X-cellent.

I've just seen the first movie of the summer that surpassed my expectations: X-Men 3. I know, I was surprised too. For a guy who really liked the previous 2 movies in the series, I had almost no interest in seeing the 3rd. And perhaps that's why I enjoyed it. Some parts were lame, as were some lines, but that is to be expected from a summer comic book action movie. The action was ok, the plot was serviceable. What really made an impact were ********spoiler alert******* the deaths of a few main characters, and a couple of interesting story lines. Over 3 movies, you become attached to these characters, and I was surprised with the impact that their deaths had. They added dramatic weight to the story. I think Xavier's final scene was really quite excellently done. Halle Berry and Famke Janssen were clearly given beefier roles, and both were more impressive for it. The story of the Phoenix wasn't quite as powerful as it could have been, but it was interesting nonetheless. ****no more spoilers******.

Overall, a decent ending to the series. If you're planning on seeing it, make sure you wait until the end of the credits for a surprise scene.