X-Men 3 - The Last Stand

Herald rating: * * *

If it is, in fact, a last stand for the X-folk then it's probably best. The third film in this formerly standard-setting superhero franchise sure turns up the special effects and concludes with a battle royal between mutant factions and mere mortals, causings spectacular upheavals to the landmarks in a certain Californian city.

But it's as if, being centred on an intriguing premise - concerning a genetic "cure" for mutancy - and a plot which calls for the shocking demise of some core characters, that X-3 can't capitalise on those fresh ideas.

On paper, it threatens to be the smartest, most emotionally demanding movie of the trilogy which had thus far showed respect for the original comic series fans by playing it straight and smart.

But new director Ratner can't find a way to make the script's bold moves resonate and the film ends up resembling an all-in WWF tag match, only with better acting and more impressive knock-downs.

Yes, Stewart, McKellen, Jackman, Berry, Paquin and Janssen (a surprise comeback considering Jean Grey's fate in X-2) again bring the collective gravitas which made a class act of the previous incarnations, even if their characters' names still suggest they are, in fact, brands of aftershave or perfume.

And the new cast members - including Grammer as the blue and hairy Beast and Vinnie Jones as the hard-headed Juggernaut - don't add much and for all its superpower energ. It all feels like franchise fatigue is kicking in.

Its script might ask a big question - if you could "cure" the things that make you different, would you?

But either the film isn't brave enough to come up with an interesting answer - having set up Paquin's Rogue to face the conundrum - or maybe the resolution just gets lost in all that battle finale noise.

The ending suggests any further film might be The Next X-Generation. But after this - a moderately enjoyable action romp which is still better than The Fantastic Four - it seems like the X-factor has run out.

CAST: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn
DIRECTOR: Brett Ratner
RATING: M (medium level violence)
RUNNING TIME: 110mins
SCREENING: Village, Hoyts, Berkeley from Thursday