Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

I had not heard of the X-Men until my brother loaned me the first X-Men movie on DVD. It didn’t take me long to ask for the second movie in this series. I enjoyed the first two movies so much that when the last movie was released on DVD, I bought the X-Men Trilogy so that I could watch the movies whenever I wanted.


Description

This is a special boxed edition that contains all three X-Men movies: 1) The X-Men, 2) X2 – X-Men United, 3) The Last Stand. The cardboard box has some nice color art on it with the back of the box giving a brief summary of each movie.

Each DVD comes in a plastic keepcase. However, only the third movie, “The Last Stand”, includes any literature. Since this is a three-movie boxed set, I expected all the movies to come with at least a sheet listing the scene selections.


The Movies

I’ll do my best to describe the movies without including spoilers. For those who want the short version that doesn’t include any spoilers ... here goes:

Genetic evolution is occurring where human beings are being born with extraordinary powers. These advanced beings are called mutants by those who have not changed. A war is brewing between the mutants and those who do not understand them. Professor Charles Xavier, who has the ability to control minds, builds a school where mutant children can live in peace and learn more about themselves and the world around them. He believes that all humanity can find a mutual ground for understanding.

Professor Xavier’s archenemy is Magneto, who can control magnetic forces. Magneto believes that the mutants are the next step in mankind’s evolution and that there is no room for both mutants and humans. His goal to elevate the mutants as the dominant (and only) humans on the planet.

Now for a more detailed look at the movies:


X-Men – 104 minutes

This movie introduces the characters and sets up the conflict between the mutants and “regular” humans. Professor Xavier has a school where mutant children can learn in safety, free from prejudice, while dealing with their new-found powers. He is building a future where mutants can teach and work for the good of mankind. Meanwhile, Magneto has created a plan to bring mutants into a world-dominating power. He needs one key ingredient to make it work, a mutant he doesn’t control -- Magneto needs to kidnap one of the mutants staying with Professor Xavier. It’s a fight between good and evil.

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For someone not familiar with the X-Men mythology, this movie does an excellent job at introducing the concept of mutant evolution. It provides enough background to set the scene without bogging the viewer down with too much information. Each character is introduced in a way so that the viewer knows what powers each X-Man possesses. For several of the mutants, there is also a bit of backstory to better understand the character.

This movie is action-filled. From the start where we glimpse Magneto’s first awareness of his super-human power, the movie propels forward with lots of action and suspense. This particular movie in the series focuses on the conflict between Xavier and Magneto. The main X-Men characters featured are Wolverine, Rogue, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Mystique, Sabretooth and Toad.

And, of course, there are cool gadgets and machines in the movie. My favorite “machine scene” is when Hugh Jackman’s character, Wolverine, discovers what a rectangular silver button does on the motorcycle he is riding. I always enjoy his reaction when the motorcycle kicks it up a notch. The special effects in this movie are seamless, too, and very well done.

I enjoy this movie each time I view it. The characters are well done, and the acting is terrific. The ending is fantastic, too. And, of course, it leaves the movie wide open for a sequel. Of all three X-men films, this is the one with the lightest ending.

The movie is in widescreen format and includes ten minutes of “never-before-seen” footage. The movie can be viewed as originally intended or with the extra scenes. This DVD can be played in English, Spanish or French and has subtitles in English or Spanish.


X2 – X-Men United – 134 minutes

This movie opens with an attack on the President of the United States. The assault makes “regular” humans’ realize that mutants know no bounds ... they can go anywhere and do anything. This fuels the budding war between humans and mutants.

In a twist, Professor Xavier and his archenemy Magneto must unite to battle a mutual foe. This new enemy can control the actions of mutants ... pitting mutant against mutant. This enemy can also control mutants, making them follow orders against their will. Not even Professor Xavier or Magneto are immune.

A subplot to the story is Wolverine’s search into his past. During the previous movie, we learned that he had no recollection of how he became a mutant. This sequel explores where Wolverine came from, what happened to him, and he meets people from his past.

A note for those who like happy endings ... this movie kills off a major character. The end is jolting, with an “It Can’t Be Happening” feeling.

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This movie keeps the action moving, and the special effects are even better in this sequel. I like it that mutant friend and foe band together to stop a person intent on wiping out all mutant-kind. This movie explores more relationships, too. There is a love triangle between Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Wolverine that ignites male competition and unleashes buried emotions.

This is definitely not a movie for children. There are several sexy scenes, plus this film has episodes of torture. A well-executed scene is the terrifying attack on Professor Xavier’s school. It’s up to Wolverine, Rogue and Iceman to try to save the situation. Later, Wolverine faces a different type of challenge and intense battle. I won’t say more since it would give away too much of the plot, but it was a great scene that explained so much of his past.

I was not prepared for the ending of this movie. The death of a main character came as a complete shock. One part of me was appalled at the character’s end (though it was well conceived), and another part of me wondered if the character would somehow return in the third film.

The main X-Men characters featured, besides Professor Xavier and Magneto, are Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Mystique, Rogue, Iceman, Pyro and Nightcrawler.

The movie is in widescreen format. This DVD can be played in English, Spanish or French and has subtitles in English or Spanish. Special features include two full-length audio commentaries: one by director Bryan Singer and cinematographer Tom Sigel ... and the other by the writers and producers of the movie – Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, David Hayter. (Note the commentaries are found under the menu selection titled “Languages”.) I always enjoy listening to the audio commentaries to learn more about the events behind-the-scenes of the movie.


The Last Stand – 104 minutes

This film begins twenty years ago with Professor Xavier and Magneto meeting Jean Grey for the fist time; she has an incredibly powerful telekinetic talent. Then the movie jumps forward ten years with another mutant, Angel, reluctantly telling his father that he’s not “human”. The movie then flashes to the time where the movie takes place.

The crux of the film is that a cure has been developed that suppresses the mutant gene. Mutants can voluntarily sign up to receive the treatment. However, this “cure” has set the simmering war between “regular” humans and mutants into action. Magneto gathers an army to fight what he declares is the annihilation of mutant-kind. Professor Xavier is also concerned, but for different reasons. Once again these two leaders are fighting on opposite sides of the brewing war.

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This is the most powerful movie of all three in the trilogy. Relationships are tested, critical decisions are made by the characters, evolution in one character is out of control, and many destinies are set into motion.

I don’t want to give the plot away for those who have not seen the movie. So I’ll just say that Professor Xavier and his team are mourning the loss of their friend who died in the last movie. Emotions are uneven and some members are at each other’s throats for various reasons. A major character dies a horrific death. With the outburst of war, many other characters die as well.

This is not a movie for children. It has a harder edge than the previous films. This movie has one scene of graphic nudity and there are sexual situations. While the second film in this series is violent, this one multiplies that violence by ten. There are also betrayals that cut to the heart.

The special effects in this film are phenomenal. The climax of this movie is dramatic, violent, and embodies the title of the movie, “The Last Stand”. The stakes are all or nothing.

The main X-Men characters featured, besides Professor Xavier and Magneto, are Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Phoenix, Storm, Mystique, Rogue, Iceman, Pyro, Beast, Juggernaut, Colossus and Angel.

The movie is in widescreen format. This DVD can be played in English, Spanish or French and has subtitles in English or Spanish.

Special features includes two audio commentaries. One is by director Brett Ratner, and screenwriters Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn. And the other one is by the producers: Avi Arad, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Ralph Winter. There are also many deleted scenes and three alternate endings to the movie. The alternate endings also have optional audio commentary. Personally, I didn’t think much of the alternate endings. They are short and only one of them varies the plot line.


The Cast

Patrick Stewart – Professor Charles Xavier
Ian McKellen – Eric Lensherr / Magneto
Hugh Jackman – Logan / Wolverine
Famke Janssen – Jean Grey / Phoenix
James Marsden – Scott Summers / Cyclops
Halle Berry – Ororo Munroe / Storm
Kelsey Grammar – Dr. Henry McCoy / Beast
Anna Paquin – Marie / Rogue
Tyler Mane – Sabretooth
Ray Park – Toad
Rebecca Romijn – Raven Darkholme / Mystique
Alan Cumming – Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler
Aaron Stanford – John Allerdyce / Pyro
Shawn Ashmore – Bobby Drake / Iceman
Ellen Page – Kitty Pryde
Kelly Hu – Yuriko Oyama / Deathstrike
Daniel Cudmore – Peter Rasputin / Colossus
Vinnie Jones – Cain Marko / Juggernaut
Ben Foster – Warren Worthington III / Angel
Cotter Smith – President McKenna
Bruce Davison – Senator Kelly
Brian Cox – William Stryker


Purchasing

This trilogy retails for $34.98. I bought it from Amazon.com for just under $20.00.


Summary

I’ve been sitting here as I write this review about the X-Men Trilogy watching all three movies. It is great to have all three films so that I can treat myself to a movie marathon. I just wish that the boxed set had come with extra literature, such as a booklet about the X-Men mythology or a character list. The first two movies only came with the discs in the keepcases and not even a list of scene selections. It gives a “cheap” feel to an otherwise excellent collection.

I hope you have found this review useful.

Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Please read my other reviews:

Riddick Trilogy (three Vin Diesel movies)

The Mummy: The Legacy Collection (five movies)

Quatermass & The Pit and Quatermass 2 (two movies)

Tremors Attack Pack (three movies)

Lost Voyage movie

Titanic movie

Topper & Topper Returns (two movies)

The Private Navy of Sgt. O=Farrell (Bob Hope movie)

Grand Theft Auto (Ron Howard movie)

Wicker Man (Nicolas Cage movie)

Spymate movie

LiteOn DVD Recorder/Player


Copyright 2007 Dawn L. Stewart

This is an entry in The Good Movies Write Off

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD