that would simply make your jaw drop. Such as the scene with the Golden Gate Bridge, and when Jean Grey revisits her old house.... Together with the CGI effects and his potrayal of Magneto, it certainly is worthy of its high ratings among many reviews. Just like his other appearance in the Da Vinci Code, Ian McKellen brings life to the characters he play... and this time around, the lines exchanged between Eric and Charles were certainly exquisite, just as his lines in Da Vinci as Sir Leigh Teabing asking 'Shall I serve coffee or tea?'

Well, despite the not-so-great acting by many of the cast, the film is chunked filled with probably all the latest technology in CGI that it makes the film an enjoyable and money-worth film on the whole. If you had only time to catch one movie, I'd say catch this one! =)

Hint: Do stay until after the credits!

Spoilers: Anti-climatic scenes. Beware. Haha.