X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

So this movie is not directed by Bryan Singer but by Brett Ratner. A third installment to the X-Men franchise, it continues after Jean Gray's apparent death. Scott Summers is still distraught, in fact to the point that he cannot teach and so Logan has to.

There is a new catalyst that has brought more storm to the mutant-human war: a controversial "cure" has been discovered, and it is being harnessed for those who need it badly to suppress their harmful mutations. There are those who want it, and those who oppose it vehemently. On the other hand, Jean Gray emerges alive from the waves unharmed, all because her potential is growing so strongly that she is said to be possessed by the "phoenix." Professor Xavier notes that he discovered this more than two decades ago, and has been trying to suppress this.

To have two plots come together was a recipe to conjure up a story full of momentum, at a point where the war has become so intense that many lives are lost. As usual there are mutants who value their gifts so highly that they are determined to destroy its source, while there are those who hate their curse and want rid of it. This controversy has also inspired Magneto to create a large army of his own, and take preeminence over the situation at hand. He takes this opportunity to stir up so much hate to topple those who have turned the cure into a weapon. This is where non-stop action ensues.

Where the story takes its pinnacle, there must be plentiful CGI to govern the extent of damage brought about by this chaos. So much destruction, evolution of the Phoenix, Magneto's manipulation of metal, and even the mutant Angel (real name Warren) took a great deal of work.

One character to be considered is Angel. He may not always have played a major role in this movie but with him on screen and the orchestra playing a score, a symbol of peace and tranquility soars through the air, conveying a message that mutants and humans can live in harmony without looking at their differences. That is what hippies always wanted to share.

So Wolverine and Storm have been the leading roles in this movie. Even though he starts off with his brassiness and headiness, it evolves to a point where he cannot continue like this should Xavier expire one day. He acknowledges that he is no longer a mutant with no memory and no purpose, but has to be a role model for students everywhere. Storm also acknowledges that one day, she will take Xavier's place and govern the students. Together they hope to achieve the dreams of the professor, and continue to inspire their students to do the same.

So Rogue learns of this cure. Remember her condition? She is just one of those mutants that loathe their conditions; she wants to feel, hug, kiss, etc without risk of harming someone. After watching Bobby and Kitty fraternize with each other, Rogue certainly would want to be rid of her curse.

A change must come, but resorting to force is not the way. This movie also tells us that power can corrupt us if we let it. The Phoenix evolved and turned Jean Gray into a weapon, controlling her emotions and forcing her to kill her own allies. As was shared by the professor, some mutant powers should be controlled because it can be destructive to anyone around us and ourselves.

This movie has to be the most epic in the trilogy. It conveys several messages that apply to modern-day conflicts as well as historical ones. It presents characters reminiscent of iconic figures and symbols. The writing is solid, the motivation of the characters is strong, and the CGI is tremendous and awesome. This movie is engaging with endless excitement and messages for many enduring a war of their own. 

Unfortunately, not everyone was pleased with the turnout of this movie. Main characters die, namely Scott Summers, Charles Xavier and Jean Gray. The Phoenix never manifested as it did in the 1990s animated series. And some characters ceased to develop after the last movie. 

X-Men (2000)

After the success of Blade (1998), Marvel went ahead with another theatrical adaptation of its comic franchise X-Men. So what have we here? Bryan Singer directs this flick, casts the right set of actors to star in their respective roles in this movie, taking their careers to a whole new level.

So the plot of the movie is comprehensive: Senator Robert Kelly is pushing forward his controversial Mutants Registration Act and Jean Gray is advocating against this as it would create widespread prejudice and conflicts. Professor Charles Xavier, Marvel's Gandhi, loses no hope in quelling this strife while Magneto, consumed with astronomical hatred, intends to drive humanity to oblivion, as he believes in the law of natural selection.

It is shown in the beginning that young Eric Lensherr has suffered in the Holocaust and has witnessed humanity's ferocious maltreatment to those born different. It is that atrocity that further deepens his anger and venom as he believes that humanity has only evolved to persecute "what it does not understand". Now he believes humanity "has seen its days" and it is 'out with the old and in with the new'.

And let us note Hugh Jackman's performance as The Wolverine a.k.a. Logan. At first he shows no compassion for anyone but himself; though this is short-lived and he turns into a guardian to one runaway teenage mutant. He has no memory of who he is or his life before. References to his past make frequent appearances as a blur and he has trouble understanding why.

Storm a.k.a. Ororo Monroe is still the character from the comics, even without her counterpart's Egyptian accent. I guess Singer did not want to force Halle Berry to fake the accent as it would be uneven and eventually end up hammy. I would not mind that at all.

And this sub-story involving Marie a.k.a. Rogue, dwells on her inability to bond with humans before she runs away and bumps into Xavier's people. It shows us how a mutant can cope with her problem and learn that she is not alone. Personally, what she goes through is what many teenage mutants pass through even before talks of the Act.

Lastly Senator Kelly: I personally believe him to be a secondary villain, since he opposes mutants alike in the name of humanity. He receives his just dessert when Toad and Mystique abduct him for an experiment carried out by Magneto himself. That treatment turns his heart around, making him acknowledge that there are good mutants and bad mutants to look out for--and that answers his question from earlier on, "Are mutants dangerous?".

With the advance of computers since The Matrix (1999), several action scenes have captivated many viewers, fans and non-fans alike, including the fight scene on the Statue of Liberty between The Wolverine and Saber-tooth. Many scenes have demonstrated smooth CGI work on Storm's weather patterns, Wolverine's retractable claws, Pyro's fire, Cyclops' fiery eyes and, of course, Magneto's manipulation of metals.

And one thing this movie would probably be remembered for is this quote:

Logan: "Do you actually go out in these things?"

Scott:"What would you prefer, yellow spandex?"

The funny feeling is that in the comics and the 1990s animated series, Wolverine wore his signature yellow suit. But Singer ruled that out from this movie, believing it would be too campy or colorful in the matters so serious. Well minor changes in the costumes of the characters would not necessarily be subject to criticism, as too much color would not reflect the seriousness of the situations at hand.

Thus this movie deserves to be among the most successful comic book movies since Blade, giving viewers’ value for their money and a run for Singer's money.