X-Men: The Last Stand Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Experience the awesome power of The X-Men's epic, final battle. Join well-known mutant
heroes and villains, and meet a cadre of all-new warriors — including Angel, Beast, Juggernaut
and Colossus — in this thrilling, explosive adventure! After a controversial "cure" is discovered,
mutants can choose to retain their superhuman abilities or give up their unique gifts and
become "normal." When peaceful mutant leader Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) clashes with
his militant counterpart, Magneto (Ian McKellen), the battle lines are drawn for the war to end
all wars.
They wish to cure us, but I say to you, we are the cure!
The first two films in the X-Men series have withstood the test of time and have nestled
among the elites of the comic
book-turned-movie-adaptations. Sporting a strong cast, well written stories, thematic
significance, plenty of action, and
excellent direction courtesy of Bryan Singer (Superman Returns), X-Men and X2: X-Men United are
in select company among the
best of their genre. However, X-Men: The Last Stand is a film that was the subject of
much
speculation and
controversy when Singer left the project before filming began to instead helm the
aforementioned
Superman Returns. After a search for a new director that included rumored candidates
such
as
Alex Proyas (I,
Robot) and Rob Bowman (Reign of Fire), Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 3) was hired to continue on in
the tradition of the first two films and round out what many hoped would become the definitive
filmed comic book trilogy. While X3 is a good film on its own merits, it is nevertheless
the weakest in the series but a decent capstone to the trilogy.
I sure would love to know my origins...coming soon to Blu-ray!
As the struggle between man and mutant continues, a "cure" for mutation is discovered, allowing
those with superhuman abilities to rid themselves of their burden and fully integrate into society.
The mutant community quickly finds itself a house divided over the issue, with those who choose
to retain their abilities -- qualities they believe to define their very essence -- on one side, and
those,
like X-Men team member Rogue (Anna Paquin, Almost Famous),
who long to rid themselves of a power that keeps them from enjoying a normal life on the other.
Lurking in
the shadows is a group of mutants that see the introduction of the cure as further proof that
man and mutant cannot co-exist, despite a pro-mutant President and a mutant in the President's
cabinet, Beast (Kelsey Grammer, An American Carol).
Led by Magneto (Ian McKellen, The Lord of the Rings: The
Fellowship of the Ring), these mutants prepare for the final confrontation between the
species -- and are joined by a surprising character from the past. Meanwhile, Cyclops (James
Marsden, Hairspray) mourns a
personal loss and searches for answers while Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, The Prestige),
Storm (Halle Berry, Die Another Day),
and
Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart, Dune) must
confront the growing threat to peace and deal with the transformation of one of their own into an
all-powerful being named "Phoenix."
X3: The Last Stand does well to model itself after the previous two outings, but
throughout the film, the sense of it being a notch or two below its predecessors is palpable,
particularly when viewed in close proximity to X-Men and X2. X3 is
marked by some sloppy dialogue, action that is loud and exciting but not quite as tight and
cohesive as that found in the first two films, and a story line that continues with the themes of
the franchise but doesn't offer a wholly cohesive transition. X3 plays as a sort of
piecemeal entity where the emotions and major plot developments seem almost forced and
tacked on simply to maintain continuity with the first two films. Whereas this film's predecessors
did very well in building the action around important themes and personable and identifiable
characters, X3 often plays like the drama is a necessary hindrance between action
pieces. The film's attempts at eliciting raw emotion, particularly after the death of a central
character, fail to engender much of a response. The Magneto-Xavier relationship, one that goes
beyond a basic hero-villain association and serves as, arguably, the defining attribute of the
series, seems to stagnate here, and not simply because of the film's shocking midsection.
Though the history of the characters is revealed in greater detail, the chemistry and the
importance of the relationship seems lessened here. Fortunately, however, X3 ends with
a
wonderful final shot, one that alone makes the movie worth watching.
X3 once again comes to Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. While not offering
a heads-and-shoulders better transfer than the previous edition, this one seems to look just
a bit more natural and film-like. Film grain makes a more visible appearance here than in the
previous two outings in the X-Men series. Colors are sharp as a tack and cover a
broad spectrum -- the steely blue interior of X-Men headquarters, the warm and natural look of Jean
Gray's childhood home, and the film's many daytime exterior shots where the colors of nature are
bold, pleasing, and clear as far as the eye can see. Detail is positively sharp and natural
across the board, from the lines and hairs on faces to the rough texture and cracks to be seen on
Juggernaut's helmet. The film takes on a marvelous cinematic look and feel, and features the most
natural-looking flesh tones and blacks of the trio. X3 looks quite good on Blu-ray.
Seeing as how both X-Men and X2 both earned the highest of marks for their
remarkable lossless soundtracks, X3: The Last Stand comes with high sonic expectations,
and the disc's DTS-HD MA 6.1 lossless soundtrack never disappoints. This track is dynamic and
incredibly aggressive. The film's opening battle in "the not-too-distant-future" makes for a startling
listen, with explosions booming in every corner of the listening area, missiles streaking around the
stage, music flowing with pitch-perfect fidelity across the front, and general mayhem heard all
about. Chapter 10 delivers what is nothing short of sonic bliss, a sequence delivering a powerful
and ear-bursting experience as a house is demolished from the inside. The track also features
realistic ambience in many scenes and excellent dialogue reproduction as a rule. It's a fantastic
soundtrack -- and is just as expected.
Like the Blu-ray releases of X-Men and X2, X-Men: The Last Stand
features supplements
spread over two discs. Disc one is highlighted by two commentary tracks, the first featuring
Director
Brett Ratner and Writers Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn. This
is fairly generic commentary track and, with two writers chiming in, it comes as no surprise
that the art of scriptwriting and the process of forming the story plays center stage. On the flip
side, Ratner offers plenty of technical details behind the process of the shoot. The track is fairly
entertaining, but is best suited for the film's most ardent fans. Track two features Producers Avi
Arad, Lauren Shuller Donner, and Ralph Winter. This track is significantly slower in pace and
lacks
substantive information. Bland, marked by some moments of dead air that are just long
enough to become a distraction, and the participant's insistence on almost whispering their
comments makes this one strictly for fans with nothing better to do with their time. Also
included on disc one are a plethora of deleted scenes presented in 1080p high definition and with
optional commentary from Ratner, Kinberg, and Penn, as well as 1080p trailers for X-Men
Origins:
Wolverine, X-Men, X2: X-Men United,
Daredevil, and Fantastic Four. This
disc is also D-Box enabled.
Disc two begins with Brett Ratner's Production Diary (480p, 41:21), a lengthy but fairly
interesting up-close-and-personal look at the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes work that went into
the making of X3, including shooting schedules, rehearsals, scene preparation, and
plenty more. 'X-Men:' Evolution of a Trilogy (480p, 44:58) is a retrospective look back at
the entirety of the trilogy, featuring cast and crew analyzing picture production, themes,
characters, casts, and more. 'X3:' The Excitement Continues (1080i,
21:16) is a basic behind-the-scenes feature where the cast and crew talk up the movie and one
another.
'X-Men' Up Close (480p) allows viewers to learn more about their favorite characters
through text-based biographies. Anatomy of a Scene: Golden Gate Bridge (1080i,
12:03) looks at the making of one of the film's most spectacular special effects. Generation
X: Comic Book History (480p, 1:08:32) is a fascinating journey through the world of comics,
with particular attention paid to the X-Men, that should satisfy both fans and newcomers
alike.
Next up is Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School (480p, 26:14), a piece
that features
Producer Ralph Winter discussing the filmmaking process with a trio of film school students, with
special emphasis on the X-Men films. Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting
Session (480p, 10:05) is a piece that features Stan Lee and others discussing the process of
assembling the perfect cast. Next up are a series of vignettes presented in 1080i:
Prophecies (4:31), 'X-Men' Politics (4:09), Clothing vs. Costume (4:11),
Make-Up Chair Confessions (3:04), Weapons of Choice (3:07), On-Set
Effects (2:31), and Learning to Fly (5:31). Blogs is, again, a piece divided
into several small segments, presented in 1080i: Production Teaser (0:56), Live
From the Danger
Room (3:14), MARVELous Cameos (3:01), and Editing Magic (7:04).
Moving along, Previz Animatics (480p, 25:45) offers fans a chance to witness twenty
scenes in a raw, computerized rendition. Next are a pair of still galleries -- Character
Stills and Concept Art, Storyboards & Models. Concluding this supplemental package
are
three trailers for the film (1080p, 1:35, 2:26, and 7:11).
Viewed in a vacuum and ignoring the first two films in the series, X3 makes for very good
Action movie entertainment. As the conclusion to a trilogy, however, it suffices at best and
disappoints at worst. The magic of the first two films -- highlighted by intense drama, important
thematic elements, and memorable acting from Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen -- make them
classics
in the Superhero film genre, but that magic is gone here, replaced by a tedious film that covers all
the bases but does so without much enthusiasm. X3 is a fairly decent popcorn movie,
make no
mistake. It features well-staged action sequences, good-looking sets and locations, great special
effects, and the return of all the primary characters. It just doesn't quite match up with the first
two outings. On the other hand, 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release of X3 is every bit as
good as one might expect. The picture quality is superb, the soundtrack even better, and the
supplements lengthy. It's hard to say "no" to the movie as the third film in the series, though, and
considering it comes on a top-notch Blu-ray, X3 earns a recommendation.
X-Men: The Last Stand: Other Editions
1-disc $11.50
3-disc set $18.35
Blu-ray bundles with X-Men: The Last Stand (3 bundles)
Out on Blu-ray today are two films which - at very least - had a part in the beginning to two current Hollywood trends that either have you begging for more, or pleating to stop. 'X-Men' - released today individually or as part of the 'X-Men Trilogy' - is, arguably, ...
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray releases of 'X-Men', 'X2: X-Men United', and 'X3: The Last Stand', which are due to hit store shelves on April 21st, both individually and as a 'X-Men ...
In an early announcement to retailers, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has revealed that they will bring 'X-Men', 'X2: X-Men United', and 'X-Men: The Last Stand' to Blu-ray on April 21st. All three titles we be delivered as two-disc sets with 1080p AVC video ...
