X-Men: The Last Stand (should be spoilerless)

[sff_corgi_lj]

Add me to the cheering multitudes. It's spectacularly epic (and I'm a sucker for British Columbia locations). The rework they did on the origin of the Phoenix works for me; introducing the canonical reason would have been too much to cover and justify, I think, in the cinematic story's context. The pace is breathless without being rushed, and the FX of all varieties are brilliant (yay, WETA DIGITAL!!). But everybody'll know all the good points.

I have a few afterthought reservations. Although Brett Ratner did step up and perform admirably, there's a bit of lack of heart to the film as a whole; whether that's from the script or the actual direction, I can't really say.

Some of the composition... well, let me use a sort of allegory. One of the reasons the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, Staying Alive, was panned was the way the otherwise venerable director composed all the shots of the dancers/dancing. He never shot it like a dance movie (considering the physical talent, more boos to him for it) but kept using medium shots, shorter cuts and never letting the audience appreciate the lines of the bodies and the trajectories of the choreography. There's a reasonable bit of X3 that could have used wider shots or at least wider establishing shots to frame the action better (I'm thinking more of the fight in the forest than the big fight at the end). We don't get to see Wolverine, for instance, the way we have previously. Considering Hugh Jackman's physical talents, here's your snorkel for the gutter, he needs to be shown off better.

And speaking of the most excellent Wolverine, when did this series turn into the Wolverine Show? I don't mind for myself, not being a Marvelite, but setting things up so he's the ONLY one who can save the day? Three times in a row? It starts to chafe.

The last thing is more a note to snicker about than anything seriously pro or con about the movie: Has anybody ever liked Storm's hair? This time, it just strikes me as kinda bizarre.

P.S. They STILL shoulda cast Steve Bacic as Hank McCoy/the Beast again, even if Kelsey Grammar might be the only actor in English-speaking creation who could say 'Oh, my stars and garters' and not cause the audience to crack up.

Comments

[phantom_wolfboy]

when did this series turn into the Wolverine Show?

With the first movie, of course, which is why I'm not going to go see it. It's been years since I thought Wolverine was interesting. Add to it the fact that my favourite X-Man (Cyclops) keeps getting the short-end of the stick character-wise, and there's nothing there for me (of course, starting the X-Men franchise with Wolverine arriving at the X-Mansion is kinda like starting the BAtman franchise with Dick Grayson losing the Robin outfit and becoming Nightwing . . . it can work, but you're gonna lose a lot in the translation).

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Ah, sounds like a true Marvelite, with an excellent grasp of DCish. Good analogy.

But canon purity aside and, erm, personal preferences aside, it's still very good. Think of it as an alternative universe...?

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

These movies absolutely have to be regarded as AU -- they're severely mixing generations of characters, f'rinstance. Other things that occur to me:

1. Storm has worn her hair in many different fashions, including a mohawk. I prefer the early knee-length straight style.
2. Dagnabbit, Storm's eyes should be BLUE.
3. "Slim" Summers was always far too much the straightlaced martinet for me, so when Scottie gets the short end of the stick from Wolvie, I'm not upset in the least.
4. Thank you for my snorkel; I shall have it bronzed.
5. It became the Wolverine Show because, over many issues, that's what happened to the comics (for a while, at least) -- Wolvie rapidly became the most popular X-Man ever, so he got more and more action in the books. It follows that he'd get huge screentime.

Haven't managed to see X3 yet, but re-watched X1 & X2 last night ...

[livii.livejournal.com]

Heh, I loved Storm's hair, and would totally wear it that way myself if I wasn't so rubbish at doing fancy things to my hair. A hairdresser once made my hair look like that, but he used half a bottle of hairspray, and I wasn't go to do that at home every morning. :)

[spin1978.livejournal.com]

There is an inherent difficulty with trying to make any movie with Wolverine in it - after Spider-Man, he is perhaps Marvel Comics' most popular character. He's showed up everywhere in the Marvel Universe at one time or another, for the most part. As such, there are legions of crazed Wolverine fans out there who would almost riot if Wolverine got the short end of the stick in a flick.

My big problem was that they could have done an X-Men trilogy without screwing over the rest of the team in the translation while setting up Wolverine for a solo spinoff. I like both Cyclops and Wolverine (probably one of the few who do), but there's a reason why Cyclops is almost always leading the X-Men and why he deserves better. Scroll down to the mention of Cyclops here. Pretty much sums up my feelings on the character.

As for considering it yet another alternate universe (and it's not like there aren't enough of those already!), I might if they hadn't totally botched up Scott's character. I expected weird things contrary to the main canons to happen in the dystopian alternate universes, but not in the movieverse.

If they'd let me write X4, I'd clean most of this nonsense right up. :D

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

They get the advantage of picking and choosing. :) Remember the very first uniforms/version of Beast?

Bet the mohawk wouldn't film. But contacts would; you can watch Orlando's eyes change colour allll through LoTR.

I'm still ticked at Marvel for making Jubilee a fake Robin for him after psycho-boy there wrote 'Dark Knight'.

Oh, I'm this far from taking out my DVDs myself. ;)

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

But-but-but it's all streaky-weird like her roots mutated, too!

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Aha, gotcha.

And... yes, I agree, although I don't know Cyclops all that well m'self [opens Cyclops link]. I do think that even with the obvious *coughfootofheightcough* changes to Logan, Jackman does a great job of getting what I, from my remove, see as the heart of the character.

Heh. WE know why you want to write X4, and it ain't cleanup. ;)

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

Jubilee's not a fake Robin. SHe's a fake kitty.

Dex's fic "Orphans" and Dyce's "Maturity in B Minor" are two fun looks at Jubilee. Who I actually quite like, sometimes.

[baralier.livejournal.com]

I thought it was pretty flat as I've already mentioned. Now you'll probably understand my bitching about the fates of various characters (though it's really hard to write about it without giving away spoilers).

As for Storm's hair I liked it in the first movie (it's probably the only time I think Hally Berry lloks attractive.

Then again I've been looking at Anna Paquin in a far more dirty-old-man light since the last movie.

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

Minisinoo writes good Cyke fic (themedicinewheel.net) and so does Domenika Marzione, whose fic is linked from there, I think...

[rozberk.livejournal.com]

I did love Kelsey Grammer as the Beast. I really wish they would have focused more on his character - there was a lot of potential in his background to mine for this particular story line. And there should have been longer action shots - the bouncing ball of fur would have wowed the audiences more if given the chance.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

She's both, then - she's Carrie-Robin's lost twin. They put her in red, green and yellow with a cape-like coat and paired her up with a dark, brooding hero.

Cheaters.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Don't think I've got to read your notes yet, but I will.

Anna Paquin? [looks warily at spin1978] The heir of Aragorn has her spoken for already.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

[whinge] But they cast Steve fiiiiirst! And with a stunt-qualified actor, they could have done a lot more wow.

And he could say the line. I know he could say the line. He's not just a pretty face.

[baralier.livejournal.com]

I can share...

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

But will he? That's the catch.

[panamdea.livejournal.com]

What I want to know, is why bother giving your characters names if you're never actually going to use them during the course of the film? I mean, the Juggernaught got a name, Multiple Man got a name, but was that seriously Callisto (I'm assuming they were refering, to Miss I-can-sense-any-mutant-anywhere-and-run-really-fast-too?), did she get named at any point or did I miss it? And Spike? OK, so that was a little more obvious with the spikes protruding out of the face bit, but again, not named. They got more lines between them than some of the people with names! And I'm including Jean in that too. And who was the purple haired girl?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Thing is, unless you get a copy of the final shooting script, or even maybe earlier than that, you can't tell what gets left on the proverbial editing room floor. Sometimes introductions get cut for pacing.

[panamdea.livejournal.com]

I know, I know, I'm just picky like that :) But would it have killed them to have Magneto say "Callisto, do this!" or something at some point?! He did it with Arclight with the sonic boom claps that were introduced right at the end.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

But he might have done! :) Although yeah, identifying your characters is always a nice touch even through the editing process.

Just Saw X3 Last Night *yawn yawn*

[allah-sulu.livejournal.com]

It's been years since I thought Wolverine was interesting. Add to it the fact that my favourite X-Man (Cyclops) keeps getting the short-end of the stick character-wise

[rozberk.livejournal.com]

I would never call Kelsey a 'pretty face'. But as long as he could be a better Beast, I'll take your word on Steve's abilities.

[spin1978.livejournal.com]

baralier can have her the days when Natalie Portman and Kristen Bell are taking care of the queenly duties.

Um, anyway.

[spin1978.livejournal.com]

I think Hugh Jackman is a fine actor, and did a good job with his role as Wolverine. I think they could have written Wolverine a bit truer to the comics, but that's me. If you figure that the first movie occurs at time 0, the second movie is + 6 months, and the third appears to occur not too long afterwards. It just feels like he integrated into the X-Men a bit too soon, and the classic characters - Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel - all got screwed. The height thing is a non-issue, you could just as easily say that he's maybe only half a foot taller if you compare to the Ultimate Marvel continuity.

Really, the main reason I want to write X4 is for cleanup purposes. I would do a great job. I could work with the movieverse while paying adequate homage to the comics. And I can write Emma Frost in, so we can have a hot blonde traipsing around in lingerie!

[nakedkali.livejournal.com]

Steve Bacic! (drooling)

Re: Just Saw X3 Last Night *yawn yawn*

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Yawn, really?

[reads comic]
[rereads comic]

Bwah! Too bizarre.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

I'll take your word as expert; I only know Marvel in passing.

And here I just thought you wanted to mess around with Anna! Two-timer.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Nonono, Steve is the pretty face. [points down] See? Lookit nakedkali.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

[pats Sea Change, grinning]

[rozberk.livejournal.com]

Okay, now I know who he is. Yes, I could see that now. :)

[panamdea.livejournal.com]

Yup :)

I think my irritation with the names thing is a reflection of my gneral irritation with the film for the lack of emotional involvement with anything that happened. Even fresh from rewatching the first two, I felt almost nothing for Cyclops.

I'm apparently getting (more) cranky, pedantic and exacting in my old age ;)

Re: Just Saw X3 Last Night *yawn yawn*

[allah-sulu.livejournal.com]

Yawn, really?

OK, that was a little strong. X3 had many faults, but wasn't actually that bad ... It wasn't as good as X2, though.

[spin1978.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if Anna is contractually obligated for a fourth movie, so I have to consider these sorts of factors. Heh.

Although if she was, we could postpone the introduction of the White Queen (aka Emma Frost) and the Hellfire Club (one of the long-standing X-Men opponents). And Emma Frost's immense collection of lingerie that she traipses about in!