where's the third act?

Rating: Null/10 (16 July 2000)

I am a fan of movies that do not conform to the traditional Hollywood "Three Act" formula, movies that break away from expectations and focus on character rather than effects, and hence, based on descriptions, I thought I would enjoy X-Men much more than I did. Let it be known that I have never read an X-Men comic and thus cannot compare the character development to those well loved tomes. The acting in the film ranges from charismatic and wonderfully larger than life (McKellan, Jackman) to awkward and forgettable (Halle Berri (sp?)) and the effects are less impressive than I expected. Its not a bad film, just not a particularly involving, exciting, or thrilling one. It seems, ultimately, like a long, elaborate setup for a much more thrilling sequel. There are too many heroes for any tension to be built in the action scenes (when you have so many mutants to save the day, where is the danger?) and the "climactic" battle between Magneto and the X-Men seemed like the middle of a movie, not the end. I left the theater feeling like they had forgotten to show the final reel, the one where the heros come dangerously close to failing and have a huge showdown with the bad guys, resulting in one spectacular battle to the end... I guess I expected a comic book movie to satisfy the typical summer-movie-arc and this one did not. Somewhat entertaining, but wasting too much potential.