X-Men: The Last Stand is that one movie that still has fans and casual watchers scratching their heads in confusion. It’s like a superhero sandwich, with a slice of two very different X-Men stories – one of which is the heavyweight champion of X-Men tales!

The movie swings for the fences with the legendary Dark Phoenix Saga, while also juggling a subplot about a mutant “cure.” Imagine trying to pat your head and rub your belly while balancing on a unicycle – that’s this film’s narrative in a nutshell. Critics have noted that the movie tries to serve up a buffet of themes and political allegories, like the controversy of “curing” mutants (read: genetic tinkering). But in the rush to cover all bases, it ends up more like a whirlwind tour through X-Men land, missing the emotional pit stops that made the earlier movies such a ride.

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine remains the king of the mutant jungle, oozing depth and that signature Jackman charm. Meanwhile, other X-Men like Halle Berry’s Storm and Kelsey Grammer’s Beast seemed to have taken a backseat, with critics noting their lack of development and screen magic. Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey, who morphs into the formidable Dark Phoenix, was meant to be the star of the show, but somehow got lost in the shuffle of explosions and mayhem.

On the flip side, if you’re in it for the thrills, The Last Stand doesn’t disappoint. The action scenes are a visual treat, with the Golden Gate Bridge sequence stealing the show and flexing the movie’s CGI muscles. Yet, amidst the fireworks, some critics couldn’t help but wonder if the story’s heart got lost in the spectacle.

X-Men: The Last Stand aimed to be the grand finale of the original mutant saga, tying up loose ends and tossing in a few curveballs into the mutant mix. Despite tripping over its own cape at times, the flick managed to charm the wallets right out of audiences’ pockets, keeping the X-Men dream alive for future movies and offshoots. Sure, it’s the target of some face-palms for its plot hiccups and sometimes paper-thin characters, but it’s still a key player in the X-Men line-up. With punchy action and a dabbling in deep themes, it’s a superhero smorgasbord that, love it or loathe it, carved out its own spot in the spandex-clad cinematic universe.

In 1986, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr visited a young Jean Grey at her home to extend an invitation to join their school, the X-Mansion. A decade later, in 1996, Warren Worthington II is shocked to find his son attempting to remove his own wings, revealing his mutant nature.

Fast forward to the present day, where Worthington Labs has unveiled a vaccine designed to suppress the X-gene that grants mutants their powers. This “cure” draws mixed reactions; some mutants like Rogue, who harms others with her touch, are interested, while others distrust it. Magneto revives his Brotherhood of Mutants, rallying those against the cure, and cautions that it could be used to wipe out their kind. Aided by Pyro, Callisto, and others, Magneto liberates Mystique, Multiple Man, and Juggernaut from a moving prison. However, when Mystique takes a hit for Magneto with a cure dart, she loses her powers, and Magneto coldly leaves her behind.

In a heart-wrenching twist, Scott Summers, devastated by Jean Grey’s demise, finds himself at Alkali Lake where Jean mysteriously returns, only to deliver a deadly kiss. Sensing chaos, Professor Xavier sends Logan and Storm to investigate. They discover a chaotic scene, a comatose Jean, but Scott is nowhere to be found. At the X-Mansion, Xavier confesses that Jean’s noble act has unleashed the “Phoenix,” a powerful persona he had suppressed. Logan is shocked by Xavier’s meddling with Jean’s psyche. When Jean awakens, it’s evident she’s changed, having claimed Scott’s life. The Phoenix, now in control, overpowers Logan and escapes. Concurrently, Magneto hears of Jean’s resurgence and meets the X-Men at her family home. A fierce clash erupts over Jean’s loyalty, ending with the Phoenix destroying the house and Xavier, then leaving with Magneto.

The FBI’s interrogation of a depowered Mystique leads them to Magneto’s woodland lair, but they’re met with Multiple Man’s duplicates instead. The Brotherhood’s attack on Alcatraz targets the young mutant Jimmy, who’s key to the ‘cure.’ The X-Men intervene, with Kitty Pryde rescuing Jimmy and Hank McCoy disabling Magneto’s powers. Logan, empowered by his healing abilities, is the only one who can face the rampaging Phoenix. In a heart-wrenching moment, he fulfils Jean’s last wish, bringing her turmoil to an end.

In the aftermath, mutants gain rights, Storm leads Xavier’s school, and McCoy steps onto the global stage as a U.N. ambassador. Rogue and Bobby‘s romance blooms post-cure. A weakened Magneto, playing chess alone, hints at retained powers with a slight twitch of a piece. And in a distant facility, Moira MacTaggert hears Xavier’s voice from a patient thought lost, hinting at a mystery yet to unfold.

(1) The movie’s plot is a wild mash-up, snatching storylines from two wildly different comic arcs: Gifted from Astonishing X-Men, where we first meet the brainy Kavita Rao, and the iconic Dark Phoenix Saga from Uncanny X-Men #129-137. And let’s not forget a dash of nostalgia with a sprinkle from the 90’s cartoon episode The Cure, which might just be the secret ingredient that sparked the Gifted storyline.

(2) “This one’s special.” quipped Charles, not just alluding to his tight-knit bond with Jean and her formidable powers, but also giving a nod to their comic book history. Yep, before Xavier became the headmaster of the coolest school for gifted youngsters, he and Jean were already an X-Men dream team.

(3) Imagine the scene: Chris Claremont, the legendary scribe of the Dark Phoenix Saga, and Stan Lee, the superhero of comic book cameos, casually chilling in front of their homes. Suddenly, everything floats by, Jean showing off her telekinetic prowess. 

(4) The Danger Room, a staple in the team’s training regimen since their debut, is where Logan and Colossus perfected the Fastball Special. This dynamic duo has been tossing each other around in the comics with this signature move since the disco era! 

(5) In the whirlwind world of mutant politics, the Department of Mutant Affairs is the go-to place. With Val Cooper and Henry Gyrich steering the ship in both the comics and the animated series X-Men ’97, it’s a surprise that Beast has clawed his way into the mix. And let’s not forget the mysterious secretary ‘Trask’ – rumoured to be a chip off the old block of Bolivar Trask, the mastermind behind the Sentinel program. For more on his robotic legacy, just take a peek at X-Men: Days of Future Past, where the future is not just written, but also well-guarded by towering metal giants.. 

(6) Jimmy, affectionately known as Leech, is a character plucked from the Morlocks’ underground society. He made a splash in the 2024 revival of X-Men ’97, sporting his iconic comic book look that fans have come to adore.

(7) Moira is nothing like her character in the comics. Which is a good thing, because she’s the ultimate threat apparently…

(8) The X-Men didn’t hang their hats at Alcatraz, but they did once call the island of Utopia home, a little mutant paradise floating just off the coast of San Francisco Bay. 

(9) In a twist of fate, Callisto takes the reins as the head honcho of the Omegas instead of the Morlocks. And talk about a power swap – she’s rocking the mutant-sensing abilities that Caliban flaunted in the comic books. 

(10) In this cinematic universe, mutants are rated like kitchen appliances – with most falling between the 1-3 range, Magneto hitting a solid 4, and Jean Grey breaking the scale at a class 5. Meanwhile, back in the comic book realm, Jean’s telepathy is off the charts as an Omega mutant, which basically means she could win any argument without saying a word. But in the movies, they’ve pumped up her telekinesis, because who needs mind-reading when you can fling people around with your brain? 

(11) Jean Grey’s dramatic emergence from the depths, as depicted on the iconic cover of Uncanny X-Men #101, remains a defining moment in comic book history. It’s a scene that captures the essence of rebirth and power, much like a phoenix rising from the ashes – or in Jean’s case, making a splashy entrance from the water! 

(12) The iconic moment when Jean Grey asks Cyclops to take off his visor, revealing his eyes for the first time, is a direct lift from the comic books. This scene is widely regarded as the moment Scott and Jean’s relationship truly began. 

(13) In the comic world, as well as in the film Dark Phoenix, the Phoenix is a cosmic force all about that boom-and-rebuild life. But in this film, it’s like Jean’s got an evil twin bunking in her brain, playing a game of mental tug-of-war. 

(14) In a cinematic first, all five of the original X-Men – Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast, and Jean Grey – unite on the big screen. And in a twist that’s as rare as a Wolverine manicure, this is the sole X-Men team movie that skips a visit to the iconic Cerebro chamber. 

(15) The movie is like a who’s who of the mutant world, featuring cameo appearances from Madrox the Multiple Man, Arclight, Quill, Siryn, Jubilee, and an oddly reimagined Psylocke. But hold onto your popcorn, because the real showstopper is Juggernaut. Forget family reunions; this time around, there’s no hint of his ties to Charles, and he’s flexing his (oddly) mutant muscles solo. 

(16) In the Dark Phoenix Saga, the Grey residence becomes the unlikely battleground for the X-Men’s clash with Phoenix. This iconic showdown is brought to life once again in the film adaptation, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. 

(17) The clash of titans in the battle scenes is like a walk down memory lane for comic aficionados. Storm throwing down with Callisto? That’s a page right out of Uncanny X-Men #170, and it’s as epic as it sounds. Wolverine and Juggernaut? They’ve tangoed more times than we can count, each bout more thrilling than the last. And Jean taking on Xavier? It’s a family feud that’s spilled over from the comics into animated lore.

(18) Kitty (making her debut properly on the silver screen) mentions that the Professor didn’t just send a text or an email – no, he made a house call to extend her an invite to the school. Talk about old school charm! This tidbit hails from her inaugural comic book strut in Uncanny X-Men #129. 

(19) Rogue’s dilemma over the cure is a storyline that echoes X-Men‘s first season episode The Cure. In a twist of events, the animated Rogue snubs the cure, while her movie counterpart embraces it – though it might just be a temporary fix. The DVD teases us with an alternate ending where she rejects the cure, opting for gloves instead. True to form, Anna Paquin slips into Rogue’s uniform for a fleeting moment, and Angel, not one to be outdone, dons his gear in the finale.

(20) In the tangled web of mutant mayhem, Wolverine finds himself in a skirmish with Spyke while on the hunt for Jean. This thorn in Wolverine’s side is not just any old mutant; he’s a nod to a character from the X-Statix comics. But wait, there’s more! The X-Statix’s spiky persona is actually a tribute to the original Spyke, who was tailor-made for the animated series X-Men: Evolution. 

(21) Magneto’s relocation of the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz echoes his earlier architectural shenanigans with the Brooklyn Bridge in the New X-Men‘s Planet X storyline. Similarly, Jean’s demise in the comics mirrors her cinematic swan song, courtesy of Logan’s lethal intervention at the movie’s peak. 

(22) In an epic clash of fire and ice, Bobby faces off against Pyro. As the battle heats up, Bobby channels his inner Iceman, icing up to tip the scales in his favour and mirroring his iconic comic book image. 

(23) The X-Men franchise just threw us its first-ever end-credit scene! A patient at Muir Island, who made a cameo on a classroom screen earlier, suddenly wakes up channelling Professor X. Charles has pulled a body-swap with possibly his own twin. In the comics, he’s rocking a clone body, but let’s not forget about his twin sister, Cassandra Nova, the womb-mate he tried to off before birth. She stirs up trouble for Deadpool & Wolverine.