Last Mutant Standing

Comics-to-film adaptations are usually cheesy, shallow, and colorful. However, some film makers are smart enough to paint a more realistic setting by taking characters, and their origins, out from the comics but eschews their colorful spandex. Two of those films are Batman and the X-Men series. Today, I took my time off from my books and went to see X-Men: The Last Stand, the latest, and last, installment of the series.

The first series of the trilogy, released in 2000, was an enjoyable film. X2: United was a sublime sequel, with a much deeper plot, better characterization, and more emotional than the first one. The lastest installment, however, has lost momentum and was a little bit of a disappointment.

The core element in the X-Men setting is present, a conflict between humans and mutants and the X-Men standing between the two forces. The conflict this time comes in a form of a serum that can cure mutation. Magneto and other mutants who considers this cure as a weapon to assimilate the mutant society, wages war against humans. I find no flaw on the film's central plot, but the story was presented poorly because of other distractions, such as the return of Jean Grey.

There is also less characterization in this film. The Dark Phoenix, the new persona of Jean Grey, only had a brief description regarding her origin, and for a Class 5 uber-powerful mutant her role was downplayed. The love conflict between Rogue, Shadowcat, and Iceman never made enough spark to be very convincing and interesting. It was also disappointing to see characters like Colussus and Angel without any depth and detail.

As for the actors, Kelsey Grammar did really well on his role as the Beast. Ellen Page (left), although she didn't have any spunk, she fits well in Kitty Pryde's shoes. She's also sweet and cute enough and makes the film worth your while. Rebecca Romjin also did good, but I loved her especially when she morphed back to her "true form".

All in all, because I expected too much, I find the movie disappointing. Nonetheless it is still enjoyable and did well on ending the trilogy with its memorable scenes. But do the series really ends here? I think not!

X4: The Age of Apocalypse (Warning Spoilers from X3)

This is just my own idea of what would happen next. Mostly, it is based on the Age of Apocalypse mini-series, a big event in the X-Men and Marvel universe. In Age of Apocalypse, Professor X died saving Magneto. For his attonement, Magneto now fights for Charles dream for a peaceful co-existence between mutants and humans, and now leads the X-Men. The interesting thing is, in this series, Magneto and Rogue fell in love with each other and had a telepathic child, whom they named Charles.

In X3, Magneto had been depowered but it was clearly shown that it's only temporary. Magneto will probably develop empathy towards humans, having lived as one of them, once he regains his power. Since the Professor X died, Magneto will finally embrace his former friend's dream and will lead the X-Men.

Now about Rogue and Magneto, I don't think it will happen in the film. But I would guess that, Rogue, with her new found powers of procreating life, she and Iceman will have a telepathic kid, whom they will also name Charles.

As for the new characters, since both Jean and the Professor are dead, the X-Men will need psychics to use the Cerebro. So they'll either have Emma Frost or Psylocke (the two most hottest women in the X-Men), and for the villains there's Mister Sinister and, of course, Apocalypse (both are more mad and bad than Magneto).