A great start to the franchise.

Rating: 8/10 (28 March 2014)

Telepathic, follically-challenged, wheelchair-bound genius Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) aims to promote the peaceful co-existence of mutants and humans, teaching students at his School for Gifted Youngsters how to control their powers. Angry metal-bending mutant Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) has other ideas: he wants to transform the world's political leaders into genetic freaks so that they will no longer show prejudice against his kind.
"This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard"— Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), X-Men.
That may be so, Wolverine, but it makes for great entertainment. A smart script that explores interesting themes is expertly brought to the big-screen by director Bryan Singer who uses every special effects trick at his disposal to brilliantly realise the incredible world of the X-Men, giving us just the right balance of drama and action (the film culminating with a fun battle atop the Statue of Liberty (very apt, given the film's motif of tolerance and freedom for all).
X-Men also benefits from excellent casting: distinguished thesps Stewart and McKellen possess the necessary acting chops to effectively portray two such powerful and complex adversaries, Hugh Jackman makes for a very likable hero, Anna Paquin is adorable as troubled mutant Rogue, Halle Berry is hotter than a July heat-wave as weather-controlling babe Storm, Famke Janssen is super-sexy as brainy telekinetic Jean Grey, and Rebecca Romijn looks gorgeous even though she is blue and covered in scales (must be something to do with the fact that she's completely starkers under all that paint!).