X-Men
(2000, Bryan Singer)
Average Contributor Rating:

Written By: David Hayter, Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer.
Directed By: Bryan Singer.
Genre(s): Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Superhero.
Selected Cast: Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Xavier), Ian McKellan (Magneto), Halle Berry (Storm), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Cyclops).

Often heralded as one of the best superhero movies along with its sequel brother, “X-Men” is the story of how Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) becomes part of the titular band of heroes. Found in a bare knuckle boxing fight and instantly seen as a “mutant”, the human word for the next step of evolution, he’s taken to the School for Mutants, headed by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) – which also doubles as the secret base for the X-Men. It’s a shame, really, that there are three performances that are far better than the film itself. Jackman, as the only interesting member of the band of heroes, is grizzled and dark. He doesn’t live by the rules, and although that’s a bit of a cliché there’s no denying the intensity and passion in Jackman’s performance. And then there are the two thespians, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan, who give this film a sense of importance that it really doesn’t deserve. Watching these two on the same screen is like watch a great standoff – neither is willing to give up an inch and both are giving it their all. It’s a shame, then, that the script, score, direction, supporting performances, and pretty much everything else are either average, basic, or awful. The worst offenders are Storm (Halle Berry) and Cyclops (James Marsden), two vapid superheroes who contribute little to nothing in terms of interest. And then, of course, there is Storm’s infamous send-off line as she destroys an amphibian villain; “what happens to a toad when it’s struck by lightning? The same thing that happens to everything else.” God, who thought of this stuff? . JB.
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