X-Men 3: The Last Stand (2006) - LightShed 10

Very good movie.  I think that X-Men 2 was the best of the three movies.  This third one was easily the worst of them, but still, it was a great blow-up-super-hero movie, even if the movie-making was not as good as the first two releases.

I was hoping that this third installment would be the best in the X-Men series just because it had the greatest plot for us so far. 

You should know by now that the X-Men movies are based on the comic book from Marvel.  This time, a pharmaceutical company develops a "cure" for the mutant gene.  With a single vaccine shot a mutant can go straight, immediately.  The government offers / forces the "cure" on the mutants and Ian McKellen plots an upheaval.  Ian rules as Magneto! 

I already said here that the plot hits even closer to home this time.  The movie does compel you to think about whether being gay is something that needs to be cured and whether the gay people would or should be subject to such a "cure" were it to be available. 

I guess the movie plot could also be seen as a parallel to a "cure" for other minority situations -- a "cure" for being black, a "cure" for being Jewish etc. -- and perhaps discussing a "cure" for being black could actually hit closer to home because of the three minority situations I mentioned (gay, black and Jews) the blacks are the only ones that are certain to be born that way, and consequently the ones that should be the least "blamed" for their minority situation.  On the other hand, it is still not clear whether us gays are born that way.  I have no doubt, from personal experience, that being gay has a very strong genetic component, a component that can certainly vary in degree from person to person, but I do concede that there seems to be no final scientific word on the matter.

Anyway, it is quite safe to say that no lucid and normal person would actually successfully apply the X-men 3 parallel to the Jewish and black situations because, fortunately, for a while now being black and being Jewish are clearly not something to be cured.  But being gay is still up for grabs in that area. 

Don't kid yourself, we are still one of the only minorities (if not the only one) that are still abused daily with little or no consequence to the abusers.  Look no further than this very recent example involving this Richard Cohen dude.  Cohen says he can "cure" homosexuality with hugs and other bullshit (in the pic he is hugging a "client").  You have got to watch the trailer at The Malcontent.  It's creepy, but it's shown seriously by CNN, which is an otherwise serious news channel I guess. 

Can you imagine what would be the consequences for Paula Zahn and Richard Cohen and CNN if they were involved with a segment on a "cure" for being black or being Jewish? I mean, if CNN were to ever allow that kind of material to be aired, can you just imagine what would and should happen to them? 

But when it happens to the gays, all we get is blog-rage, lots of posts denouncing the awful piece of journalism.  We are even seen as cry babies for that.  Blog-rage is certainly a great start, but we evidently do not have the reaction we deserve from society.  I suspect that all the blog-rage is seen mostly by the gays themselves and is unlikely to be heard by the general media.

Oh well.  I am furious, and I needed to vent on the Cohen crap, but now let's get to our gay movie review.

We had a small suggestion that there was a gay character in the movie.  She belonged to the dark side of the force and she gave me some serious lesbian vibes.  It would be bad to have the only gay be on the bad side, but I will certainly leave it out -- she could also be seen as androgynous, rather than lesbian.  She did confuse me, and I liked it.  She is one of the new mutants and is played by Omahyra Mota (the one on the left in the pic below).

We also had a little line that a mutant (the Juggernaut) says to another male mutant, something like: what are you looking at, pretty face?  But that's hardly explicit gay content, right?

I focus on explicit gay content because I believe that is what matters the most to us and that is the focus of this gay blog.  So, sadly, we have no explicit gay content in the X-Men: The Last Stand.   

That is sad because, as pointed out by one of my readers in a comment "There are two versions [of the X-Men comic books], because Marvel has two different "universes." In one, Colossus is straight, and that's the older "standard canon" universe for all of Marvel's superheroes. The second Ultimates "universe" is where Colossus is gay and is currently dating Northstar (openly gay mutant superhero - also the only mutant who is admittedly gay in both universes). Marvel [re]leased the Ultimates Universe a while back as a retelling and revamping of its classic characters, such as Spiderman, The Fantastic Four and The X-Men." 

I cannot thank my reader enough for such a great comment.  Later, I learned that Northstar is French Canadian, so I love him already. 

At Wiki, I also found out about two additional gays in the X-men comics: Flatman and Anole.

So, there could have been actual and explicit gay content in the X-Men movies (Colossus, Northstar, Flatman, Anole...), but there was nothing there. 

By the title of this post, and by my previous posts on this movie, and by the sheer length of my review thus far (I usually cut the No Gay Content reviews very short) you may already know that I will make a huge exception here. 

To start it off, you need to know that I cried in this movie.  Seriously, I did it in that scene in which a father is about to force his son, the Angel -- played very well by Ben Foster, to undergo the ex-mutant therapy, the single-shot-go-straight solution to the mutant problem.  You can actually see most of that scene in the trailer.

That scene was very powerful to me and is the main reason why I decided to make an exception and award a LightShed 10 for a movie without explicit gay content. 

I cannot believe it is possible to see that scene and not see the parallel with parents forcing their own, supposedly loved, kids to undergo ex-gay therapy in the real world.  That is certainly shown to be wrong in the movie, as it should be wrong in the real world.  Parents who force an ex-gay therapy on their kids are committing the worst form of parental abuse.  I really think the worst a parent can do to their kids is to teach them to hate themselves.

Moreover, we have bad "gays" (the mutants lead by Magneto) who gang-up to put an end to the "cure" crap.  Violence is certainly not the answer to our problems, but it was nice to see brave (even if crazy) "gays" (the mutants) onscreen.  They show the world that minorities, like the gays, do not necessarily have to sit quiet while they are subjected to vilification.  We even have the good "gays" (the X-Men) -- they sort of team up with a bad government to prevent the bad deeds from the mutants (the bad gays).  So, LightShed 10 it is.

Now to a lighter note on the movie.

The hotties were everywhere in X3, and for all tastes. 

New characters Eric Dane (he played the Multiple Man, pic on the left -- check out more pics here) and Ben Foster (he played the Angel who made me cry, pic on the right) lead the pack. 

You had seen Daniel Cudmore's Colossus here before.  He was hot in the movie and had quite a few small scenes. 

Wolverine was his usual self.  Hot in a manly and scruffy way (click for a larger version of the pic on the right and take notice of his bulge). 

In the movie, you can actually force yourself to see a possible relationship (which may be deemed to be a romance in the comic book version) between Wolverine and Colossus.  They are all friendly to each other, almost cuddly and "mancrushly," but the movie certainly does not even imply that romance.  You would need to read this type of stuff for that matter (read the posts by WeaponX7284 and Sion). Also, there's no real hint of gayness for Colossus.

Another scruffy type that I bet some people will love is Juggernaut, played by British footballer Vinnie Jones.

Get out now.  Go see this movie! 

Comments

[sabeen]

I have seen all of three and all of them good. X-Man series is a superb story of mutants. X-Man is a full entertainment movie. I think you are right Part2 is best of three.

[monica]

I have to say that whilst I am a fan of the x men movies, I am thrilled by the way in which the film promotes the pain and suffering that can be endured by people who are different.

For this I think the film should be applauded.I have liked all the x men movies for this very reason.

[X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)]

The film opens with young Warren in the bathroom trying to saw off his pinions so his daddy won't be ashamed. Talk about phallic symbols! X3 is the gayest blockbuster to hit the multiplex.

[Queer Beacon]

Thank you, YNF! Come back often!

While writing my review for X-Men 3 I learned there were many gay/les/bi characters in the comics (I didn't see any trans character though).

I saw The Color Purple a long time ago, way before I started this blog, but I maw see it again and review it here ;-)

[YNF]

I came over via Snicks, and I have to say your views are excellent and very well presented...I think that the Xmen movies have done a great job in its effort to promote understanding over intolerance. The only problem I have with the movies is that, as you noted, it does not follow the comics...but most movies don't often follow the books on which they are based. However, X3 is still good in its presentation...and has most likely attracted more interest in the comics--and their themes of freedom and understanding and justice...

I just wanted to let you know that there are actually quite a lot of gay/bi/transgendered characters in the comics; i.e. Mystique is bi (has been for years) and is Nightcrawler's mom; the current Catwoman is a lesbian with a partner; Multiple Man (Eric Dane's character in X3) has bi experiences; so does John Constantine (Keanu Reeves character from the movie Constantine); but one of my faves is the Young Avengers teen gay couple, Wiccan (Jewish boy) and Hulkling (Capt. Marvel's son);

I have to say I'm really interested in reading the rest of your reviews, as your interpretations are quite unique and thought provoking...I'm curious if you've seen The Color Purple...Now, I'm off to read the rest of your fantastic review...Great job on the site...

[Queer Beacon]

You are so right, James. That scene was right in the beginning of the movie and indeed was very powerful. The boy's desperation and self-rejection meet the father's disapproval. Devastating.

[James]

Hi, there, Augusto.

Just discovered your blog, through a link in the Wayne Besen blog.

Just wanted to add a comment to your X-Men review - I think THE most powerful scene in X3, regarding us gays, is with the young Warren Worthington III.

The scene in the bathroom, where he's desperately trying to get rid of his growing wings, and the frustration both he and his father express when it becomes evident to the father that his son is a mutant.

How close to home that hit!

Best,
J.

[Johnny]

About CNN report on Richard Cohen, if you listen carefully, he said something like "We have those feelings, but that doesn't mean we have to act on them." He didn't say that he stopped having those feelings. Basically he just taught people how to fight those feelings better, not get rid of them.

In X-Men 2, Nightcrawler asked Mystique "They say you can imitate anyone. Even their voice... Then why not stay in disguise all the time? You know — look like everyone else?" Mystique replied "Because we shouldn’t have to". That is the whole point of being gay. My family keeps telling me to get married, have children, and live a normal life like everyone else, but the point is that I shouldn't have to. I am comfortable in my own Mystique skin.

That leads to another point. CNN can broadcast that report with little or no consequence because we are Mystique. Black people cannot change their skin color and live the lives of white people, but we all can live in disguise as straight people. So like what Nightcrawler said, they think we should stay in disguise all the time.

BTW, since I said we are Mystique, I want to say that Black is Nightcrawler. Nightcrawler has african art all over his body in the movie.

[Dan]

Just saw this movie and your review was right on target. Funny how the bad mutuants were made to look like hard core lesbians (in my opinion). Also, I noticed quite a frequent use of "homo sapiens"--seemed to be an intersting twist. Good mvoie, but I expected a little better.

[Shane]

Just discovered your blog. Great write-up of X-Men. I saw the movie twice already, and like you I totally cried during the Angel scenes. When we learn to spread our wings and be who we are, whatever that may be, it's priceless and the sky's the limit! For an actually small role in the movie, he certainly stole the show in my book!