X-Men: The Last Stand

Director: Brett Ratner

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Kelsey Grammer

The third instalment of the popular comic book franchise sees a mutant with the ability to repress the mutant gene being tested to see whether a “cure” can be developed for the mutant population. From here we see a clash of ideology between Charles Xavier (Stewart), who believes in mutant integration and Magneto (McKellen), who’s strong belief in Darwinism and that mutants are the next stage in evolution, threaten the very future of humanity. Magneto believes the government would use this cure to extinguish the mutant threat whilst Xavier believes a choice will be given to all mutants: retain their powers but remain isolated or return to humanity and normalcy.

We see yet more characters introduced into the fray, including Archangel, a mutant with wings, and the Beast (Grammer) in all his blue furry glory. The clash of ideologies and views on the cure leads to an inevitable confrontation between the two factions with Xavier’s faction siding with humanity. It is a confrontation from which either acceptance by humanity or dominance by mutants will emerge.

The cast, as has been the case throughout the franchise, is incredibly strong. The stars who have served throughout the trilogy including Jackman as Wolverine and Berry as Storm are impressive and bring grit and intensity to the struggle that we see their characters undergoing on screen. The two giants of Shakespearean acting, McKellen and Stewart, also turn in epic performances.

X-Men 3 is a non stop assault on your senses. It is a great blend of action and intelligent storyline, something Hollywood so often fails to get right.

Tom Reed