Comments from a comic book nerd!

Rating: 10/10 (7 August 2002)

I happen to be a very avid reader of comics, and I have leaned towards the X-titles as well over the years, and though I never dug deep into the soap opera that is X-Men, I had a firm enough ground that I knew the characters and where they came from. People criticize this movie because they say it isn't faithful to the comics. HOW????? The only thing that wasn't faithful to the comic was Hugh Jackman's hair wasn't standing two and a half feet off his head, which, mutant powers or not, I don't think that it's possible. Even hair bands in the 80's couldn't pull that hairdo off, and I'm certain a few of them are mutants (Poison, David Bowie, etc.). Okay, Jean isn't a doctor in the comics, but other than that, the characters were faithful to their comic counterparts.
THe story, while not taken from a comic story arc, was just as good as any story that the comics could come up with. I respect the fact that someone wrote an orginal story for the movie, because if they had taken from an actual story, such as the Phoenix saga, then the hardcore fans would have nitpicked the movie to death. I'm a comic book geek, but I know how to lighten up and let a movie be a movie. The movie was more or less like a Year One story arc, introducing the movie audiences to the characters.
The actor choices were great as well. For years, I always said that Patrick Stewart should be Professor X, hands down. I was so happy when he got the role, because he did a great job. Hugh Jackman played an awesome Wolverine, and Ian McKellen and his cohorts were perfectly cast as well. My only question mark was Halle Berry as Storm. She could have done so much better in her character, especially with that horrible accent she used.
This movie helped to redefine Marvel movies, and it's about time too. After the Punisher, Howard the Duck and the Fantastic Four movies, X-men showed Hollywood that Marvel can do it, and they continue in with the Spider-man movie. Watch the film, and even if you aren't a fan of the comics, it's still a fun and enjoyable movie.