X-Men: The Last Stand

From Superhero Wiki Encyclopedia

Home Books Clothing DVDs Posters Toys Video Games

Boards Comic Book News Comic Conventions Clips and Trailers

Gallery Features Link to us Online Comic Books

Resources Store Superhero Wiki Wallpaper

Poster Sale Selection

See Marvel Comics *X-Men *X-men Store *X-men Gallery

Get X-men 3 The Last Stand on DVD

X-Men: The Last Stand is a 2006 superhero film and the third in the X-Men series. It is directed by Brett Ratner, who took over when Bryan Singer dropped out to direct Superman Returns. The movie revolves around a "mutant cure" that causes serious repercussions among mutants and humans, and on the mysterious resurrection of Jean Grey, who appeared to have died in X2. The film is loosely based on two X-Men comic book story arcs: writer Chris Claremont's and artist John Byrne's "Dark Phoenix Saga" in The Uncanny X-Men and writer Joss Whedon's and artist John Cassaday's six-issue "Gifted" arc in Astonishing X-Men.

The film was released May 26, 2006 in the United States and Canada. Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans, the film did well at the box office. Its opening-day gross of $45.5 million is the fourth-highest on record while its opening weekend gross of $103 million is the fifth highest ever.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Brotherhood of Mutants 4 The Omegas 5 Other characters 6 Box Office

Plot

A pharmaceutical company called Worthington Labs announces that it has developed an inoculation to permanently suppress the X-gene that gives mutants their powers, offering the so-called "cure" to any mutant who wants it. While some mutants are interested in the cure, including the X-Men's Rogue, many others are horrified by the announcement. In response to the news, the X-Men's adversary Magneto raises an army, warning his followers that the cure will be forcefully used to exterminate the mutant race.

Cyclops, still heartbroken about the loss of Jean Grey, returns to Alkali Lake, where Jean sacrificed herself to save the X-Men. Jean appears to Cyclops, and as the two kiss, Jean changes and appears to kill Cyclops. Sensing trouble, Professor Charles Xavier sends Wolverine and Storm to investigate. When they arrive, the two X-Men encounter telekinetically floating rocks, Cyclops' glasses, and an unconscious Jean. Meanwhile Magneto ambushes a military transport and frees Juggernaut, Mystique and Multiple Man, during which Mystique blocks a shot of the mutant cure aimed at Magneto, only to be left behind because she is not "one of them" anymore.

Xavier explains that the majority of Jean's power is seated in her unconscious mind and that, as a result, her powers are largely fueled by instinct, and not under her complete control. In fact, when Jean was a little girl she was so powerful that he had to put telepathic blocks on her mind to help keep her powers under control. Her bottled up powers manifested themselves as an id-like alternate personality called the "Phoenix" — a purely instinctual creature, ruled only by its own violent desires. Wolverine is disgusted to learn that Xavier has kept Jean in check telepathically, but when Jean awakens, he realizes she is not the Jean Grey he knew. Wolverine asks about Cyclops, but she cannot remember and fears she killed him. Jean pleads with Wolverine to kill her before she harms anybody else, but when he refuses, the Phoenix surfaces and telekinetically slams Wolverine into a wall. She then flees to her childhood home. Magneto, also aware that Jean's powers are loose, meets Xavier at Jean's house. The two men plead for Jean's loyalty until the Phoenix resurfaces, unleashing her devastating power. Furious at being caged within Jean's subconscious for twenty years, she destroys her family's house and engages in a psychic battle with Xavier. She eventually overpowers and disintegrates Xavier then leaves with Magneto, temporarily weakened. Jean Grey unleashes her power

Following the losses of Xavier and Cyclops, and pained by her inability to get physically close to her boyfriend, Rogue decides to take the mutant cure. The X-Men regroup and confront Magneto's army, which is attacking the pharmaceutical company's laboratory on Alcatraz Island. The battle begins when Magneto moves the Golden Gate Bridge to land at Alcatraz Island, which is being guarded only by a company of soldiers. The Brotherhood's first charge is ineffective as Magneto is unable to destroy the soldiers' plastic weapons. The first group of mutants, which Magneto refers to as "pawns", are hit with the cure cartridges and depowered. Arclight destroys the weapons with her shockwave, as the X-Men arrive. During the battle, Kitty Pryde leaves to save Leech and at the end of the battle, Beast injects Magneto with the cure, nullifying his mutant powers. After this, Wolverine nearly coaxes Jean back to sanity. However, soldiers arrive and fire upon Jean. The Phoenix quickly emerges and begins to disintegrate everything and everyone around her, vaporizing the soldiers. While the other X-Men flee to safety, Wolverine fights his way to Jean, relying upon his healing abilities to save him from her destructive power. Momentarily gaining control, Jean begs Wolverine to save her. Telling Jean he loves her, Wolverine reluctantly kills her with his claws.

Despite the X-Men's losses, life goes on. The school will continue, even without Xavier. Rogue returns and tells Iceman she had to take the "cure." The two reconcile and continue their relationship now able to touch each other. Magneto, now an ordinary man, sits at a chessboard and reaches out toward a metal chess piece that trembles slightly — indicating that the cure might not be as permanent as originally thought. Following the closing credits, Dr. Moira MacTaggert checks on a comatose patient who greets her with Xavier's voice, implying that he has transferred his mind into this new body.

Cast

X-Men

The X-Men are a special ops team from the Xavier Institute, charged with protecting both humans and mutants and trying to prevent a war between the two.

• Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine: Logan can regenerate spontaneously, a talent which allowed the painful implantation of a metal coating on his bones and metal claws that emerge from each hand.

• Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm: She can control the weather with her mind. Halle Berry stated during interviews for X2 that she would not return as Storm in the third film unless the character had a significant presence comparable to the comic-book version. Brett Ratner also felt Storm required a larger role and there was little difficulty reaching an agreement.[1]

• Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier: The founder of the Xavier Institute, who has uncharted telepathic powers and is confined to a wheelchair. He is an authority on genetic mutation as well as an advocate of peaceful relations between human and mutant kind.

• Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue: A teenage runaway mutant who has found a home at Xavier's school and love with Bobby Drake. When she touches someone she absorbs their life force, their powers if they are a mutant, and, if she holds on too long, their life.

• Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy / Beast: A former student of Xavier's School who is now the Secretary of Mutant Affairs in the U.S. government. The Beast is covered in blue fur and has a genius level I.Q., and heightened strength and agility. He is a brilliant scientist and researcher with vast intelligence and insight into mutant genetics.

• Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman: He can control the temperature of the moisture in the air around him to create constructs of ice or blasts of cold. Under extreme conditions, his body may take on many of the characteristics of ice in addition to those of a human.

• Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde: She can "phase" through matter, which allows her to walk through solid objects.

• Daniel Cudmore as Piotr "Peter" Rasputin / Colossus: He can transform his skin into an organic metal, granting superhuman strength and a resistance to damage.

• James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops: The X-Men's field leader. He emits powerful energy blasts from his eyes.

Brotherhood of Mutants

The Brotherhood is Magneto's personal strike force, whose goal is to ensure mutant supremacy.

• Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto: Leader and founder of The Brotherhood, this incredibly powerful mutant can manipulate any form of metal. He is a Holocaust survivor who wages war against humanity in the name of mutant superiority, a goal that often pits him against his old friend Charles Xavier. Has very little interest in or regard for non-mutant human life. He has sophisticated knowledge in matters of genetic manipulation and engineering and has used radiation to mutate humans.

• Famke Janssen as Jean Grey / Phoenix: A former member of the X-Men who sacrificed herself to save her comrades. She is a Class 5 mutant and possesses limitless telepathic powers as well as limitless telekinetic powers that can be used at a sub-atomic level. It is revealed that when she was young Xavier locked away a large portion of her power, which created two personalities within her, and that after the incident at the end of X2, the dark side of Jean's persona known as the Phoenix is unleashed, and combined with her lack of control over her powers means she can disintegrate people at will.

• Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme / Mystique: Magneto's blue-skinned right-hand woman can shapeshift to match anyone's appearance and can fight with incredible agility and strength.

• Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce / Pyro: Former Xavier Institute student Pyro can manipulate fire, although he cannot start it (he carries a lighter - attached to a cuff on his wrist - with him at all times). He holds a grudge against his former friend Bobby Drake.

• Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko / Juggernaut: The Juggernaut is a new recruit to the Brotherhood. He is incredibly strong, fast, and once he gains momentum, no force can stop him. Despite being the stepbrother of Xavier in the comics, there is no mention of his relation in the film.

• Eric Dane as Jamie Madrox / Multiple Man: Multiple Man can split himself into multiple copies. He is a criminal who joins the Brotherhood upon their releasing him.

The Omegas

A group of mutant outcasts which exists as part of an underground network that stretches across the nation.

• Dania Ramirez as Callisto: Callisto is the leader of The Omegas, a group of mutant outcasts. In the comics, she led a similar group called The Morlocks. She possesses superhuman speed, reflexes, and agility. She can also sense the presence and powers of other mutants. Throughout the film she is constantly battling Storm. In the comic book storyline Storm and Callisto had to battle to see who was the true leader of the Morlocks.

• Omahyra Mota as Arclight: Arclight can generate shockwaves of concussive force by slapping her hands together.

• Ken Leung as Kid Omega: Has porcupine-like spines he can extend or retract at will. This character resembles the comic books' character Quill; however, the official cast credits read "Kid Omega".

• Mei Melançon as Psylocke: Psylocke has the ability to teleport herself through shadows.

Other characters

• Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III / Angel: He has feathered wings which allow him to fly. Cayden Boyd plays Warren as a child.

• Michael Murphy as Warren Worthington II: The head of Worthington Labs, the corporation developing the "cure". He is Angel's father, and wants to rid his son of his mutant abilities.

• Cameron Bright as Jimmy / Leech: A mutant boy whose power neutralizes the powers of nearby mutants. His DNA is the basis for the "cure". After being rescued, he is admitted to the Xavier Institute.

• Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dr. Kavita Rao: Rao is a scientist working at Worthington Labs on the mutant cure, which was created with the DNA of Leech.

The sergeant directing defensive preparations before the Brotherhood assaults Alcatraz Island is played by Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey, a former U.S. Marine Corps non-commissioned officer who became a military adviser for films and frequent military character actor, best known for his appearance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the Stanley Kubrick film Full Metal Jacket.

X-Men co-creator Stan Lee and writer Chris Claremont have cameos in the film's opening scene as neighbors in Jean Grey's old neighborhood. Respectively, they are credited as "Waterhose man" and "Lawnmower man".

Despite playing a key role in the secret ending and portrayed as having close personal ties to Professor Xavier, Moira MacTaggert, portrayed by Olivia Williams, was not listed in the official press notes' cast list and goes uncredited in the finished film.

Alan Cumming was reportedly uncomfortable with the long hours he had to take with the Nightcrawler makeup, but still planned to return for X-Men: The Last Stand. The part for Nightcrawler was so minimal, however, that the studio felt it was not worthwhile to go through the long and costly makeup process, and the character was cut. Nightcrawler's absence was explained in the tie-in game.

In the scene where Magneto first meets the Omegas, there is a very large man who slims down in order to sit down between two people. The character, Phat, is played by two actors, Via Saleaumua and Richard Yee, as Phat in "large mode" and "small mode", respectively. The DVD release features a deleted scene in which Phat is frozen solid by Iceman and then shattered by Colossus.

The character Spike, portrayed by Lance Gibson, battles Wolverine in the forest, where he was depicted with the ability to extrude and hurl bony spikes from his flesh. A rhino-like mutant is seen being depowered on Alcatraz in a deleted scene. An animatic on the DVD shows the character who breathes hot embers is named Ash, and the novel lists a raven-haired, leaping female as Komodo.

In the Xavier Institute when Storm and Professor X are walking down the corridor talking about “why they are still hiding”, there are three identical girls (the Stepford Cuckoos).

Box Office

X-Men: The Last Stand grossed $45.1 million domestically for the fifth-highest opening day after The Dark Knight ($68.7 million), Spider-Man 3 ($59 million), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($55.8 million), and Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ($50 million). (All figures here not adjusted for inflation.) It is ranked fourth among film debuts having generated an estimated $122.9 million domestically during its four-day Memorial Day opening weekend and the number one Memorial Day movie of all time until the record was broken by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End which earned $142 million during its four-day Memorial Day opening. The website The Numbers notes that the film's weekend gross "equals the record for the fewest number of days taken to earn $100 million, joining four other movies that achieved the feat in three days." However, the film suffered a significant drop of 66.9% in its second weekend, when its box office take fell to $34.0 million.[23] Nevertheless, the film has grossed over $234 million in North America (fourth-highest of 2006) and over $459 million globally (fifth-highest of 2006). It is the fifth-highest-grossing comic book adaptation, and the highest grossing of the X-Men series. It became the first film of 2006, and the 67th film on record, to pass the $200 million mark at the North American box office, which it accomplished on the weekend of June 9, 2006. It is the first X-Men movie to surpass $200 million outside the United States. X-Men: The Last Stand is one of the few third installments in a series to outgross its predecessors, Spider-Man 3 and The Return of the King being examples.