X-Men (2000)

3.5 out of 4

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Director: Bryan Singer

Time: 100 mins

The North American summer of 2000 has been fairly lacklustre to date, the likes of Mission: Impossible 2, The Perfect Storm and Gone in Sixty Seconds notwithstanding. There hasn't been the same sense of excitement and anticipation one felt in previous summers, when the likes of Independence Day (1996), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999) opened to record numbers (even if they ultimately failed to live up to the hype). The release of X-Men, the movie version of the popular series of comics and subsequent animated adaptation for TV, goes a long way to redeeming this ho-hum-ness. X-Men doesn't have the marketing genius that was behind Independence Day (surely the creme de la creme of hype generation), so it may not be the most anticipated release of summer 2000 (well, at least for people who aren't dedicated fans), but it is probably the most satisfying film to date. Combining a great story, fascinating characters, humour, special effects, and some spectacular action, X-Men is the best live action superhero movie since the original Superman and Superman 2, bar none.

There had been worries from fans and purists about how director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) would bring their beloved serial to the screen, given that previous adaptations of well-known and revered shows like The Flintstones were disappointments. While I can't vouch for the movie's accuracy or its adherence to the comics/TV show, not having read or seen either of them, I was able to watch X-Men with fresh eyes, unencumbered by expectations of any story trademarks or nuances or how the characters looked and talked. The result is that summer rarity: a well-paced film, grounded by a well-developed story and featuring a group of characters who you want to learn more about. The inclusion of the best superhero confrontations since Superman battled his three Krypton nemeses in Superman 2 is the icing on this tasty cake.

Set in the near future, X-Men depicts an Earth where human evolution has reached the next stage. Mutants are appearing all over the world, each one with a special gift or power. While "normal" humans are debating over how to handle these aberrations of nature, a Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) has founded a school to harness the powers these mutants have. Among his students are Dr Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who possesses telekinetic abilities, Cyclops (James Marsden), whose eyes emit a powerful ray, and Storm (Halle Berry), a woman who has the ability to generate wind and lightning. Professor Xavier himself has the power to read and influence other people's minds. Meanwhile, a rival group of mutants headed by Magneto (Ian McKellen) have had enough of the discrimination by humans and plots to mutate the world's leaders into a rubbery, blubbery mess. When two lonesome mutants, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Rogue (Anna Paquin) become embroiled in the struggle between Professor Xavier and Magneto, the stage is set for a titanic battle in and amongst the environs of New York City.

Unlike the style-driven, star-dominated excesses of Batman and its sequels, X-Men is a triumph of storytelling and special effects. Writer David Hayter (from a story by Singer and Tom DeSanto) takes the time to develop his characters, showing how they met, their interactions, and their angst. While a film of such a relatively short length will not have the time to devote segments to each and every character (Halle Berry's Storm, for example, is woefully under-developed), Hayter at least doesn't neglect the genesis of Magneto's hatred and megalomaniac tendencies. A few story threads are opened and left hanging, tantalisingly enough, for a sequel, but the overall film can be viewed as pretty much a complete work with the potential for being developed into a killer franchise. There are so many permutations of mutant powers, relationships, and histories, that one can't help but salivate at the prospect of further X-Men movies. The world created for X-Men is so rich in possibilities that it would be a pity if a lack of success prevented the series from continuing.

The cast assembled for X-Men is a mixture of new (Jackman) and young (Paquin) stars and accomplished veterans like Stewart and McKellen. Australian Jackman is impressive in his portrayal of the tortured Wolverine, bringing some nice comic timing to the expected brawn. His interplay with James Marsden (as Cyclops) is especially fun to watch. Stewart (of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame) and McKellen (from Gods and Monsters) are adequate, though Stewart comes off slightly better as the genial, pacifist Professor X. No matter how hard he tries, nor how many special effects adorn him, McKellen just doesn't have the physical presence to be imposing. Famke Janssen, so deliciously over-the-top in the James Bond adventure Goldeneye, and quietly excellent in the gambling study Rounders, continues her fine work here. Oscar winner Paquin emotes convincingly, but doesn't have a lot to do. Less memorable are Halle Berry and the evil mutants played by the likes of model Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.

If you are a fan of the comics and/or TV adaptation, you will no doubt make up your own mind about the film, regardless of my "newbie" comments. Many fans will probably have issue with the change in costumes or looks, but for me, viewing the film through unfettered eyes, I found many moments in the film to be reminiscent of the sense of wonder the original Superman evoked, way back in the late 70s. X-Men is the first film this summer to better the promise from the trailer, and to the producers, I say, "Bring on the sequels!"

(c) Joe Wong (14 July 2000)