It’s ‘X-Men’ time!

Fastball Special (n.) – a classic X-Men move wherein a fearless runt with adamantium claws is thrust long and hard by a strong, metallic man to impose maximum damage to an enemy. And in the movie, that specific enemy is just one of the Marvel-ous surprises offered to us by Fox’s latest movie offering, X-Men 3: The Last Stand. Thanks to my constant worship and adoration of the mutant community, I was privileged enough to have been invited to the press screening of the much-awaited action flick at the newly opened Mall of Asia along Roxas Boulevard. With me were my friends James, Matt, and Harold, three members of my self-coined "Men and X-Men Club" which I share all my geekiness and enthusiasm with for familias Homo Superior. After a long day of Sunday rehearsals for our Rep showcase, we were treated to a glorious assortment of food and refreshments before the movie event in anticipation for the 8 o’ clock premiere. Eating, I must have actually felt my cup runneth over, in enthusiasm for the third and possibly final installment of the popular mutant movie line. It’s been a long time coming since X2’s triumphant advent in the box-office charts in 2003. Get your claws and your visors ready. It’s X-Men time!

Rather than do a movie review, I will instead offer some insight as to how comic book plot threads tie up into the movie. First and foremost is the prospect of a mutant cure that threatens the mutant population. After years of research, the Worthington Enterprise has developed a cure for the mutant gene by extracting genetic samples from Leech, a young mutant who has the ability to nullify the powers of mutants within his personal radius. Headed by known mutant geneticist Dr. Kavita Rao, the experiment has weaved a schism into the already divided mutant community. Those in the camp of Magneto view it as a threat and an insult to their existence, thus spurring a genetic war between his newly formed Brotherhood and the rest of humanity. As if they didn’t have enough problems of their own, the X-Men are unfortunately caught in the middle to prevent further catastrophe from erupting between the warring houses. Amazingly, the genius of Joss Whedon in his highly acclaimed and ongoing Astonishing X-Men run is intertwined within the movie’s many subplots into brewing a creative tension between mutants and humans.

Chris Claremont is also not to be forgotten as the movie pays homage to his memorable "Dark Phoenix" run in the ‘80s. Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Red Dragon) brings back fan-favorite Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, the X-Men’s resident telekinetic with an untapped potential to be the most powerful mutant on earth. Only this time around, she’s not quite the sugar and spice, and everything nice redhead that we were formerly acquainted with in the previous X-Men flicks. Also returning are Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman who reprise their roles as Storm and Wolverine, respectively. While the previous movies have always explored Wolverine’s mysterious past, Storm earns a more significant amount of screen time this time around as a rumored clause to Berry’s celebrated return. Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen also return as the pacifist Professor X and the fiendish Magneto. This time, X-Men 3 is able to dab into the two’s not-so-distant past and how started their opposing idealisms on mutant-human affairs. James Marsden, Aaron Stanford, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos, Shawn Ashmore, and Anna Paquin also jump onboard to complete the junior cast of X-Men 3. As the Dark Phoenix Saga proves to be a predominant subplot in the story, traces of Claremont’s X-treme X-men run are hinted and form-fitted all throughout the movie.

Kelsey Grammer joins the cast as the Beast, a mutant endowed with superhuman agility and animal instincts who also works for the government as the Secretary for Mutant-Human Affairs. Ben Foster also flies onboard as the Angel, mutant and heir to Worthington Enterprises. It’s quite ironic how two of the first five X-Men recruited by Professor X in the comic book only show up in the third, and hopefully not the last, installment of the movie. But you know what they say, "Better late than never." Personally though, the standout in this movie is Kitty Pryde, a teenage girl who can phase through solid matter. Ellen Page is the lucky contender for the role, as she emanated a raw coolness of youth and power, also becoming the third pawn in the Iceman-Rogue-Shadowcat love triangle that was conceptualized in the Ultimate X-Men comic book line. Dania Ramirez also joins as the feisty Callisto, a mutant who possesses super speed and the ability to sense other mutants’ powers. Ramirez shares a few golden moments with Berry as they portray the famous comic book rivalry between Callisto and Storm in the X-Men’s first encounter with the Morlocks.

Amid twists and turns, alliances and betrayals, endings and new beginnings, X-Men 3 definitely keeps the action high up and fan boys glued to the edge of their seats. Hopefully, it won’t be the last movie because with the success of X-Men 3 and its promotional tie-ups with American Idol (Kat or Taylor?), it would be plain ridiculous not to add to the promising saga of an X-Men Movie line. Besides, there’s still so much to be explored. Do the Hellfire Club, Apocalypse, Cassandra Nova, Gambit, Emma Frost, etc. etc. ring a bell? For action, drama, suspense, and those funny Wolverine moments in the tradition of Joss Whedon, I give it a four-thumbs-up, my toe-thumbs included. P.S. Save yourself some money and stay ‘til the end of the credits. You’ll know why.

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Catch your breath and let me know what you think at chasingtoff@yahoo.com.