X-traordinary!!!

Rating: Null/10 (14 July 2000)

The biggest and most anticipated film of the summer is finally released. For years, comic book fans have been waiting for big screen adaptations of Fantastic Four, Spider Man, and now finally released, X-MEN. And what can I say about X-MEN but not since DICK TRACY and the original BATMAN (1989) have I seen a fantastic and exciting film based on a comic book. This movie is way better than SPAWN and BLADE, it does make the comic book film genre alive again for the new millennium. X-MEN focuses on two characters, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) also called Logan (love that name!!!) and Rogue (Anna Paquin). They discover that they are outcasts of society, called mutants. Where Wolverine can heal his own wounds and have sharp claws come out of his fists, Rogue can feel other people's or mutants energy and power. They are attacked by the powerful evil mutant Sabertooth (Tyler Mane) before they are rescued by Cyclops (James Marsden) and Storm (Halle Berry). Wolverine and Rogue are taken to a university for mutants led by Professor Charles Francis Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his assoicate Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). Professor X tells the two newcomers that their mutant powers can help protect society, a society that is afraid of them. However, evil Magneto (Ian McKellen) wishes to use his powers to destroy a society that betrayed him and his team including Sabertooth, Mystique (Rebecca Romijn Stamos) and Toad (Ray Park). Together, the X-Men must stick together to save a society that fears them. I never did read any of the X-Men comics (I was more into the Dark Knight and Captain America). But from watching this movie, I was very impressed! There was non-stop action and excitement, and director Bryan Singer doesn't pull any punches with any corny plot, characters, or dialogue. I was at first disappointed in it's 109 minute running time, but after watching the film, it's so fast paced, that there are no slow scenes. The acting by all of the cast members are great, with kudos going out to Anna Paquin as Rogue and newcomer Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Although, most of the film centers around these two, they both did a great job with their characters, especially Jackman, he's a fantastic Wolverine! And support from McKellen, Stewart, Janssen, Berry, and Marsden also add flavor to the film. That is why I enjoyed this movie, there is more than one character to enjoy. Unlike the original BATMAN where the viewer was intrested in Batman and the Joker, there are so many characters to be engrossed with. And the directing is fantastic, from the tricky camera angles, to the fast pacing, Singer makes this film a true comic book film. Puls I also enjoyed the special effects, the sets, costumes, and music by Michael Kamen. This is another eagerly awaited film, along with EPISODE I that delivers the goods, and then some. It is action packed, you do see quite a few X-Men characters, and it is in a comic book style. I highly enjoyed this film, and I'll be the first or one millionth person in line for the sequal. To be continued........ ***** (out of five)