16th
June, 2006
DAVID
ADAMS
X-Men:
The Last Stand (M)
In a word:
Action-packed
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A
COMIC GROUP: Storm (Halle Berry), Professor Charles
Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)
and Magneto (Ian McKellan) head for trouble.
"Like
those before it, 'X-Men 3' once again sees
mutants pitted against humans with the scientists
this time having developed a “cure” which
can reverse mutant characteristics."
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The first thing
one senses about X-Men 3 is that it won’t be
the last stand - already there are talks of Wolverine (played
by Hugh Jackman) having his own movie and there’s plenty
of scope for the X-Men idea to continue beyond a trilogy.
X-Men 3, or X3 as it's being promoted, once
again brings to life much of the comic book cast fans have
come to love - Wolverine, of course, as well as Storm (played
by Halle Berry), Rogue (played by Anna Paquin), Iceman (played
by Shawn Ashmore) and Professor Charles Xavier (played by
Patrick Stewart) as well as some new characters, like Dr Hank
McCoy, a hairy, blue mutant who heads up the newly created
Department of Mutant Affairs and, when not a doctor, is known
as Beast (played by Kelsey Grammar of Frasier fame). Like
those before it, X-Men 3 once again sees mutants
pitted against humans with the scientists this time having
developed a “cure” which can reverse mutant characteristics.
Once again, the mutants are divided into two camps. One the
one side are those who want the right to live peacefully among
humanity - including the X-Men themselves (although how this
could be possible given the extraordinary powers the mutants
have, could make for an interesting after theatre discussion).
On the other side are those who want to exterminate humanity
and rule a “mutopia” - led by, of course, Magneto
(played by Ian McKellan) and including his old minions Mystique
(Rebecca Romijn) and Pyro (Aaron Stanford) and a couple of
new ones, most notably the bull-headed Juggernaut (aptly played
by Vinnie Jones). X3 is action-packed and, like the
first two in the franchise, tackles issues of tolerance and
difference (some of which could just possibly be interpreted
as intending to provide a reflection of current events), though
there’s not time for much subtlety what with the tearing
apart of houses, the trashing of the Golden Gate bridge and
the numerous exploding cars. With interesting new characters
and a few interesting plot twists along the way (particularly
if you haven’t seen the trailers), X-Men 3
is an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours.
SEE THE SIGHT ON THE SCREEN ARCHIVES FOR MORE...
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