Directed by:
Bryan SingerScreenplay:
David HayterCinematography:
Newton Thomas SigelComposer:
Michael KamenCast:
Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Ray Park, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Davison, Shawn Roberts (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Cyclops. Jean Grey. Storm... They are the children of the atom, homo superior, the next link in the chain of evolution. Each was born with a unique genetic mutation, which at puberty manifested itself in extraordinary powers: Cyclops' eyes release an energy beam that can rip holes through mountains; Jean Grey's strength is both telekinetic and telepathic; and Storm can manipulate all forms of weather. In a world increasingly filled with hatred and prejudiced, they're scientific oddities... freaks of nature... outcasts who are feared and loathed by those who cannot accept their differences. Their detractors include U.S. Senator Robert Kelly, a McCarthyesque politico whose legislation is designed to "expose the dangers" of mutants. Under the tutelage of Professor Charles Xavier, the world's most powerful telepath, these "gifted" students have learned to control and direct their powers for the greater good of mankind. Xavier welcomes two newcomers: Logan/Wolverine, a solitary fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable adamantium claws and an animal-like fury; and Rogue, an alienated teenage girl who can absorb the powers and memories of anyone she touches. As Wolverine and Rogue adjust to life among their "kind," the X-Men find themselves locked in a physical and philosophical battle with the Professor's former colleague and friend, Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto. One of the world's most powerful mutants, Magneto has turned his back on society, believing that humans and mutants can never coexist, and that mutants are the rightful heirs to the future. He and his evil Brotherhood--the mammoth Sabretooth, the metamorph Mystique and the near-sighted, far jumping Toad--will stop at nothing to ensure that future, even if it threatens the very existence of mankind... or mutantkind. (official distributor synopsis)
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So to be clear, X-Men is a pretty normal Hollywood slop, kept afloat only by some interesting special effects (although the ratio of interesting to terrible is about 1:1) and some good fights. What's left is a bland and flavorless product that typically depicts the ideals of a "factory for dreams". But not mine.
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Is it six years already? I just can’t bring myself to believe that it’s that long ago that I first sat down in front of HBO and let myself be sucked into the world of mutants. Singer captures the viewer at the very beginning with a flashback to Poland in 1944 where we see a little boy trying to get back to his parents in the Jewish ghetto. An entrancing experience. The gradual meetings with other mutants and getting to know them better demonstrates Singer’s huge talent. The characters are written superbly and the viewer really worries about what happens to them. In terms of the acting, X-Men can’t be faulted. Hugh Jackson appeared as a flash out of nowhere and his Wolverine was perfected acted. The chillingly magnetic Ian McKellen surprisingly assumed the role of the one with the most wisecracks in the movie and Famke Janssen seems more beautiful here than she’s ever been (I fully understand Wolverine ;). Before I gave this a 4, but after careful consideration I changed it. Such sophisticated psychology deserves the highest score.
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Surprisingly excellent comic science fiction, which works not only as a trick and action affair, but also on the level of the characters and the story. Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto's (Ian McKellen) gambit is truly electrifying and is certainly not a traditional battle between good and evil in pure form. The experiences from the concentration camp that have marked Magneto, who perceives the conflict between mutants and humans as a possible repetition of the events of the Second World War, adds tension to the otherwise slightly worn plot. Of course, it doesn't dig too deep and remains, as tends to be the case in Hollywood, only with hints of ethics, but even X-men couldn't handle anymore than that. Mainly thanks to excellent actors and decent tricks, this film is one of the best comic book adaptations ever. And I haven’t even mentioned the open potential for the future films...
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So finally, after watching First Class, I filled my gap and checked out the first installment of X-Men. I'm quite pleased with the film, even if it falls well short of the 5th installment in effects and script. Some of the characters are still not as detailed (Storm, Mystique). As sci-fi, of course, it is above average, hence the well-deserved 4 stars.
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As a pilot for a series (which this film has actually become in hindsight), it's great and flawless. A lot of iconic characters gradually appear on the scene, each of whom gets their due space, and Singer portrays the entire mutant community well by having the best comic book character in history being led by the hand by the other players constantly explaining everything to him. The script is smart and draws out not only the inevitable issue of mutants coexisting with ordinary humans, but above all a convincing and logically motivated villain, Magneto, whose potential far exceeds a single feature film. Maybe it's just a pity that the film goes by so insanely fast that it doesn't even manage to leave a hickey on our experiential threads, and instead of some stylish eye candy action we remember exclusively the awesome Wolverine claw-fucking his colleagues and the attractive Halle Berry, to whom the word mutant fits about as well as a sleeping pill to a corpse. Definitely a revolutionary achievement, which can be watched over and over again and whose success was the start of a great sensation.
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