The X-MEN hit the big screen in a big way for Marvel Fans.

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2002)

Very rarely does a movie come along that is worthy of the comic book it emulates ,"Captain America","Doctor Strange" and even "The Flash"are some examples of movies that failed to live up to their comic book equivalents but X-MEN is off to a good start.
5 years in the making, X-MEN uses elements from the comic book (nearly 40 yrs old)with special effects and decent actors to provide a very enjoyable experience at the movie theater. The movie landed on many executives and director's desks, but it was Bryan Singer who finally took the helm and directed it.
In an PEOPLE magazine interview, Singer himself admits, he knew nothing about the XMEN and immediately started reading comics to learn as much as he could about the characters.
This is one of the few times that a movie does live up to its hype.
In this movie, like in the comic book war is being made on mutants, specifically by a Senator Robert Jefferson who sees mutants as a threat to mankind "Mutants are among us, you must know who they are and what they can do".
It is here that we meet Jean Grey (Cyclop's woman) that tries to defend mutants in a hearing trying to decide what to do about mutants.
Before that we see Erik Magnus Lehnsherr or Magneto as a child during WWII as his mom and dad are taking away from him, we see Magneto's power as moves barb wire and steel around him,yet he is only a kid. His power will grow in time.
The movie then goes to the present and for the first time we see Wolverine or Logan played by newcomer Hugh Jackman as a guy who fights for a living. Literally, he gets paid to win fighting matches.
Here is where we see Rogue played by Anna Paquin.
Rogue ends up with Wolverine heading to shelter then two are attacked by Sabretooth(Wolverine's Enemy).
The two are saved by Cyclops and Storm (James Marsden and Halle Berry who got away with manslaughter after she hit a car in Santa Monica and left.lol).
So then we are transferred to the Mutant Academy or Professor Xavier school of the gifted where Patrick Stewark takes the role of Charles Xavier. Stewart plays this part perfectly, I can't see anyone else playing Dr. Xavier in the sequels.
The conflict in the movie comes when Magneto battles his old friend Dr.Xavier and his band of mutants.
Magneto has mutants of his own called "The Brotherhood of Mutants". Magneto kidnaps Senator Jefferson and proceeds to turn him into a mutant.
The movie has some brilliant effects especially at the end where a model of the Statue of Liberty was used in the final fight scene.
The only complaint about this film is that it does not feature the original uncanny X-MEN ,Collosus, Night Crawler, Kitty, and so on. Also the evil mutants like Apocalypse ,Blob, Pyro and others dont appear.
Make no mistake though, X-MEN is worthy of a great Christmas gift. It's available on VHS and DVD.
DVD features extra footage and even a screen test of Hugh Jackman (Wolverine).