| X-Men: The Last Stand | |
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| Riffed by | RiffTrax |
| Riffers | Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett |
| Series | X-Men Trilogy, Marvel Movies |
| Date Released | June 21, 2011 |
X-Men: The Last Stand (also known as X-Men 3 or X3) is a 2006 superhero film, based on the X-Men superhero team introduced in Marvel Comics. The film, distributed by 20th Century Fox, is the third installment in the X-Men film series. It was directed by Brett Ratner, written by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn, and features an ensemble cast, including Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, and Famke Janssen. The film's script is loosely based on two X-Men comic book story arcs: "The Dark Phoenix Saga" by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, and "Gifted" by writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday, with a plot that revolves around a "mutant cure" that causes serious repercussions among mutants and humans, and on the resurrection of Jean Grey. RiffTrax released their riff in June 2011.
Synopsis and Preview[]
Rifftrax - X-Men The Last Stand Trailer
[Spoilers Begin]
Twenty years previously, Professor Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr meet young Jean Grey at her parents' house to invite her to join their school. Ten years later, the industrialist father of Warren Worthington III discovers his son is a mutant as the boy tries to cut off his wings.
In the present, Worthington Labs announces it has developed an inoculation to suppress the X-gene that gives mutants their abilities, offering the "cure" to any mutant who wants it. The cure is created from the genome of a young mutant named Jimmy, who lives at the Worthington facility on Alcatraz Island. While some mutants are interested in the cure, including the X-Men's Rogue, many others are horrified by the announcement. In response to the news, Lensherr, now known as the X-Men's adversary Magneto, reforms his Brotherhood of Mutants with mutants who oppose the cure, warning his followers that the cure will be forcefully used to exterminate the mutant race.
With help from Mystique and Pyro, Magneto recruits Callisto, Juggernaut, and Multiple Man, though Mystique takes a shot of the mutant cure aimed at Magneto, leading him to abandon her. Meanwhile, Cyclops, still distraught over the loss of fiancée Jean Grey, drives to her resting location at Alkali Lake. Jean appears to Cyclops but, as the two kiss, Jean starts disintegrating her lover. Sensing trouble, Xavier sends Wolverine and Storm to investigate. When they arrive, the two X-Men find telekinetically floating rocks, Cyclops' glasses, and an unconscious Jean. Cyclops himself is nowhere to be found.
When they return to the X-Mansion, Xavier explains to Wolverine that, when Jean sacrificed herself, she unleashed the powerful alternate personality she calls "Phoenix", which Xavier had telepathically repressed, fearing the Phoenix's destructive potential. Wolverine is disgusted to learn of this psychic tampering with Jean's mind but, once she awakens, Wolverine realizes she killed Cyclops and is not the Jean Grey he knew. The Phoenix awakens, knocks out Wolverine, and escapes to her childhood home.
Magneto learns of Jean's resurrection through Callisto, and the X-Men arrive at the Grey home at the same time as the Brotherhood. Magneto and Xavier vie for Jean's loyalty until the Phoenix resurfaces. She destroys the house and disintegrates Xavier before leaving with Magneto. The Brotherhood decides to strike Worthington Labs, and Magneto uses his powers to relocate the Golden Gate Bridge to connect Alcatraz to the San Francisco mainland to facilitate the attack. The X-Men confront the Brotherhood, despite being significantly outnumbered, and arrive just as the military troops, who thus far had been neutralizing the attacking mutants, are overwhelmed by the Brotherhood.
During the fight, Beast injects Magneto with the cure, nullifying his powers, and Kitty Pryde and Jimmy save themselves from Juggernaut's attack. Army reinforcements arrive and attack Jean, awakening the Phoenix, who uses her powers to obliterate the troops. As the Phoenix's attacks begin to destroy the facilities and mutants at Alcatraz, Wolverine realizes that, due to his healing factor, only he can approach the Phoenix. Wolverine approaches her, and Jean momentarily gains control and begs him to save her. Wolverine fatally stabs Jean, stopping the devastating force, but mourns her death.
Sometime later, Xavier's school is still operating with Storm as headmistress, and the president of the United States appoints Beast as ambassador to the United Nations. Rogue reveals to Bobby Drake that she has taken the cure, while Magneto sits alone at a chessboard in a San Francisco park. As he gestures toward a metal chess piece, it wobbles slightly, suggesting that his powers are returning.
In a post-credits scene, Dr. Moira MacTaggert checks on a comatose patient who greets her with Xavier's voice. Startled, she replies, "Charles?"
[Spoilers End]
Cast and Crew[]
- Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine
- Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe / Storm
- Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X
- Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
- Anna Paquin as Marie / Rogue
- Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Hank McCoy / Beast
- James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops
- Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake / Iceman
- Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat
- Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin / Colossus
- Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III / Angel