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Friday, May 26, 2006

X-Men III: The Last Stand

Should've been called "The Biggest Disappointment".

It's like waiting for Christmas because you've been good only to get socks.

Socks, I say!

Revelling in X2, the awakening of the Phoenix was something I was looking forward to this summer. Well, after months of waiting and pining, we got to see Phoenix. Unfortunately, her revelation was not that impressive.

Well, it was, I guess, but then, how can I really say it was good when you can't even enjoy or empathize in her metamorphosis?

(Don't read beyond this point if you don't want me to spoil it for you)


Let's start with the drama between Scott and Logan. It was one of the tension-filled moments in X2. In three, there was very little of it. When I say LITTLE, I mean, to the point of non-existence. I do understand why they had to do so. James Marsden (Cyclops) had to act in 'Superman Returns' as Lois' man-friend and father to her child.

Moving on...

The love triangle among Iceman, Kitty and Rogue. Wow. I was waiting for it and it was almost non-existent. How could Rogue be so shallow? There was no chemistry between Iceman and Kitty. One question: did George Lucas write it?

Xavier's death: its impact was lost. Really lost. So lost, I don't want to discuss it. It just hurt!

Mystique's humanization: LAME. She was like one of the most important characters of 1 & 2 and to just lose her in the first 40 minutes? Really, if they were planning on losing her, choosing Pyro to replace her was almost like saying replacing the star of your (insert your favorite sport here) with the "Little Sisters of the Poor".

Colossus, Jaggernaut, and Archangel: I wanted more. So much more. But since there were so much more mutants, none of them got the spotlight to shine on them. Colossus barely said a thing, Archangel was nothing but a walk on. I guess Vinnie Jones was the only one that got something out of it. He had a chase scene with Kitty and that was asking too much.

Storm: too much of her was in it. For someone who was in the background for 1 & 2, all of a sudden she's the spokesperson? Give me a break. If the script was calling for the non-reciprocated Logan love, definitely, Logan and Storm didn't translate it well on the big screen.

Phoenix: Wow. Where do I start? Her hair was too fake. Her special effects looked like it was done by a second grader learning to use Photoshop. Her lines? Inconsistent. Again, for someone who was supposed to be intellectual and spirited, she was weak, confused and aloof.

If there was only one character that remained true to form, it was Logan. Even at that, I thought his scenes were okay at best. And at that, his scene with Magneto was probably was the most consistent one with 1 & 2.

A lot of people would crucify Brett Ratner for the slow, short and impact-less X3. I would say the blame lays on the studio. For a series to die an ugly death because they didn't want Superman to beat them off the blocks, well, the only thing they did was blow money.

Bryan Singer should've finished it. He should've not taken his writing team.

X3 had so much potential and lost its punch. I, for one, very disappointed.

An hour later, I still am in a quandary. Was the movie supposed to focus on Phoenix or the cure? Maybe that was one of the bigger issues. The writers should've stuck to a central theme. I didn't care which but they should've chosen. If the story revolved around Phoenix's rebirth, then they should've kept it at that. If it was on the cure, then they should've chosen that.

When X3 was being batted around (rumorville, of course) the 2 strongest plots were the rebirth and the love triangle.

We got neither.

For the most part, I think Bret had done everyone a favor for the X-Men saga. It's dead. This is dead.

Maybe his Wolverine movie would fare better because it would just revolve around him.

As long as he doesn't include Jackie Chan in it, I think Wolverine would make a better impact than this movie ever will.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

aww, and you were SO looking forward to it, too! I'm sorry it wasn't the good time you were after. I'm not sure how much hubby was wanting to see it, but I was pretty sure he and I would catch it sometime... maybe after it comes out on DVD now? Definitely won't be seeing Da Vinci--I've heard the movie ain't so good--and I didn't even like the book. eep.

so, that being said, any worthwhile movies out there?

ames

Donut Shop said...

Wow, what a daunting question, Ames!

Here's what I think will make big:

1. Superman Returns- Everyone wants to see this movie fail but I think it's not going to happen. Bryan Singer has released this unknown movie "Usual Suspects". Keiser Soze never had been so well known.

2. Cars- Other than it being a Pixar flick, Cars will do well both with the adults and kids. Cars+cartoon=hits.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. This has to be big, or at least Disney needs it to be big since it's a trilogy. Not that I think it would be bad. You've got Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom. Some people would say it's a trifecta. I feel that this movie would be a dud if it weren't for the advertisment forced in your face.

* I won't be watching this but I know it will be big is Nacho Libre. Click might be a good renter. I have to give Adam Sandler this: he picks topics that are actually rather interesting. To me, this is a renter. You know I won't watch The Devil Wears Prada. Hated the book. Will hate Meryl Streep (never liked her). Also, Talladega Nights. Boys will be watching this. Me? Not so.

Another watcher: My Super Ex-Girlfriend. Surprisingly, watching the movie at the midnight showing of X3, the guys seemed to respond well to the trailer. Uma Thurman surely has become a good physical comedienne especially next to Luke Wilson.

Two movies I want to see big this summer but won't be are Clerks II and Lady in the Water. Both open at the same day, critics want these 2 movies to bomb. I love M. Night and Kevin Smith. I know I'll be watching these movies no matter what anyone says.

Nilly wants to see Scanner Darkly. I think this might be a good movie but I don't know if it will be as big as The Matrix.

How's that for a rundown?

The Omen didn't look good so... renter, maybe?

Amy Beth Johnson said...

yeah, but how many of those are out now? there's some waiting involved for good 'summer' flicks...
ames

Anonymous said...

I will be vindicated when Superman Returns becomes the hit I predicted.

The writing was what suffered much from this movie. Loss of focus on characters, a main story arc, and half assed plot resolutions did this one in. I still enjoyed it. Ratner should stick to TV though. He does a good enough job with Prison Break.

As for summer movies, I'll agree with A Scanner Darkly. I may just have to check it out at SIFF. They're not announcing it outright, but I think this is what this link is about in the festival:

http://www.seattlefilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=21227&FID=13


Southland Tales will also tide me over until Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain arrives this winter. Tales is loosely about a military-industrial complex taking absolute control over what is called "Southland", or something like that. Kevin Smith is in the cast. It's directed by Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko). Like The Fountain, there are some companion graphic novels to the story. Check the link below:

http://www.southlandtales.com