X-Men (Widescreen Edition)

X-Men (Widescreen Edition) Review

The reason I use that statement as my review title is that, while this film is good, much like `Spider-Man' and `Batman Begins', this film is trumped massively by the sequel. That aside, this film is still very good for the genre that it finds itself in. Superhero movies can be hard to make because there are so many devoted fans to please, and there is no way that one can perfectly transfer a comic book to the big screen. Still, as far as they come, this is one of the better installments.

It's a shame that the third film was such a cluttered mess (it's still better than `Spider-Mess 3').

This film establishes the conflict between former friends Professor Xavier (Professor X) and Magneto, formerly known as Eric Lensherr. Lensherr, facing prejudice his entire life, suffers greatly at the hands of an unkind and unsympathetic human race, who regard mutants as below them and continue to misunderstand and mistreat them. Xavier and Lensherr, once comrades, are now rivals as their viewpoints on the world have begun to contradict one another. Xavier believes in patience, for he feels that humans are universally good and that they will learn to accept mutants as equals, but Lensherr has grown to despise humanity and feels that the only key to happiness would be a human-free (and mutant inhabited) world.

Thus sets the basis for the first installment in the X-Men franchise, and as Xavier's school for mutants and Magneto's band of thugs set off in search of the same girl, a young mutant named Rogue, chaos ensues.

That good kind of action sequence chaos.

When it comes to superhero films, the most important (or one of the most important) things to consider is the cast. You have leagues of devoted fans waiting to put a face to the hero they have followed for years, and so `nailing' that aspect of the film is key. For a film that is littered with heroes and villains, `X-Men' definitely has some inspired casting. For any fan of the comic, I think there was only ONE choice for Professor X, and they got that one right. Near unknowns (I say near because they weren't, and still aren't, BIG NAME stars) Famke Janssen and James Marsden filled out their respective roles very nicely (Janssen is a perfect Jean Grey) and Oscar winner Anna Paquin was the perfect choice for Rogue. Ian McKellen is perfect as Magneto, and while I find that Storm didn't have much to chew on, Berry was a nice (if a tad obvious) choice.

But seriously, this is the film that introduced Hugh Jackman to the world, and no matter how awesome the rest of the cast may be, Wolverine was the most important casting decision, and Jackman is absolutely outstanding!

It lacks the polish of `X2: United', but it sets a nice tone for the franchise and really works in the origin stories without feeling rushed, stuffed or forced. There is plenty of action, drama, romance and wit; and a naked blue Rebecca Romijn serves up some oddly stimulating eye-candy. For what it is, this movie is pretty great. I'd give it a solid B+, verging on an A-.

X-Men (Widescreen Edition) Feature

ISBN13: 0024543900955
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

X-Men (Widescreen Edition) Overview

Born into a world filled with prejudice are children who possess extraordinary and dangerous powers - the result of unique genetic mutations. Cyclops unleashes bolts of energy from his eyes. Storm can manipulate the weather at will. Rogue absorbs the life force of anyone she touches. But under the tutelage of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), these and other outcasts learn to harness their powers for the good of mankind. Now they must protect those who fear them as the nefarious Magneto (Ian McKellen), who believes humans and mutants can never co-exist, unveils his sinsiter plan for the future!

X-Men (Widescreen Edition) Specifications

In a time when race and religion don't separate people, but extra powers and mutated characteristics do, two longtime friends, Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) part ways, only to become rivals over the issue of how much patience they should have with "normal" people. Living lives that scare most humans lacking the "X-factor" (a special power such as telekinesis), they fight over changing the general population into mutants. Xavier decides to help mutants in a special school while waiting for humanity to be more accepting, while Magneto opts to change all "normal" people into mutants in order to create a mutant-only world. Leading a group of four powerful X-Men (and women) to rescue one lost girl (the mutant Rogue, played by Anna Paquin)--and the entire population of New York--Xavier recruits a new member to their group: Logan (Hugh Jackman), better known as Wolverine, joins the team with much reluctance, only to prove very valuable to the rescue effort.

Each member of the X-Men has mastered their special gift--the ability to create a storm (Storm, played by Halle Berry), telekinesis (Dr. Jean Grey, played by Famke Janssen), eyesight carrying laserlike destructive power (Cyclops, played by James Marsden), the ability to heal nearly any wound he sustains (Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman). The chemistry among these four sets the stage for some expert teamwork--and some hidden romance. The mutants' ensemble work drives the action sequences, such as in a train station battle with Magneto's crew--including Sabertooth (Tyler Mane), Toad (Ray Park), and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)--that unleashes a lot of destruction, thanks to the striking special effects.

You don't have to be a fan of the hugely popular X-Men comic books to enjoy Bryan Singer's film, which is loaded with creativity, cool effects, and characters complex enough to lift it above run-of-the-mill action films. And Singer sets the stage admirably for the sequels that could turn X-Men into the strongest comic-book franchise since Batman. --Sandra Levin