X-Men III: My Three Ways It Could’ve Been Better
As always with blogging, I try to be honest, be me and be real. So let me say up front that I actually liked this movie—despite the blog’s title. And no, I am not going to join the hoards that’ve jumped on the “bash X-Men” wagon.
Still even though I liked it, it doesn’t mean that there weren’t flaws with it.
Major flaws.
So, out of the kindness of my heart, and my pure, unadulterated affection for the X-Men (hello, comic book reader and lover of MARVEL!).
Reason #1 it could’ve been better: It could’ve had more of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine! He’s drowned out by all the new mutants in the movie and well, let’s be honest, Wolverine is one of the most interesting characters in the X-Men universe. Though his lustful romp with Jean Gray/Phoenix in the infirmary didn’t do them justice either.
It was over way too quickly, and to be frank, Wolverine would’ve been all over that and asking questions later. The Phoenix/Jean Gray storyline took up several issues and rippled across several comic series in the X-Men universe. It’s just strange for me to see it chopped up and diced into about 45 minutes.
Reason #2 it could’ve been better: Trim back on the shear amount of mutants. Yes, I know that special effects has come a gazillion light years from the original Star Wars, but that doesn’t mean a movie needs to be saturated with it.
Did I enjoy seeing Angel take flight? Yes, but his storyline would’ve taken an entire movie in and of itself. So what’s his purpose here?
Ditto with Cyclops. Again, the entire Jean Gray/Phoenix thing is so massive; a two hour movie devoted solely to that plot line might’ve worked. He didn’t die in the comic book, so I’m wondering why he had to die in the movie version of that particular storyline?
Beast is also a multi-layered character, and yes, I know the producers and screenwriters couldn’t include or expand upon all of these plotlines. So why include these characters at all? Why not focus on the central ones from the previous movies, and perhaps, just for variation, settle on the Iceman/Rogue love angle with Kitty Pride.
Or expand on the boy who’s mutant ability is to reverse others’.
But pick two and not two hundred! Ten minute plotlines and storylines made the whole thing seemed rushed and very, very superficial.
Reason #3 the movie could’ve been better: Storm. Being African American and female, Storm is my girl, but favorite of the X-Men (well, one of my favorites). Her role in this movie, bumps her up from background beauty to in-charge role.
But there were disturbing questions.
- What happened to her accent from movies 1 and 2?
- Loved the hairstyle and the clothes, but what was up with her lose of control over her powers when at Xavier’s school?
- When the hell did Charles ever expect STORM to run his school? Totally weird and well, it hit me from left field.
So, my suggestion would be for the writers to refit some of the Storm issues. She’s got control over her powers, and she’s got other drama going on besides running Xavier’s school. Though I found the gesture flattering, the post in the comic went to Jean Gray, not Storm, and totally uncharacteristic.
So, those are my main things that could’ve been better. Post your comments below. I’m ready to discuss this film!
I'm surprised you only chose three things that could have made it better - there are thousands! However, to put your mind at rest on at least one topic, Hugh Jackman is signed on for a spin-off Woverine movie. So you can get your fill there because that will be all about the adamantium man with crazy sideburns, with very little interruption from other muties (hopefully!)
As for the deaths, it seems that Hollywood can't take a good story without killing some key characters (The Joker in the first Batman movie, for example). It's almost as if they know they can't tell a good story in Hollywood any more, so they take other stories and mess them up. It's like little boys pulling the wings off flies. Aside from Cyclops, what about Prof X? What's that all about? However, someone told me that I should have stayed till after the end credits, as there was a little nugget there. Remember the dude with no brain, mentioned very briefly in the ethics class early in the film? (Aside from the fact that having no brain at all would make it utterly impossible for a body to function, on life support or otherwise!) Well, after the end credits there was a quick scene implying that Prof X had transferred his consciousness into that unfortunate dude. Or something. Apparently. Even though there was no brain to transfer anything into. Allegedly. I didn't see it.
Posted by Alan Baxter | 11:42 PM, June 07, 2006