I somewhat agree. However, the ones he is rating high are also the ones almost everyone else gushed over as well, so nothing really unique.

There's a reason why everyone else gushed over them, they are simply the better made movies. Fans tend to ignore a lot of flaws based on fanservice content alone, conversely they'll ignore strengths if it strays from source material. Ebert is judging the movie as a movie.

So X-Men 3 was his highest rated? Maybe we shouldn't take his advice on X-Men movies anymore.

That's actually the way I judge comic book movies as well. I tend to know a lot about the source material for each one as I am a geek. However, I always ask myself if such a movie would have entertained me if I were not a fan of the source material. If it would have, then I think it was a good movie that was well made. If I have to be a fan of the source to get any enjoyment (like Watchmen IMO), then I will say it is a good movie IMO, but not well made. If it bombs out on both levels (Ghost Rider, Spirit, DareDevil Theatrical), then it's truly bad!

I think of it in 3 parts. I'm an comic fan. I'm a movie goer. I'm also someone educated in film and filmmaking.

As a comic book fan?
For the most part yeah...interesting adaptation. I enjoyed it.

As a movie goer?
I enjoyed it for the most part..did have some cheese at times.

As someone who knows films and is able to critique it as a standalone project?
It's a film w/ great promise that has great startings of Grade A moments that at times fall quickly to ok/mediore.

McAvoy and Fassbender were solid, Byrne did good too. Story in theory sounds great. Visual design was neat. Music was solid at times but also to generic standards when used. Effects were mostly solid but could've been better polished. The emotions in the film could be felt but again...they sometimes go too far and it hits the cheese factor. A lot of stuff was just too much of the same. Does Xavier really need to touch his all the time?! He did more than 8 times at least.

I felt inklings of that Erik and Charles appreciation. I think their separation could've been in another movie. It just didn't feel stronger. The characters had the emotion for it but the story didn't give it time grow better. A lot of the characters were not very useful....barely if at all had a personality..they were just bodies. The Angel character was interesting but put into action she mattered oh so little in what she did and it didn't feel right. The actress for that was just hitting what was needed. The rest of the actors did fine, sometimes it was too little to do w/ the characters. Dialogue at times again...was hitting good solid moments ONLY to be taken down by some clunky predictable words. This film's worst enemy was the script. Direction was fine for the most part it was just the script that didn't further what elevation in the story could be done.

Too much was being done to be part of the continuity that was already there. It's too obvious. This should've been it's own beast to grow and evolve well. The cameo was fun but unnecessary. The 3rd act feels great and it gets you excited but once again that elevation to great work is brought down by generic execution from dialogue or action.


Is this a good movie? Yes, far from great though. Well most people enjoy this? Yes.

Probably....a B. Has A+ elements B level story handling and flaws.

X2 and X-men 3 both got 3 out of 4 ratings. I agree with his complaints on X2 and can see where he's coming from on X-men 3.

As a fan though, X-men 3 was just terrible.

I think that's a general thought for the most part. As a fan, it was horrid. Film was too stupid and messy direction.

I thought it was great -- filled in a lot of the blanks much like the Star Wars prequels did, only better. McAvoy's performance teetered on an Austin Powers impression at times. January Jones is unbelievably gorgeous, and an unbelievably bad actress. And there is a cameo in the movie that is awesome. I'm not going to even spoilerize it so as not to tempt anyone, you just have to see it.

that's a shitty way of putting it. It could've been done much better.

You talking about me or the movie?

Couldn't you say that about any cameo? They really don't add a lot.

The movie

...some aren't fun..but yes..in my recent memory a cameo is worthless. It was funny, I'll admit but again...too much about their hopes for retaining a continuity which hampers the film as a whole.

I thought it was great - not perfect but I liked it. Fassbender and McAvoy were brilliant and when they are onscreen, the movie is dynamite. I just wish it had slowed down a bit to give us more time with them together, recruiting more mutants, instead of breezing through a LOT of that stuff. Kevin Bacon made for a good villain and I've had a crush on Rose Byrne for years, so I loved her. Jennifer Lawrence was beautiful and did a decent job with Mystique, the main weak spot of the movie being January Jones, who sucks complete balls. A few of the story beats don't quite work for me and the cuban missile crisis plot didn't engage me that much, but everything with Charles & Erik = WIN. I would definitely like to see Vaughn take another shot at the series with these leads. 4/5

If it's actually part of the other 3 why---

I remember in the X-Men cartoon, it was Prof X's powers that put him in the chair. They went to an island that blocked mutant powers & he could walk around fine since his powers weren't working.

Saw it. Really liked it. If this were the first X-Men movie ever made and I had seen it when I was in prime of my reading the comic (age 16) , I would have thought this the best movie ever. It had some flaws, a bit long IMO, but the performances really carried it. One that stood out: Michael Fassbender. He pretty much embodied the bad ass, younger/trimmer Magneto I envisioned while reading the comics.

More later, but one question:

-Is it safe to assume that Bryan Singer means to invalidate X3 with this movie? That one was not written by him and was without his involvement too my knowledge. If you watch this one with the two he made, it goes rather well as a trilogy. If you include X3, it will leave you scratching your head.

EDIT: The cameo was brilliant.

I hate to nitpick about one thing, but is Sebastian Shaw supposed to be German? Let me explain: They introduced him as a Nazi (who spoke with a terrible accent (I speak German)), but later on he's speaking English with a perfect American accent...if he was German, shouldn't have he spoken English with a German accent? How did nobody think about this? Did anybody else also notice that 1944 Shaw looked alot older than 1962 Shaw? Wtf.

Finally, this is more for the comic book readers since they know his background, but Shaw was a originally a human who gained his powers through experimentation?


As for the movie itself, despite some terribly cheesy moments, I enjoyed it. It was fun...nothing more, nothing less.

Well, if you were one of those guys who were awaiting that "X-Men Origins: Magneto" movie, this is basically it, folks! The character not only provides the bookends for this movie, but his journey (From nazi-hunter to hero to villain) is covered throughout. And as others continue to say, the film really reaches special status whenever Fassbender and McAvoy are together....And that's after Fassbender replaces Jennifer Lawrence's role (Speaking of which, I also loved those early scenes with Charles & Mystique) But the overall result, as an X-Men film, was still a joy.

My only minor nitpicks are:
1) Lack of an "Oomph" for the musical score. There's some "Rockin'" music that often pops up that works, but a lot of the music used in the climax was too generic (Felt like it belonged in those late 80's/early 90's adventure flicks) Some recognizable chords from the first two X-films would've been nice.

2) Everything looked way too contemporary for a 60's setting. Should've been more of an attempt to "Date" the film.

3) Wasn't a fan of those "Superhero name-calling" moments. Definetly on the corny side. But at least I let out a laugh for Beast's proposed name.

And what almost became a nitpick was that I thought it was a seriously brave move to introduce the training sequences so late into the film, but they still worked out just fine (The inner 11 year-old in me was jumping with joy whenever Banshee flew with his scream)

New life has definetly been breathed into this franchise! And good gawd, J-Lawrence

Or rather fucked up what was already established.



But those are minor nitpicks.

Christoph Waltz is German and speaks English with an American accent. It's not unheard of.

...I think you misunderstood. If Waltz has spoken with an American accent in a movie it's because he was playing an American.
Shaw is supposed to be German (at least that's how I saw it) and should have spoken English with a German accent, not an American one.

Oh and Waltz is actually Austrian. Semantics, I know. Austria is to Germany like Canada is to the USA.

Waltz, playing a German, spoke with an American accent during the beginning of Inglorious Basterdz.

But my bad about Waltz' heritage. I didn't know he was Austrian and genuinely thought he was German.

In any case, my point is that just because a person is from a given nationality, doesn't mean they well necessarily speak with an accent stereotypical of their nationality when speaking English (or any other language).

Are you kidding me??? He had a HEAVY accent when he spoke English in that opening scene.

I seriously can't believe you said that...you sir have no ear for accents.

My Dad was born in Germany and grew up there. He's as German as it gets. He's lived in the US for the past 28 years, only speaks German when visiting his mom in Germany once a year and has spoken English fluently since he was a teen...he still has a clear German accent.

I remember a heavy accent during his conversation with Brad Pitt but not duirng the beginning of the movie.

But perhaps your right that I have no ear for accents. Would explain why I'm indifferent towards them (not finding them sexy or anything).

Shaw was a mutant.

My review:

"Go fuck yourself."

3.5/5

So... Did you like that cameo or not?