2006年VOA标准英语-Mutants Do Epic Battle in X-Men: The Last Stand

By Alan Silverman
Hollywood
27 May 2006
 
One of the most popular film series based on Marvel¹ Comics superheroes becomes a trilogy and raises some interesting real-world issues about diversity and "fitting in."

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From left to right, Halle Berry, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman and Ian McKellen star in X-Men: The Last Stand  
  

The X-Men world is filled with mutants: people whose genetic² differences give them remarkable³ abilities. Magneto can control anything made of metal. Storm wields⁴ the power of the weather. Wolverine is the perfect warrior⁵, able to inflict⁶ terrible damage with his metallic⁷ claws and heal his own wounds in seconds. Mystique can change her form to match ... or outmatch ... any opponent. Professor Xavier has telepathic powers to read minds and project his own thoughts.

Like the original Marvel Comic books, the films - "X-Men" in 2000 and "X-Men: United" three years later - are action-fantasies; but they also deal with prejudice as the X-men mutants are subjected to discrimination and violence. In "X-Men: The Last Stand" they are presented with a solution: a drug that can erase⁸ the genetic differences and make them 'normal:'

Hugh Jackman returns as Logan - 'Wolverine' - and the Australian actor believes it is easy to identify with the fictional⁹ superheroes' dilemma¹⁰. "Everything in life is a double-edged sword. Having power is a double-edged sword. Every person's dream can become their nightmare, so even though the X-Men have powers that seem so cool, what sets this comic book and the movie franchise¹¹ aside is that every one of them, because of their power, is alienated¹², separated and unhappy with it, too," he says.

Anna Paquin as teenager Rogue¹³ looks forward to a 'cure' for her power that kills anyone she touches; but there are no easy answers, according to older and wiser Storm, played by Halle Berry, who says the issue is coming to terms with our differences. "We are all different and at some point in our life we've had to deal with that. We're always forced to deal with who we are and 'is it okay to stay the way we are?' or do we need to change for a lover, a parent, a friend or our work environment? Is it okay to be who we are or do we somehow need to 'fix' ourselves or change ourselves or make ourselves better? Are we not good enough? We are always faced with that question and that's what "The Last Stand" is all about: do we change or do we not change? And is it our problem or is it somebody else's problem? Whose problem is it, really?"

The issue divides the X-Men, with Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier leading the side promoting individual choice, and Magneto willing to start a war to reject the 'cure.' Sir Ian McKellen is back as charismatic (though megalomaniac) Magneto. "I think the plot is more interesting than the previous two and Magneto gets to do an awful lot in this film, which he did not in the second so I am very happy about it," he says.

Bryan Singer, who directed the first two "X-Men" films was not available this time around (he was directing another superhero movie, "Superman Returns," due out at the end of June); so Brett Ratner, who made the "Rush Hour" action-comedies, took over as director of this new "X-Men." "It's like a dream come true to direct this movie ... with all the brilliant characters, amazing actors and stories. It's not just an action movie. It's really about something and it's got levity¹⁴ to it and humanity and emotion and humor," he says.

Happily tapping into that range of ingredients: Kelsey Grammer, who joins the cast (and gets decked out in blue makeup¹⁵ and long fur) as one of the favorite characters among X-Men fans: Dr. Henry McCoy, who is also 'Beast.' "X-Men is an epic¹⁶ tale so the characters have epic proportion," he says. "If you know you're in an epic you just get bigger. They're just big people. There's big energy about it. There's a sense of size and importance about it that you lend yourself to ... and it's actually just playing 'dress up.'"

"X-Men: The Last Stand" also features Rebecca Romijn as shape-shifting Mystique; and Famke Janssen, whose telekinetic character Jean Grey seems to have died at the end of the second movie, but comes back again as the dangerously powerful Dark Phoenix¹⁷.

1 marvel   

vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事

参考例句：

• The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
• The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 wields   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的第三人称单数 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
• He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。

5 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

6 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

7 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

8 erase   

v.擦掉；消除某事物的痕迹

参考例句：

• He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
• Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。

9 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

10 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

11 franchise   

n.特许，特权，专营权，特许权

参考例句：

• Catering in the schools is run on a franchise basis.学校餐饮服务以特许权经营。
• The United States granted the franchise to women in 1920.美国于1920年给妇女以参政权。

12 alienated   

adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• His comments have alienated a lot of young voters. 他的言论使许多年轻选民离他而去。
• The Prime Minister's policy alienated many of her followers. 首相的政策使很多拥护她的人疏远了她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

14 levity   

n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变

参考例句：

• His remarks injected a note of levity into the proceedings.他的话将一丝轻率带入了议事过程中。
• At the time,Arnold had disapproved of such levity.那时候的阿诺德对这种轻浮行为很看不惯。

15 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

16 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

17 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。