The first film was, I believe, a near-masterpiece. It was a sweeping epic taken from a beloved book (the Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe). Number two in the series, Prince Caspian, was a bit disappointing as it took away some of the more soaring aspects. And this third outing, though an improvement on the previous film, is entertaining without being very impressive.
The pace is great and the action is unbelievable. I couldn't believe that almost two hours had gone by when it was over. It's not as complex as Iron Man or Spider-Man 2 but it's loaded with intense fun. Everything in this movie is exceedingly better then what we saw in X3. Characters find their own distinctiveness and just flat out kick butt.
Visually, it's a sight to behold, with good effects and a dynamic sense of presence. I was very impressed with the direction and cinematography. The final showdown was a standout and will be remembered as one of the best comic book confrontations of all time. It's wonderful action mixed with nice drama. It so fits the main characters. The cast was used remarkably well and Hugh Jackman simply shines as Wolverine. Overall, I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this movie.
I liked this movie. It moved my emotions all over the map, and I am not worse off for it. It built itself on elements rooted in reality, and only occasionally became unrealistically heroic. I liked the pre-ending more than I liked the ending, where the main character gets what he wants but then realizes it isn't the only thing he wants. But this is a Disney film, so it ends up that he gets what the average viewer wants him to too.