So whether or not you think Brett Ratner can live up to the high standards set by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns) with the first two X-Men films, it seems clear that more than a few of you — despite mixed reviews (our own Lisa Schwarzbaum gave it a B-) — will be going to see X-Men: The Last Stand this weekend. The jury’s still out around PopWatch HQ, but we will tell you this: A little bird has told us, "Stay until the very end of the credits. You won’t be sorry."
addCredit(“X-Men 3: 20th Century Fox”)
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You know, I always made three distinctions for what’s out there playing: flicks (fluffy, often “bad,” mostly summer [though not of late] material, like Bad Boys or something along those lines; movies (the middle of the road, like Garden State, Mean Girls, and such); and films (the best of the best, the prestige cinematic experience, like Saving Private Ryan or Sky Captain).
I’d need more time and space to elaborate, but the first two X movies were movies with a lot of film elements. The Last Stand is more a movie movie that ties in nicely with the previous movie-films.
Check out my preview at http://www.moviemartin.blogspot.com – I think Ratner’s movie is good, fun, and still tonally similar two the previous entries. So enjoy it, fans and non-fans (of the comic and the director).
I saw it on Tuesday at a sneak preview, and the audience was cheering and having a great time. I love the first 2 films, but this really delivered alot of mutant vs. mutant action, which one of the best things about the comic. You got enough character development in the first 2, so it was nice to finally see the X-Men cut loose. will definitely see this again on Saturday.
And yes, stay until the end of the credits…
Can’t wait to see it! I’ve loved the other two and that’s pretty much why I’m going to see this one. It looks like a good popcorn movie!
Saw it.
Yes, stay until the VERY END. Bloody brilliant.
As for the movie itself…Ratner did a great job. Those who nark him are just being stupid and petty that Singer went on to do bigger and better things. Ratner was a fine replacement because he himself dove deeply into the comics to make sure he didn’t screw this one up. I commend him for it. And those who STILL continue to nark him, I have two words for you that could have made things MUCH MUCH worse for the X-franchise…
JOEL SCHUMACHER.
So go see it.
That is all.
I’m seeing the movie tonight, but Aramis brings up a good point: any comic book movie can be made worse by adding the words “directed by Joel Schumacher”. However, seeing the words “written by Akiva Goldsman” tends to fill my heart with dread also – the script on “Batman and Robin” was worse than the directing, and that’s sayin’ something.
I WAS gonna check out Martin’s preview link…but then i remembered he put “Saving Private Ryan” and “Sky Captain” in the same sentence…whoops.
Anyway, I’ll be at X3 and it’ll probably be a blast. I love a quote from the recent cover story on Brett Ratner from somebody else (can’t remember who). To paraphrase: he dates models, drives expensive cars and throws great parties…OF COURSE people are gonna recent him. I know it’s impossible, but if there were a way that the director of a movie weren’t revealed and people just watched X3 without knowing who’d directed it, there wouldn’t be half the amount of negative pre-release buzz.
Haters.
I was really looking forward to this movie, and even dismissed the naysayers who said brett ratner couldn’y do it because the trailer looked good. I hate to say it, but they were right. The first two movies are way better. Brett was just trying to get on fans good sides by adding characters like beast and angel, who weren’t really needed at all, even if they were cool to see. Bryan Singer knew how to handle periphary mutants, keeping them that way as hidden extras for hardcore fans. It is worth seeing, however, because there are some pretty spectacular moments. I was too disappointed to stick around after the credits…anyone want to tell me what happened?
Ceballos,
You didn’t like Saving Private Ryan?
Seriously, though, you didn’t like Sky Captain (the lush visuals, the throwback campy story, the adventure…)? Do let me know what you think of my take on X3 (and the rest of the blog), yes? And tell your friends. Just because I’m not as fancy as EW doesn’t mean I shouldn’t get a shot – and lordy knows they’ve championed a lot more questionable stuff.
Well, first off, you’re absolutely right about EW championing far more questionable stuff. And I know where you’re coming from…I just got my degree in Magazine Journalism, so I not-so-secretly am wanting a shot to get a cool job writing for an Entertainment Magazine…I’ll check out your stuff…it’s Friday, and really slow around here.
..And as far as what i didn’t like about Sky Captain…I guess I’d have to start with the lack of acting/interesting characters…and oh yeah, the story was pretty terrible. I know it’s supposed to be a throwback, but Indiana Jones was a throwback with compelling story/characters. Sky Captain was just ALL about the visuals…instead of using great visuals to tell a story, it’s like the came up with all these great visuals and decided maybe they could use a story to go along with them…why am i wasting time talking about Sky Captain.
X3 all the way!
Dan,
You’ve gotta stop and think about what you’re saying here.
How can you say, the first two movies were way better because Ratner just added people like Beast and Angel to get on fans’ good sides? If you’ve read anything about this movie, you know Ratner came on a few weeks before shooting was to start as more of a director for hire after Matthew Vaugh walked away. That means the script was already written, and if it wasn’t it’d be absolutely ridiculous to think that they would two new relatively important characters mere weeks before shooting begins…and with a new director coming in!
Once again, people see something they don’t like…they instantly blame Ratner. Why not pin the country’s high gas prices on the guy while you’re at it. (I’m not even sure why i’m defending the guy so much…i mean, it’s not like i mistake the guy for supremely gifted artist) I’m just more FOR X3 than I am FOR Ratner
I just hate haters.
Good or not good, I’ll be in line for X4 and the Wolverine movie. After all, I gave Marvel the benefit of the doubt after “howard the duck”, “Captain America” “Elektra”, “the Punisher” and “the Hulk” had such awful outings.
Oh, and did anyone see how in the previews my main man colossus tosses Wolverine in a classic “fastball special”? I’ve been waiting 20 YEARS to see that on the big screen. Even if the rest of the movie sucks it’ll be worth it for that…
Just gotta comment on the Sky Captain debate, since it is the ultimate pulp-geek wet dream for a pulp-geek like me: Of COURSE it didn’t have a great story or fleshed out characters, it was a TRIBUTE to those adventures of yesteryear gone by. You never saw the Green Hornet or Rocketman in the throes of inner angst, so you won’t see Sky Captain tackling it either.
Say what you want about the others, but I loved Howard the Duck!
Don,
Well, you never saw Indiana Jones “in the throes of inner angst” (i like that, by the way) either…but those films are classics (whereas no one will ever confuse “Sky Captain” for a classic. The Indiana Jones movies were ALSO a tribute to the classic SERIALS of the 30’s…but they also managed to make a kickbutt MOVIE (great lead performance with personality and compelling stories to match it).
I understand Sky Captain is a tribute to the old serials. But it’s still a MOVIE. And in a MOVIE, you need things like, oh i don’t know, good characters and interesting stories to hold your attention for 90-100 minutes.
The serials didn’t NEED to have these things because they were much shorter and there were more of them. But a feature-length motion picture made in 2004 (or whenever Sky Captain came out) NEEDS to have those things (even if it’s a tribute) Otherwise it’s just gonna be a mess/bore…a FINE-LOOKING mess/bore to be sure, but a mess/bore nonetheless.
Here’s the thing. Critics and fans are different. Critics watch a movie to disect it. Fans go to see it. Now Critics are going to look at everything from the pace of Da Vinci Code to the storyline of X-Men. I never read Da Vinci and I thought the movie was slow but good.
Singer (Usual Suspects) is a storyteller. The first two movies were great storys with good action. Ratner (Rush Hour) is action man. So X3 is going to be great action with a good story. The story is not as good as the first two, but it is still good. Compare X3 to Return of the Jedi….it is very hard to be the first one no matter what you do. Ratner would have to turn X3 into Gone with the Wind meets Terminator to win over critics…..
Fans however will still love it because it is not a huge drop off.
I don’t really understand critics complaints that there is “too much action” and not enough character development in this movie.
I mean there are several new people in this movie, but all the main characters have already been established…for TWO movies. By this time, I think they’ve developed the hell out of these characters…so why not sit back and enjoy the action?
Ceballos,
OK, I am hating on Brett Ratner, but come on…there must have been something the previous guys who were attached to direct didn’t like about the movie. It was a letdown.
I am willing to admit that it might not be entirely Brett’s fault, but I have to say that it was a big let down coming off that second movie. And that is coming from a big X-fan. At least they gave my girl Storm some things to do finally.
I agree that Indiana Jones movies are classic while Sky Captain isn’t. But I also see that Sky Captain was a last chance to see a true throwback to a bygone era (one with big stars and great special effects, but a throwback nonetheless). I guess I’m just a hardcore fanboy (and a sucker) for the old stuff. I’m a guy who has a serious Shadow fixation (the character, not the terrible movie)…
Wow, what a tangent.
Oh, yeah. Go X-Men 3!
The Shadow…i liked it.
Bad movie, no question, bad movie…but i liked it…reminds me that there WAS a time that Alec Baldwin was thin-ish.
Also when he wasn’t a reported lunatic.
I think that Don is probabaly a sexy beast, and I would watch Sky Captain naked with him any time.
I must follow up with “Go X-men 3!”- a little gay.
Ah, go listen to the Dixie Chicks, Annie
yeah i stayed passed the credits and watched this extra “scene”. Can someone tell me what it even meant?
JJ…that extra scene…I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t been to the movie yet. Recall the guy in the hospital bed who Professor Charles Xaviar was discussing the “ethical” question with his students? And how the Nurse addressed the guy in the bed when he woke up? Does that sort of answer your question?
well About X3…too many new mutants and no reason for them ( SPOILER ALERT !!!!) if your going to kill them all and kill some of the existing team….ofcourse i refuse to believe the leads are no longer with us X4 is three or four years away…maybe done by ratner again he does well with action we just need to find a better screenwriter …X3 did not know which story to tell swinging back and forth here and there and placing my own knowledge of the x-men…they were better off putting the film on hold and waited until singer would be done with superman…i think he made a huge mistake leaving the franchise….i just hope superman does do better than x3 which i give a B-( X-MEN C+)(X2 A-)…well like everything things end but i just hope not like this…X3 Will do well at the box office but should sway away any moviegoers from another sequal and keep us Xmen fan at bay….
about Sky Captain and ELEKTRA i actaully could say in dismay of many here i enjoyed them ….i felt neither threatned nor overwhelmed by their simpleness…
X3 was a catastrope! Another psychotically over-budgeted nightmare was produced in the land where good ideas go to die, Hollywood. Being a long time fan of the X-Men comics seeing key team members die, some without actually being used, is disappointing. I don’t know why they’re even bothering making a Wolverine solo movie. The X-Men movie franchise pretty much served as a Wolverine trilogy anyway. Since the creative geniuses chose this path I will not support a Wolverine movie franchise. I barely saw an X-Men franchise.
I have to say I enjoyed the movie. A little disappointed not getting to know the new characters as well as hoped, but satisfied in general. So, about the killing off key characters…the scene after the credits kind of shows a way around that, not to mention one of the presumed dead we don’t see die. Despite my fears, there was an opening for more after all!
I think that the problem with the third movie is that–where people are praising the action, saying we don’t need more character development–it’s more that we went from a better understanding between humans and mutants to an all out war. There should have been a better development of this cure thing.
You know the first two were so powerful because they discussed something we can all relate to. Being different and being accepted. Learning to live in the world with other people, black, white, muslum, christian, special needs, whatever you are, the first two movies really dealt with how to co-exist. I enjoyed them so much because Magneto was not a villian to me. He was an extremist hero. I really identified with him because of how he was in the concentration camp and that wove the thread all the way through to set that foundation of how horrible it would be to round these mutants up and it reminds us of how easy it is for society to do that.
I disagree that all the characters were fully developed through the first two. We still did not know where Storm came from. It seemed that storm was opening up about her feelings about humans. she was interesting to me because in the movie, she’s black. I don’t know about what color she is in the comic book but her being black reminded me of all that black people experience with the under currents of racism that still exist. When she said that she hated humans because she some times feared them, I could relate that to how, when I was younger, I didn’t hate white people, but seeing what some had done to black people for no reason, I was afraid of what some were capable of and that turned me off to them.
We still don’t know where in the world wolverine came from. Even though the first movies rewrite his true history, we still don’t know what he was doing before he was captured and pumped with that metal. We still don’t know charles’ history either. How did he get to be in a wheelchair? How did he get the school. I mean it goes on for all of them including cyclops. And how did he and Jean fall in love?
The first two x-men were setting up something extremely special in a continuing saga that I feel the third movie totally ignored. The first two movies gave us something would could think about. Something we could relate to the real world. This third one just left me empty.