THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Warner Bros. originally dominated the trend of superhero movies by producing films of the big names of DC Comics, Superman and Batman. New Line got around and surprised us with Marvel’s Blade. However, 20th Century Fox (Studios) made their mark when making X-Men in 2000.
PLOT
The film focuses on a world where evolved people with superpowers known as mutants are being discriminated by humans, particularly by Senator Robert Kelly, who wants to pass an act where they'll be forced to reveal their identities and abilities. Marie D'Ancanto aka Rogue runs away from her home in Mississippi, after discovering her abilities to absorb the life force of others when making skin contact. In Canada, she meets Logan aka Wolverine, who not only heals rapidly but also metallic claws and a skeleton covered in a rare metal known as 'Adamantium'. When hitchhiking together, they are ambushed by Sabretooth, one with a feline-like nature. Thankfully, they are rescued by others mutants: Ororo Munroe aka Storm who manipulates whether and Scott Summers aka Cyclops, who has a red beam of optic energy from his eyes. They take them to ‘Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters’, a school for mutants, meeting the telepath paraplegic Professor Charles Xavier. Charles thinks that his former friend, a metal manipulator named Erik Lehnsherr aka Magneto has an interest in Logan and sent Sabertooth to abduct him. He encourages him to stay to figure out what he wants, while Rogue enrolls in his school. Kelly is then abducted by Magneto's shapeshifting apprentice Mystique to their hideout. There, Magneto tests a machine that can emit radiation, which will trigger mutation. In this case, Kelly was a test subject and his mutation is triggered. One night, Rogue visits Logan when he's having a nightmare, resulting in him accidentally stabbing her after being startled. She saves herself by touching him, leading to her being able to heal. Some time after this, Mystique invades the school, disguises herself as Rogue's crush Bobby (Shawn Ashmore), encouraging her to leave. Kelly is able to escape Magneto's hideout with his new mutation, heading to the mansion. When it's discovered that Rogue left, Charles uses his tracking device 'Cerebro' to find her. Storm and Cyclops go to the train station where Charles tracked her, but are attacked by Sabretooth and Toad, the latter of which who has a prehensile tongue. When Logan finds her at the train she boarded, he's incapacitated by Magneto who takes her. When Kelly arrives, Charles discovers what he had transpired. Knowing that Magneto's machine almost killed him, it is deduced that he'll use Rogue to transfer his powers to her to activate it, which will likely take not just her life but the many at New York. Kelly then dies as his body dissolves into liquid, due to it rejecting the mutation. Charles attempts to use Cerebro again to find Rogue again but is incapacitated instead due to it being sabotaged earlier by Mystique, putting him in a coma. The telekinetic and telepath Jean Grey is able to fix it and use it to find out that Magneto and his brotherhood are at Liberty Island. Together, the titular group of protagonists go there to rescue Rogue. Wolverine is able to defeat Mystique and Storm is able to do the same with Toad. When Magneto puts them in captivity, Wolverine is able to break from it and fight Sabretooth. With aid from the others, Magneto's last disciple is defeated. Wolverine is able to destroy the machine and Cyclops incapacitates Magneto, leading to his imprisonment. Logan then transfers his powers to Rogue so she can survive with his healing. Some time later, Logan and Charles recover from their comas. Charles gives him a lead to his past at an abandoned installation near Alkali Lake, since he suffers from amnesia. Mystique disguised herself as Kelly in order to drop the Mutant Registration Act. The films ends with Erik in a plastic prison complex, promising to continue his fight against humans.
THOUGHTS
As a kid who grew up watching the animated series and reading the comic books of this iconic fictional team, I knew I was on board from the moment my father told me there was a film of them. So when seeing it during the 2000s, I recall highly enjoying this movie then as I do now. Director Bryan Singer was able to ensure that the trend of superhero movies would not end as the film was the most grounded at its time. What makes this one so feel such is this film's dystopia of mutant discrimination. It is a strong resemblance of how other people from a different ethnicity are discriminated everyday, never treated as equals. Aside from good action sequences and solid visuals, you become quickly invested with the array of characters. Considering that this film would create a 20 year franchise, this one has one obvious continuity error. It does not make sense that Erik helped Charles make Cerebro when it was later shown that Hank McCoy did so in the prequel First Class. While that it is one thing to easily ignore, there were still other things that bothered me. It is pretty badass seeing Wolverine fight without his claws from the moment we first see him, but there is a problem. Since his skeleton is surrounded by adamantium, how did his opponent fight him for so long and not break a hand? And since Wolverine is able to have a strong smell when others are near, which is what prepared him for Sabretooth. The said antagonist has the same feature which led to him finding Rogue in the first act. But how come he didn’t smell Rogue when she snuck into van? He heard her make noise but why couldn’t he sense her? Someone please explain that. Who was watching the kids at the mansion? Charles was unconscious and the X-Men went to New York. Did Beast or Moira MacTaggert show up? If so, I’d like to know. Lastly, I know it’s a cool visual moment how we discover Mystique impersonating Kelly when the X-Men pauses the television and spots the yellow eyes. But how come no one else has? You’re telling me no one else had TiVo and paused it? Because that would be hard to believe. Ignore these issues and you'll enjoy this film for what it is. The best thing about this cast is how most of them look like their comic book counterparts. Every actor in this film is able to successfully reflect what these characters are all about. Sir Patrick Stewart is able to show the wisdom and leadership that Charles Xavier is all about. He sees that there is a chance of equality and wants it to be done as peacefully as possible. When hearing that, you can almost compare him to Martin Luther King Jr. who had a similar motive. With that being said, Sir Ian McKellen is able to make Magneto the movie's Malcolm X because he lives up to doing 'any means necessary' for his message to be noticed. You can't blame him because he has survived the Holocaust and due to witnessing prejudice and segregation firsthand, he refuses to live that traumatic life again. The chemistry between both actors is outstanding because they portray each other as friends who still have a deep affection for another, despite the different fundamental opinions they have. The breakout Hugh Jackman straight up becomes Wolverine, embracing this character's traits throughout as a gruff figure who has a heart deep down. We enjoy this character from the beginning not just because of his powers but because of the sympathy we create for him, knowing his amnesia. Also, the pain he goes through in this film and so on and so forth imply that he's someone who'd rather be on his own but after meeting Rogue, he became more open minded. The reason has interest with Jean is because someone unattainable can be the most alluring for him. I also thought it was funny when he took Cyclops' motorcycle twice, proving that defiance is ironically a specialty. Speaking of Jean Grey, Famke Janssen does show that for someone like her character, having multiple powers is not easy to task. She stands out in comparison to the others because she comes off the most well spoken and doesn't seem to overthink each decision she makes, big or small. James Marsden makes a good impression as well for portraying Cyclops as someone with his own pride and also pressure becoming a leader to the group. He can be arrogant but only when not respected, and that occurs only with Wolverine. Halle Berry is able to make Storm a fierce woman while also making white hair look good. She knows it's hard to fit in with society for being different, but not even she lets that affect her morals. Anna Paquin's arc as the innocent Rogue was interesting because her discovery of her powers was similar to dealing with puberty, due to the fear she had towards it. It is something that is hard to understand, but you know it's better to figure it out. Her relationship with Logan is definitely special because their time together taught her it's good to be different. With each protagonist being so distinguishable, the same can be said with the villains that stand with Magneto. Tyler Mane does embody Sabretooth due to looking so terrifying but the problem with this character is his blood thirst for Wolverine. Because of his minimum dialogue, it is difficult to understand why he took his dog tag. If that is supposed to imply they're related as shown in 2009‘s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it should've been more clear. Rebecca Romjin successfully does best with Mystique on how looks are deceiving. I mean the makeup on her is phenomenal compared to what was done to Jennifer Lawrence in later films of the franchise. It was wise to give this character a fair amount of growth as the franchise progressed. Lastly, Ray Park is also successfully able reflect the slimy attitude that is Toad with his given time. It is a shame that he would be re-casted when the character returned briefly in 2014's Days of Future Past. To come to a close, Singer brought fresh air again to the superhero genre with X-Men, becoming one of the best in the process. If you love superheroes, you won't regret checking this out.
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