To conclude our X-Men 3 special, we have the film’s director Brett Ratner himself sharing his thoughts on the latest X-Men film. Ratner took over the helm of the X-Men series from Bryan Singer, who had successfully directed X-Men (2000) and X-Men 2: X-Men United (2003) and then left the series to relaunch the Superman franchise with Superman Returns (which opens at the end of June). Ratner started his career as a music video director (he was behind Madonna’s ‘Beautiful Stranger’ and Mariah Carey’s ‘Heartbreaker’ videos) and made his breakthrough in film with Money Talks in 1997, which he followed up with the hugely successful Rush Hour (1998) and Rush Hour 2 (2001). He’s also directed the films The Family Man (2000), Red Dragon (2002) and After The Sunset (2004), and is currently working on reuniting Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan for Rush Hour 3, which is scheduled for a 2007 release.

Brett Ratner

…on the development from the first two films to the third
In approaching the third film I’m able to really understand the universe and the world. And the two movies are really blueprints for me, because yeah I’m trying to go for more emotion, I’m trying to go for more action, I’m trying to bring some levity and some poignant moments to this movie, but I’m not really working outside the box. I’m keeping consistant with the tone of the first two films.

…on the actors’ return
All these actors, every single one of them coming back says a lot about their love of these characters and their love of this franchise. And I’m like a kid in the candy store, this is like a dream come true. I’m here working with some of the greatest actors in the world, some of the most beautiful actors in the world. I’m able to experiment and to try things and to have fun and create something that is different than enything I had ever done before.

…on the cure
The themes in this film deal with human relationships and choices that are put upon them because of this thing that has been created. And by the way, not created with malice, or with malicousness, or with the intention of destroying mutants. It was really done out of love, out of confusion maybe. Now it could be used in a harmful way, and that’s where the irony comes in, that’s where the conflict comes in. When is it appropriate to take the cure? To use the cure against somebody? We don’t have a cliché president in this movie who is anti-mutant and hates the mutants, and was against the mutants or fearful of the mutants. In this movie there’s a mutant in the government. Beast is a government official, he’s the Secretary of the Department on Mutant Affairs. So there’s a lot more open-mindedness and at the same time there’s a lot more scary stuff happening.

That’s it for our X-Men 3 special, we hope you enjoyed the unique insights the cast and crew were able to share with us. Look out for similar interview features for other upcoming films in the near future!

X-Men: The Last Stand is now in playing cinemas. Click here to read our review, and go here to discuss the film with others at the X-Boards.

Official film synopsis: In X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, the final chapter in the “X-Men” motion picture trilogy, a “cure” for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history. For the first time, mutants have a choice: retain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who preaches tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in the survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test - triggering the war to end all wars.

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