When Brett Ratner was announced as the new director for the third and final film in the X-Men trilogy, many fans groaned in protest. The first two films are widely regarded as some of the best superhero movies ever made, largely thanks to the character development and skillful direction from Bryan Singer. Ratner, who is most famous for helming the Rush Hour films, didn't seem like the ideal choice for this franchise. Despite the fact that the entire original cast was returning, people seemed very worried that this would turn out to be a major disappointment. Thankfully, they were wrong. Thanks to spectacular action, great new characters and an exciting new storyline, Ratner has crafted a film that stays true to the form set by the other two. It is also sure to be one of the best films of the summer.

The film begins a few years after the second, in a time where mutants have finally been accepted into regular society. There's even a newly appointed Secretary Of Mutant Affairs, a mutant named Hank McCoy (Kelsey Grammer) working closely alongside the President. But everything changes when a formula that "cures" mutants of their powers is discovered. As the product begins its national launch, the lines are once again drawn between the X-Men, led by Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and the Brotherhood, led by the vicious Magneto (Ian McKellen). As the Brotherhood prepares for battle against the humans that want them to change, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Storm (Halle Berry) and the rest of the gang must suit up one last time to defend the people that fear them. But the Brotherhood has a new ally in the form of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who comes back from the dead as the vicious and ruthless Phoenix - the most powerful mutant that man has ever seen.

One of the strengths that the X-Men films have is the remarkable ensemble that is on display. Every one of the original actors return here and seem very comfortable in playing these roles. While some get less screentime than others, all of them once again make a great impression on the viewer. Hugh Jackman once again proves that he is a great action hero, playing the role of Wolverine with a lot of charm and ferocity. The character is multi-layered and Jackman really allows the viewer to identify with him. Halle Berry returns in a much-expanded role here as Storm, and is strong once again in playing the character. She has good chemistry with the rest of the cast and gets plenty of moments to shine. Ian McKellen is great, as usual, as Magneto and doesn't allow the character to become just another caricature. Patrick Stewart is good as Professor X and does well with the material he has been given. Anna Paquin, who isn't given a whole lot to do here despite appearing in a large amount of the film, is solid and allows you to understand what her character is going through. Shawn Ashmore as Iceman and Aaron Stanford as Pyro are given much more to do and are both strong as well. Rebecca Romijn and James Marsden are both featured in roles that are smaller-than-expected, but they manage to do a decent job. Famke Janssen, however, is the best of the lead characters - delivering a performance that is both terrifying and full of soul. She tackles her character head-on and makes the transition from good to evil completely believable.

The cast list doesn't stop there. Several new actors have been added to the cast and do a great job here. Vinnie Jones plays the famed Juggernaut and gives a memorable performance, giving the character the sort of self-centered charm that is required. Ben Foster, despite being featured prominently in all of the film's advertising materials, really isn't given a whole lot to do here and doesn't get enough screentime to make an impression on the audience. Kelsey Grammer is remarkable as Hank (better known as Beast) and proves that he is a great action hero - he is very interesting and likable in the role. The best of the new cast members is Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde. After delivering one of the year's strongest performances in the thriller Hard Candy, she gives the role a lot of humanity and proves to be a great action heroine. It is hard not to fall under the spell of her character.

Brett Ratner has done a great job here in terms of direction, never making the film feel any different from the previous two. The film moves at a fast pace and the action sequences are simply spectacular. A sequence involving the Golden Gate Bridge is possibly one of the strongest usages of visual effects thus far. The finale of the film itself is non-stop excitement and is sure to have you on the edge of your seat. The screenplay by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn is strong as well. Since this is supposedly the last film in the series (although it seems obvious that another will follow if this is a success), they aren't afraid to discard some of the characters we have become familiar with - throwing in a lot of surprises and many twists and turns throughout. They also do a solid job in developing some of the newer characters and ones that weren't given much to do in the previous films.

Overall, X-Men: The Last Stand is the most exciting and enjoyable action film to come along in quite a while. It seems to have been made with much care and consideration for the fans, and deserves to stand amongst its predeccessors as a truly brilliant superhero series. This is not only the action film to beat this summer, but it is also sure to be one of the best films of the year.