X-MEN: THE LAST STAND
aka X-MEN 3
Year: 2006
USA & UK: Twentieth Century Fox
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Vinnie Jones, Ben Foster, Dania Ramirez, Ellen Page, Michael Murphy, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Josef Sommer, Bill Duke, Daniel Cudmore, Eric Dane, Kea Wong, Connor Widdows, Bryce Hodgson, Luke Pohl, Shauna Kain, Cameron Bright, Adrian Hough, Desiree Zurowski, Haley Ramm, Cayden Boyd, Julian Richings, Benita Ha, Omahyra, Ken Leung, Aaron Pearl, Ron James, Julian D Christopher, Makenzie Vega, Anthony Heald, R Lee Ermey, Tanya Newbould, Peter Kawasaki, John Pyper-Ferguson, Chelah Horsdal, Justin Callan, Brenna O'Brien, Robert Hayley, Donna Goodhand, Stan Lee, Chris Claremont, Mei Melançon, Via Saleaumua, Emy Aneke, Richard Yee, Alex Ferris, Lloyd Adams, Lance Gibson, Ronald Blecker, Zoltain Buday, Brad Kelly, Mi Jung Lee, Clayton Watmough
Director: Brett Ratner
Country: USA
USA & UK: 104 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of action violence, some sexual content and language
UK Certificate: 12A contains sustained moderate violence
USA Release Date: 26 May 2006
UK Release Date: 25 May 2006
Synopsis
In X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, the climax of the X-MEN motion picture trilogy, a "cure" for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history. For the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their powers to fit in. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Eric Lehnsherr (Magneto), who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test - triggering the war to end all wars.
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND reunites the stars of the first two X-MEN films: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, a solitary fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable adamantium claws and an animal-like fury; Halle Berry as Storm, who can manipulate all forms of weather as well as fly; Ian McKellen as Magneto, a powerful mutant who can control and manipulate metal; Patrick Stewart as Xavier, a telepath and the founder and leader of the X-Men; Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, a mutant with incalculably powerful telekinetic and telepathic abilities; Anna Paquin as Rogue, who absorbs the powers and threatens the life of anyone she touches; Rebecca Romijn as the shape-shifting Mystique; James Marsden as Cyclops, whose eyes release an energy beam that can rip holes through mountains; and Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, who can lower his body temperature and radiate intense cold. Also reprising their X2 roles are Aaron Stanford as fire-manipulator Pyro and Daniel Cudmore as Colossus, who can change his flesh into organic steel.
Kelsey Grammer joins the X-MEN: THE LAST STAND cast as one of the X-Men universe's most beloved characters: Dr. Henry McCoy, also known as Beast. McCoy is a highly intelligent geneticist, a mutant endowed with superhuman agility and physical prowess. As the subject of one of his own experiments, McCoy mutated further, growing blue, bestial fur.
Brett Ratner, who established a motion picture franchise with RUSH HOUR, and expanded the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS franchise with RED DRAGON, directs. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND stays true to the tone and story arcs of X-MEN and X2, while expanding the characters, continuing the balance between spectacle and reality, and, especially, deepening the emotion and relationships.
In doing so, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND raises issues that resonate today: Is conformity an antidote to prejudice? Is it cowardice to give up individuality to fit in and avoid persecution? Is the personal right to choose inviolate? Is great power a blessing or a curse?