I can't fathom why this film has gotten negative reviews. I saw it today and consider it the best of the three.

It continues to develop the characters in highly compelling ways, and advances the story in new and interesting directions (some of them very unexpected).

Magneto in particular stands-out, and Ian McKellen gets the chance to flex his acting muscles a little more, in a performance of real intensity. There are also some striking observations about the hipocricy of revolutionaries (and their selective ideas on who is worthy to share in their new order).

I don't want to give anything away but I'd say this is the heaviest of the X-Men films. I was struck by the film's effectively grim, apocalyptic atmosphere. There's a definite "end of the world" feel to the entire production (kind of like War of the Worlds except this film is good enough to furnish an interesting story and characters). Patrick Stewart seems a little better used than he was in X-2, and Hugh Jackman remains terrific as ever, by turns intense and funny. Kelsey Grammar is equally excellent. Only Halle Barry is dull (as usual), but fortunately the film doesn't hinge on her.

I'll be seeing this film a second time before its theatrical run is over.

I only have one question about the film -- why can't anyone write an interesting score for an X-Men movie?


Paul

I'm definitely going to find a way to take Joanne to this sometime this weekend! Looking forward to it...though I can't answer the question about the music, though. Kamen and Ottman struck out (though I'm with you my friend that Kamen's was actually superior to Ottman's) and I haven't heard enough of Powell's to form a real judgement.

In fairness Powell's score was certainly not awful. I'd say it was better than Ottman's.

On the other hand it was probably not as good as Goldsmith's The Shadow either!


Paul

I like Powell. Score is pretty good, imo.

I am not sure where the Hateorade is coming in for this film. I liked it at least as much as I liked Xmen 2, which I felt was good solid fun.

JAY SHERMAN: It stinks!

And Ottman's score to X2 was excellent.

JAY SHERMAN: It stinks!

And Ottman's score to X2 was excellent.

I don't know who Jay Sherman is, but I myself feel Ottman's score is the weakest of the three.

The only really dynamic music in the film is when Nightcrawler attacks the president -- and that was Mozart's Requiem.

I find Kamen's score to be the best of the three (tho I do feel it could have been better considering it was written by the man who did Highlander).

Kamen's score certainly isn't much to listen to alone -- for the most part it is more a tapestry of drama-enhancing musical textures and moods, and doesn't work too well as a stand-alone listening experience. But it remains very effective dramatically, and Kamen's gift for instrumental color is one of its a major assets.

And X-Men it does at least have the beautiful "Logan and Rogue" cue, which shows Kamen's passion and lyricism at its best (I bought the CD for this cue alone).

Ottman's music by contrast is very simplistic musically. Like Kamen's, it has very rudimentary themes, but unlike Kamen's, dull orchestration & bland instrumental groupings. Its dramatically serviceable, but even in this area it never really does much to enhance the drama and emmotional highs and lows of the film. Its just...passionless.

I can do without the electronic percussion effects in Kamen's score, but his music at least invests the film with passion, tension and emmotional intensity (the concentration camp scene being one of the best examples).

I've only seen X-3 once thus far, but I have to say John Powell's score struck me as more energized than Ottman's, tho I'd have to see/hear it again before being able to make a concrete assessment.