Eye For Film >> Movies >> X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) DVD Review
X-Men: The Last Stand
Reviewed by: Merlin Harries
Read Jennie Kermode's film review of X-Men: The Last StandPresented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Digital sound the movie looks and sounds great. The tones and colouration of the picture vary greatly throughout the picture and the DVD really accentuates the earthy hues of the Brotherhood and the more highly contrasting shades of the X-Men (Blue Boy Beast looks absolutely fab on a plasma).
The extras on this disc are sublime and will prove to be a big hit with hardcore fans of the comic and the movie trilogy alike.
It’s clear from the sheer range and depth of the material available that this is a labour of love for Ratner. From the commentary track on disc one to disc two's Anatomy of a Scene documentary and selection of blogs covering the movies production the choice of goodies is breath taking.
In terms of extras you’ll be extremely hard pressed to find a better package than this. It’s not just the range of the material it’s also the fact that it’s all really, really good and doesn’t feel like some Entertainment Tonight special that’s been ham-fisted together by a junior editor in post production.
In the various interviews with cast and crew alike you get a real feel for the sensitivity and near reverence that Ratner has for the X-Men comics history, culture and fan-base. The vignettes are particularly informative and will be a real high point for anyone who is a fan of the comic books.
The Previz Animatic Gallery will also be a real selling point for movie buffs. Originally pioneered by George Lucas and widely used on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, pre-visualisation technology has replaced the traditional storyboard as a high-tech means of mapping and planning each scene before it is shot. The 3-D wire frame CGI models appear on the screen showing various scenes from the youthful Xavier and Magneto recruiting an adolescent Jean Grey to the more exciting battles between the X-Men and the Brotherhood - excellent stuff.
If all that isn't enough, you can even play hunt the Easter Egg. If that sounds like an uphill struggle, check out page three of the deleted scenes and highlight the symbol at the top.
Overall, as far as DVD extras go in this day and age X-Men: The Last Stand offers a comprehensive range of features that offers the often rare treat of being consistently entertaining.
All in all the DVD offers everything you could possibly want and then some.
Reviewed on: 06 Oct 2006