Mark Beall's Geek Beat: What the Geeks Thought of X3
Filed under: Action, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Scripts, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels, The Geek Beat
America has had a weekend to digest the new X-Men film, and early indications are positive. The numbers are big and the reviewers are happy. Once again America has reminded the industry why they've been pouring all this money and effort into superhero films.
Lest we forget in the midst of the Age of the Silver Screen Hero, much of the credit and thanks goes to those fans who have frequented the comic book shops these past decades, keeping our heroes in business long before Hollywood made them blockbusters. If it weren't for the True Believers, Marvel would have closed shop years ago (they flirted with monetary disaster on more than one occasion) and who knows where Professor X and his students would be now. So what do the dedicated have to say about the latest installment of Marvel on screen? They were worried in the run-up; afraid of what director Brett Ratner might do. I've been in touch this weekend with some serious geeks, folks who know Professor X better than Patrick Stewart, and they've got some great opinions on this stuff -- so I'm going to let them do the talking. The Geek Beat is proud to present our very first Geeks' Referendum!
Erik Hendrix was the first to send a response to me, and he jumped right out of the gate with a forceful opener: "I'm going to have to go against the grain and say I absolutely loved it. The film captured a great deal of who the characters were and how they would react in certain situations - that is what Ratner did best."
Erik's opening point is a solid one, and cuts perhaps right to the heart of why we geeks love these films often in spite of our own misgivings -- there is just something fantastic about seeing Professor X, Wolverine, Magneto, and the rest of our favorites stomping around on the screen being ... well ... themselves. You can't tell me you don't get chills every time Wolverine slides his claws out.
Erik also made a quick but accurate observation about the amount of mutants in the film: "I also loved the inclusion of so many more mutants, after all that's what X-men is about. Even if many of them did not have very much screen time, it is great to see the presence of more mutants. It definitely made the movie feel more like the comics." Yes, Marvel is full of mutants running in and out of the pages. Sometimes mutants we haven't heard of for years pop up for a quick three page cameo and then disappear again. As Erik points out, this is the Marvel way.
The final point Erik made before signing off was another gem, and one I think all comic fans need to keep in mind: "all Comic Books reinvent themselves, they re-tell the stories, and they retconned out plots they don't like. The movies are just another re-telling of these superheroes..."
Dan Portnoy (who happens to run a nifty little website) got a little more in depth, sharing his thoughts on particular elements of the film. He pointed out something many may have overlooked: "the special effects to make Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen younger were great -- so subtle but perfect." He also fairly points out a high point in casting: "The fantastic surprise of the film in found in Ellen Page's portrayal of Kitty Pride. She was incredible!"
Get ready for a big quote here, because Dan jumped right into the heart of the Phoenix Saga, a storyline familiar to all X-Fans which got a rather truncated and re-imagined version for the film. Here are Dan's thoughts:
"I thought the movie did a great job with regards to Jean Gray and the beloved Phoenix. Tweaking some of the major points of a form of schizophrenia vs an alien was a bit of a betrayal but they did stay true to the characters essence -- unhinged, unsure and misguided ... Anytime Phoenix "shows up" the effects are great -- they just don't do enough with her in the last scene, she has to have a psychotic break before she gets involved."
Dan's verdict: "Overall, X3 is easily worth the cash for the theater experience ... I can live with the adjustments but my preference would be to get Brian Singer back on board and ditch Storm, provided there's another one."
Cinematical reader Cangrande may have nailed many fans' opinions right on the money with two incredibly spot-on statements: First, "Not as bad as I feared. A mess, but a mess of good stuff. Everyone will say, rightly, that the Phoenix is enough story for any film. Any three films, really. The cure is plot enough for any film. Both great ideas, but given short shrift in the race to end the franchise." Second, "Not as bad as I feared. A mess, but a mess of good stuff. Everyone will say, rightly, that the Phoenix is enough story for any film. Any three films, really. The cure is plot enough for any film. Both great ideas, but given short shrift in the race to end the franchise."
Jonah Spangenthal-Lee spoke up for those fans who felt ripped off by this final film. Jonah is a freelancer who wrote me a scathingly beautiful attack on the third film. I only hope he posts his full thoughts somewhere eventually so you can read them all, but I'll share some of his best points here with you.
In short, his opinion can be summed up in one thought: "There are plenty of lukewarm reviews of X3 going around, and I want to be the first to say loud and clear that paying money to see this film is a mistake. It's not only a terrible comic movie, but it's just plain bad film making. "
Perhaps most interesting in what Jonah had to say was a clever observation about the character deaths. "We already know Wolvey is moving on to his own film, right? As for the rest: "X-3 is a big old f* you to anyone who decided to invest in characters played by actors deemed too expensive to keep around. Yes, Cyclops dies(offscreen no less), the all-powerful Phoenix dies, Professor X dies, Rogue gets rid of her powers as does Mystique ... This is clearly a passing of the torch to a younger and less-expensive cast. Wait for it. We'll get a Generation X movie, or New Mutants, or something. This is too good a cash cow for Fox to put to pasture."
Jonah is correct insofar as sequel potential goes. A next generation mutant film (such as Gen X or New Mutants) has already been strongly rumored. Was Fox so wanton with deaths because they were planning on a setup for the next group of talented youngsters?
Jonah has a lot more worth sharing with you, but I'm running out of space here. I'll end with a great summation from him: "This is a mistake, plain and simple. Brett Ratner was a bad choice. He's not a good director. He clearly doesn't know how to work with actors (see any actors delivery other than McKellan or Stewart), and when you should have a film that's really about this great collection of characters and their own individual quirks, why the hell would you want your movie to feel like it was directed by a committee shouting through a bullhorn?"
So what do you think of our panel, all you geeks out there in readerland? Chime in with your thoughts on how Brett Ratner and company treated your beloved mutants in the closing chapter of the X-Men film trilogy.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-30-2006 @ 11:26AM
APK said...
I have to agree with Jonah Spangenthal-Lee. IT was bad, a couple good scenes could not save the horrible writing and poor direction. Even the FX were uneven, some were good most were bad. Overall about as bad as I expected.
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5-30-2006 @ 11:38AM
Think about it... said...
SPOILERS, DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE.
No one died in X3. Not Cyclops, Not Professor X, and Not Jean Grey. Cyclops is *believed* to be dead just like Professor X. The only person who *sorta* died was Jean Grey.
At the very end, you see Magneto still has an inkling of his power as he nudges a metallic chess piece without touching it. Guess that means the "cure" is really only a suppressant, which means Mystique will return, Rogue will return and such. After the credits, we learn that Professor X transferred his consciousness into a comatose patient. Hello??? That was shown earlier in the movie when they were discussing how a person could do that.
And do you really believe Cyclops is dead, off-screen no less? X-men is making way too much money for the studios to end it here. Believe that. Jean Grey, a class 5 mutant who can do ANYTHING her mind can think of, killed by a SIMPLE stab wound from Wolverine??? Please.
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5-30-2006 @ 11:39AM
scott said...
I put it off for the first few days, then went to a matinee yesterday. if i had gone knowing nothing about the movie, only to see one of the greatest comic stories ever told reduced to a sub-plot, my reaction would have been negative to say the least...
but knowing what I knew - singer not returning, a rush job to cash in quickly (good call on that fox, it worked), and the bastardization of the dark phoenix story - i went in with low low low low low expectations. i had to keep telling myself to get over the phoenix thing and enjoy it.
and i did. a lot.
it was great... some of the effects were kind of dark, and it really could have been a little longer to flesh some things out, but the cure story was a great one. it certainly didn't need the dark phoenix as a subplot, and she could have stayed under alkali lake until the next movie, but it didn't happen that way, and i guess i'm okay with that now. seeing her powers on the big screen was great.
yeah, the last two scenes were kind of a cop out, no doubt... moreso the chess scene than the moira one, but hey, add those to the killer opening weekend, and it equals an X4, most likely.
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5-30-2006 @ 11:41AM
Film Junk said...
Personally I thought the make-up job that made Stewart and McKellen look younger was horrible. It was way too obvious and it just looked off.
Of course, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the movie. I thought it was very good and had the strongest story elements out of all the X-Men flicks. I just wish it had been a bit longer to fully flesh them all out.
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5-30-2006 @ 12:02PM
Elliott said...
I too LOVED Kitty. Sassy and fun, everything Rogue should have been.
My major complaint was the sudden change in Professor X's character. All his talk about the ethics of using his powers without permission turns out to be BS when we find out he's been tampering around with Jean. And why was he blaming Wolverine for everything? People actually laughed out loud when he asked, "What have you done?" He refused to fess up to his mistakes and seemed out of character. His optimism all but vanished when he found out about Pheonix. Wierd.
The fact that so few X-men made "the last stand" at Alcatraz was very emotional. But apparently the clip from the trailer where Logan tells Iceman that "if you go out there, you might not come back, she might not come back", which sent chills down my spine, did not make the final cut. Probably because nothing was exploding in the background.
I usually hate when things are wrapped up to the extent that nothing is left open-ended. It really dumbs down movie. But, the situation in the X-Men trilogy has gotten a little out of hand. I'm fully capable of making assumptions about the fates of Sabertooth, Toad, Mystique, Pyro, Juggernaut, Worthington Labs, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops, but I would have preferred to have a couple less on that list.
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5-30-2006 @ 12:20PM
Cangrande said...
What was my second "spot on" statement? I'm curious, and narcissistic.
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5-30-2006 @ 1:13PM
James said...
I have agree with Erik's points most of all. I love the fact that they introduced so many more mutants, although I would have thought angel to have a bigger part (He is one of the original 4 after all), I guess the followed more along the lines of the ultimate series where he was quite hesitant at first with getting invovled with the team.
Erik's other point about this being a completely different story line is right on the money. These movies are to the comic books what the Ultimate Series is to the original Uncanny's, they are not just comic books made into movies but rather are movies that are using the same characters and plot points as the comics in a unique storyline. I Personally think that it had to be done this way, I know a few people that were upset by the fact that the movies strayed so far from the comics, but the fact is that there is so much history in the marvel universe regarding the x-men that it just wouldn't work. In the end I was quite happy with the movie and I don't think Ratner was a issue at all. I really hope that this doesn't turn out to be the last one.
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5-30-2006 @ 1:49PM
Brent said...
I have to say that I completely enjoyed this movie. I knew going in that the story lines were going to be a little off, but whatever. Anything that is adapted from previous work will be different. Just based on the movies, this was a good 3rd installment. My biggest gripe was that Leech was white and not green. But then again, the movie was very enjoyable.
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5-30-2006 @ 2:00PM
tim said...
hey all, just my two cents...
i wasn't happy with the movie. pheonix can pick up prof x but not wolvie? maybe the adamantium makes him real heavy. there are lots of things i have a problem with, but that's the only one i'll rant on here.
and just a question... were the mutants given class levels in the comics? what happens to mutants with powers that are detrimental, as will happen with random mutations? does bad breath man register a -1 class rating? what constitutes each level?
thanks if you can answer any of these.
i will toss out, it was nice seeing lots of mutant action, but 6 good guys vs 50 bad guys doesn't seem fair.
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5-30-2006 @ 3:00PM
John said...
Man, if I read one more critic, say "that superhero movie, lacked depth, and emotion and blah blah blah.."
Its a friggan superhero movie. Its made to make us 30 year olds that grew up reading X-men go "ohhh Wolverine" and to make the kids too young to have any real knowledge of the story go "Ohh cool powers!"
This movie, or even the franchise was never meant to be the next "gone with the wind" or "Ben hur" It is a phantasy/action flick, nothing more. That said I loved it. Quick pacing, decent effects that only the pickiest people will complain about, and a good story. notice I didn't say a "great" story. Hell if they filmed the comics using the same script and action sequences verbatim that was originally written and drawn, it still wouldn't be a "great" story. It isn't meant to be.
The one point that I want to agree with most is, I dont like it when they alter a character and/or story line, just to fit the movie and it's time constraints. A good character does not have to have a beginning, middle and end shown in the movie for people to know what that character is all about. Anyone with a brain can figure out if you were to go to Professor X's school, which houses hundreds of mutants, you still wouldn't meet or be introduced to all of them all at once. Its ok to me that Gambit is missing, because how do we know that Gambit isn't on vacation or visiting relatives etc. Its also ok that they leave you wondering or assuming that Jean Grey, Cyclops, toad etc, are dead. The comics were written that way too. How many times have you read a comic and at the end it appears the character was dead, only to pop back in alive three issues later? I believe they were trying to close most stories in case X4 falls through, but they also wanted the possibility open that they may be alive so if X4 happens it can be explained away easily. Thats not a hard concept to grasp, and you cant blame them. Like said earlier this is a cash cow.
Quit looking for the next greatest epic, and go see the damn superhero movie knowing that is all your going to see. Did anyone complain about the cheesy bad guys or effects in Superman? Did anyone complain because they left you wondering it Doc Oct is dead or alive in Spidey 2?
great movie, and trilogy, lots of fun, go see it and stop worrying about having a good time. If you dont like this flick for the reasons stated in earlier posts, I would say you are too picky and uptight to enjoy this movie. Go watch some B grade underground indie flick with a bunch of "no one knows our names" cast.
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5-30-2006 @ 3:44PM
Cangrande said...
Things I would have liked to have seen or heard:
- The "level three" mutant bullshit explained. It would have been great if the government had put out a color-coded chart of the various "levels" of mutant power. In spite of themselves, the mutants start to use the terminology. That I would have loved.
- A single line anywhere in the film saying, "I tried getting Kurt's help, but he's busy in the seminary." There. Nightcrawler's absence explained in the context of his character. Done and done.
- A simple line from Charles when he goes to confront Jean. "Jean, where are your parents?" Obviously she's killed them, but I would have liked to have heard the question linger in the air.
- A little of the emotion Magneto shows later with Pyro when Charles is murdered. Just a bit.
- A parallel scene to the opening Mystique interrogation, only this time Raven is willing to talk.
- A little more on what kind of doctor Beast is. In the film his doctorate feels more like sociology or polisci, not biology. Just tell us where he's coming from.
- Rogue in the clinic, hearing her name called to get the shot. A lovely abortion clinic parallel would have been just the ticket to dredge up conflicting emotions.
- A Juggernaut/Colossus fight. I mean, c'mon!
- Cut Magneto's line "What have I done?" He watched her vaporize his old friend, so now what, he didn't think she'd start destroying everything?
- Closure to the Worthington family drama. Does dad see the error of his ways? Or is he dismayed that his life had to be saved by his mutant son? Which leads to the thing I most wanted...
- For Christ's sake, a wrap-up to the cure dilemma! Is the cure still available? Where is Leech? Can they make the cure without him? Will Worthington take the cure off the market? Will the government stop using the cure as a weapon? WHAT WAS RESOLVED?!?!
The weirdest aesthetic thing that bothered me, honestly, was Wolverine's height. Singer made sure in the first two films not to let the very tall Jackman appear tall as Wolverine. Suddenly in this film he's towering over everyone. Very disconcerting, not in harmony with the other films.
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5-30-2006 @ 3:44PM
James said...
I have to agree with Jonah especially as this film was very bad filmmaking during too many shots where they have a very steady shot, a persons face is framed horribly cutting off ill proportioned parts of their foreheads and chins. There were also multiple shots out of focus. And some horrible audio transitions...
**SPOILERS AHEAD***
In regards to the death scenes and all of the second guessing on if characters are dead, it is very poor storytelling to second guess if people really are dead that many times over that close together. Plots don't develop through explosions and death, plot develops through characters and killing off characters only to bring them back later is a cliché technique only to try and develope story and they abused the hell out of it in this film...
So if you think this is a good film in regards to filmmaking and storytelling, check your head.
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5-30-2006 @ 4:12PM
David said...
The movie was garbage point blank. No one is mentioning anything about Juggernaut being changed into a simple dumb mutant instead of Xavier's brother, his comic story is a million times better. This is a superhero movie for gods sake, I think if we can believe in mutants we can believe the comic version of Juggernaut. It's like Superman being protrayed as being from earth and not Krypton. I also hate the way the mutant powers seemed to be watered down, Storm clears a bit of fog, woooooo, Xavier could have just projected his mind to go and see Phoenix to avoid any danger. This is a movie based on a comic they had the obligation to go ALL OUT with the special effects, NEO of the Matrix could have kicked everyone of these mutant butts easily. I wanted to leave the theatre wishing for more and instead I left without even bothering to watch the extra scene. Garbage!!
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5-30-2006 @ 5:27PM
John said...
" I wanted to leave the theatre wishing for more and instead I left without even bothering to watch the extra scene. Garbage!"
You wish for too much then.
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5-30-2006 @ 5:35PM
David said...
I guess so John............I guess so.
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5-30-2006 @ 10:16PM
hardcle said...
I enjoyed the film but I did have some problems with it.
I didn't care for how the Phoenix story was played out. Perhaps it's the fog of time, but when I read it as a 12 year old it seemed like a big story, but at the same time time a very human one. I just didn't get that feeling from the movie. Also, by having Wolverine kill Phoenix, the element of self-sacrifice is removed, which is what made the death of Phoenix in the comic so sad.
The whole Golden Gate Bridge thing was overly dramatic. It would have been much simpler and quicker for Magneto and/or Phoenix to transport the lot of them over to Alcatraz without ripping a huge bridge out of the water.
Lastly, when Kitty phased Juggernaut halfway through the floor, why didn't he die? If you materialize a living being inside a solid object like that, it's going to die. It's not going to be able to jump up like he did, powers or no.
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5-31-2006 @ 1:01AM
JJ said...
Well hardcle... it's cuz he's Juggernaut...bitch.
Sorry, i had to.
I was wondering that myself, maybe it has to do with Juggie's nigh invulnerability?
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5-31-2006 @ 10:03PM
Geoff said...
The film was flawed in terms of story, the dialogue was bad, the acting ranged from okay to shoddy, and the directing had a lot to be desired.
And I enjoyed it immensely.
Lots of bangs, lots of characters wot I recognise from the comics, lots of shiny things, Hugh Jackman looking angry, Halle Berry's pretty face all crumpled up as she desperately tries to act, Patrick Stewart being Picard (AGAIN!), Ian McKellon obviously loving every moment he's on screen.
Seriously, I want high art, I'll go watch... I don't know. Something that didn't come out in Summer. Or during Oscar season, but that's another matter.
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