My wife and I finally got to watch the third chapter in the X-men movie trilogy a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say that I found it to be a very satisfying ending for a successful comic-film run. Now, mind you, I’ve never read any of the comic books – never had the interest or the money. And I’ve heard a number of X-men comic book loyalists loudly complaining about what the film writers did to the X-men storyline in the third installment. As someone whose sole exposure to the X-men franchise has been through the movies, however, I really enjoyed the way they tied everything up (and left just enough loose ends to tease the audience with the potential for a fourth film).

In “The Last Stand” we finally get to the see the epic battle between mutants and humans and between mutants and mutants. Magneto finally puts together his Brotherhood to face-off with the X-men. Epic though it may have been, however, it was still less dramatic than one might have expected, considering the power of the mutants involved. But there are limitations to what can be done on the silver screen, both in the visual range and in the time allotted. Ultimately, the final product was more than acceptable, though the Phoenix’s ending was perhaps slightly cheesier and more simplistic than believability might allow.

The storyline for the third film was a logical progression of the first two and was, in my opinion, stronger than the second chapter. Put together, the three films make a highly entertaining and enjoyable series to add to the collections of comic book lovers and speculative fiction enthusiasts everywhere.

Rating: 4/5

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