With director Bryan Singer switching his comic-book attentions to Superman Returns, the handing over of the X-Men reins to Brett 'Rush Hour' Ratner had fans up in arms. Nobody else was very excited about it either.

But while Ratner lacks Singer's proven X-mentality and never reaches the heights of the previous adventures, he still checks enough of the right boxes to make this an above-average comic-book actioner.

The Last Stand combines two key episodes from X-history: the resurrection of Jean Grey (last seen under a lakeful of water) and the discovery of a 'cure' which could signal the end for mutant-kind.

Possibly angry about not having a cool name like the other mutants, Jean (Janssen) returns from the dead with her dark and uncontrollable side to the fore. Goodbye, Jean; hello, Phoenix.

Fanboys only know what it means, but Professor X (Stewart) is worried because Jeanix is a 'level five' mutant. Talon-ted enigma Wolverine (Jackman) and weather-girl Storm (Berry) quickly learn that she's not to be trifled with.

Her powers also attract old metal-mangler Magneto (McKellen). He's on the warpath because an Alcatraz-based company has discovered a kid whose genetic material can reverse mutation. If mutantkind is to survive, the child must die. Get ready to rumble.

The joy of X is in the characters and their special gifts. But with so many mutants and so little time, personalities take an evolutionary step backwards in the transition from comic to screen.

Wolverine still hasn't found a decent barber, shapeshifter Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) is betrayed by Magneto, and Anna Paquin's Rogue struggles with her 'live cursed or love cured' dilemma. None of them get enough time to show their angst.

New faces whose potential impact is likewise lessened include Kelsey Grammer as hairy blue diplomat Dr Hank McCoy (aka Beast) and Angel (Ben Foster), a guy who doesn't need Red Bull to give him wings.

In fairness, Ratner tries to allow each character to breathe and his strategically inserted action scenes are mostly up to scratch. The prison convoy breakout is a cracker and he has fun shifting the Golden Gate Bridge about a mile to the East.

He also includes the usual sermons on prejudice and tolerance plus a few messianic sacrifices to show that – oh, the irony - mutants are more humane than humans.

It's all about as subtle as Vinnie Jones' performance as unstoppable blockhead Juggernaut. Like action fans will care.

So is this really The Last Stand? Stick around after the end credits if you want a clue.

Elliott Noble

Halle Berry talks to Sky Movies about X-Men 3: