The sleek, no-nonsense script (by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn) is filled with surprises, but each development follows the paths created for each character in the earlier movies. Like the previous X-Men, The Last Stand takes place in the near future, wherein the war between humans and mutants that Magneto (Ian McKellen) has threatened from the very beginning finally occurs. The well-staged event that sets off the long-simmering feud is a surprising one: A pharmaceutical company owned by billionaire Warren Worthington II (Michael Murphey) has discovered a serum for the Mutant X gene, which turns regular humans into temperamental, spandex-wrapped superheroes, making the vaccine available to all those mutants who want it.

This not happy news to Magneto, who can manipulate metal objects; he aligns himself with the legions of hormonally screwed mutant youth and pits war on those who want to "cure" them. Magneto is quick to call the cure a weapon against mutants, but the “cure” worries diplomatic mutants like Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and the furry blue presidential cabinet member Dr. Hank McCoy.

Brawler Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) – still mourning the death of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Cyclops (James Marsden) pursue their simultaneous crushes on Jean, who is not as dead as she seemed to be at the end of the previous film. And she’s more powerful, in fact, that her reappearance seems to atomize our poor Cyclops. Yikes. Meanwhile, Rogue (Anna Paquin), a young lady who kills uncontrollably with just a simple touch, can’t seem to hook up with frigid-fingered boyfriend, Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), for that very reason.