Let’s just get it out of the way… it definately wasn’t worth staying up until 3am to see it at the midnight show. If I were to use only one word to review this film, that word would be: weak.
The original pictures I saw of the Juggernaut made me cringe. I can at least happily say that in the finished film he looked a little more impressive. Although him actually using the line “Do you know who I am? I’m the Juggernaut, bitch!” was just about the worst possible thing. Well, maybe next to the fact that they didn’t bother to show in any way that Cain Marko (the Juggernaut) is Xavier’s half-brother (or something like that, its been so long since I read an X-Men book). And then of course, Peter, you know Colossus, he’s not Russian any more appearantly. And they did the fastball special, twice, and it was stupid both times.
On the other hand, while I remained solidly underwhelmed by the movie, I wasn’t disappointed. It was exactly what I expected. The film is a fanboy’s wet dream and nightmare combined. They managed to cram in so many comic book references and characters that the theater was constantly filled with little chuckles and gasps. At the same time, they managed to deviate from the comic in so many ways that those same fanboys were bordering on tears. And of course, the plot of the movie rears its head every now and then, something about a cure and Magneto fearing a repeat of the Nazis, oh and Jean kills lots of people. It was pretty much exactly was I expected going in. Well, almost… in both the first two X-Men movies, they went to great lengths to avoid killing people. In this movie, however, when I say Jean kills lots of people, I really mean lots of people. And Wolverine too. Without blood of course, but still, lots and lots of dead people.
Hopefully when they do the Wolverine movie next, it will be good since it will only have a couple or three main characters instead of twelve with a few dozen more supporting ones.
The final word then is weak, but fun. Its not a horrible movie, but it could have been better.
One I heard Singer wasn’t doing the third film, I lost all hope for it being a good movie. I think I’ll save it for the next time I feel like eating movie nachos.
I ended up seeing the movie twice… it just kinda happened that way. The second time, I spent less time focusing on the flaws of the comic-to-screen translation, and more time focusing on the failures of the film as a stand alone product.
Colossus doesn’t talk. Really. Its like they decided since he’s not Russian, he’s mute. It is also painfully obvious that in order to appease the Academy Award Winning Halle Berry they beefed up Storm, because she is in and speaks in practically every scene of the film.
All in all, on the second viewing, the special effects were even more spectacular, while the film itself was more lackluster.