A classic at the outset of the superhero revival decade

Rating: 8/10 (30 December 2011)

The Xmen was one of the first of the decade long superhero revivals. It stands as one of the best and in many ways is a benchmark for most Superhero films. A lot of the action choreography will be (and has been) copied by many others. What I find most intriguing about this film is that despite the number of superheroes and villains, the film does not rely on a sequence of continuous bangs, flashes and superhero 'power dissipation' to keep the audience glued, the action is perfectly and often quite finely balanced. Another great feature is that it is often quite a challenge getting a good meaningful performance from a number of big actors brewed together into a blockbuster, that isn't the problem in this case, the performances are perfectly measured and significant nevertheless. In short, this is a good solid family blockbuster entertainment which may yet become quite timeless.