X3: the last stand, alright. This movie ended horribly, in my opinion; not in the way it was performed/animated (for the special effects), but because of the stupidity. This movie sets the rest of the series up for a fall, and I can't reveal why without ruining the ending (which I'm sure you don't want me to do). Anyways, after the assumed death of the mutant, Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), and Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops (James Marsden), were hit hard. Scott, being the original boyfriend, was so badly hurt by her death/disappearance that he visited the lake where she drowned to remember her. While trying to pay his respects and move on, Scott made an amazing discovery: Jean somehow survived the breaking of the dam and had wrapped herself in a 'force field'. Scott awoke her with his eye-rays (or whatever you call them), and they began to kiss. All does not appear as it seems when, well, something goes terribly wrong. To explain the accident, Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) reveals that long ago, when he first met Jean, he used is mind to suppress her powers (they were far greater than that of anyone he had ever known), and in doing so, created an alter personality, known as the Phoenix. After the flood, Jean lost most of her abilities to control the Phoenix, and now it has virtually taken over. Meanwhile, a mutant has been discovered whose power is to take away the powers of any other mutant that comes near. The ordinary humans are taking advantage of this mutant, and creating a shot they call 'the cure'. Many mutants, including the Secretary of Mutant affairs, the big, blue Hank McCoy (Kelsey Grammer), disagree with this invention, and some will take matters into their own hands. The evil Magneto (Ian McKellen) is so insulted by this new 'medicine' that he recruits an army of mutants to find and destroy this young mutant boy. Although he has an army, there's only one force that Magneto will need to bring the Homo sapiens to their knees: Phoenix, but he will need some way of controlling her; especially knowing what she did to Xavier by breaking out. The shot also begins a new conflict between Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Bobby Drake (Shawn Ashmore), as Rogue feels left out because she can't touch anyone (without killing them, that is). As you can tell, this is a very hectic movie, with the most swearing and violence (gore violence) of the first three (more than the first two combined?). This movie wasn't bad or anything, but I don't agree with the way it ended. The entire time, I was going, 'No! That was an important main character!', 'No! I was just beginning to appreciate that character!', and 'No! This is not working out at all!' Yes, I predict that if a sequel will inevitably show its face, there is no chance that it will be a hit. The acting was as good as ever and special effects were breathtaking, so I won't complain in that field. The plot annoyed me; I don't see how the series can redeem itself after the major tolls on the characters. Enjoy this film; it's the last one of quality.
