Hank McCoy is a fan favorite, a comic icon since he appeared in the first issue of X-Men in 1963. Whether he be pink and fleshy, green fur or blue, he has always stood out as the true brains of the team despite not being a telepath of any sort, an articulate agent of diplomacy between human and mutantkind, and the source of much deadpan sophisticated humor. Whoever played him would have to get across not only the restrained whimsicality of his speech and mannerisms, but also the newfound comfort of being permanently hued in a primary color (he sure stands out more than the average mutant, mutton chops or no). To get the Beast wrong on screen would have been enough to sink The Last Stand for many fans no matter how much the rest held up. Fortunately, they got him in spades. Kelsey Grammer, better known as world-champion snarker Frasier, was as inspired casting as one could get, and his scene with the mutant Leech though brief is as close as the film itself gets to a classic moment (It may be worth pointing out here that the casting of Grammer was the choice of Matthew Vaughn, the original director who would go on to make the sensationally superior and much lauded First Class). But the Beast isnt simply limited to a masterful performance; notice when McCoy is wearing his old uniform and how it barely fits, having outgrown it since his departure. It's even made of a more retro fabric than the current team's sleeker leather treads, evincing his seniority and more seasoned status among the young blood. Small touches like this give characters a past for audiences to draw upon, and almost feel commendable, had they only thought to treat the rest of the film with the same amount of esteem.
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