Live action anime, but why?

Rating: 6/10 (3 March 2002)

Passable but not great adaptation of the popular "X-men" comic series. Once the decision was made to adapt this story from comic to live action, rather than opt for the obvious path of creating an anime version, the question had to be asked: what is the live version trying to achieve that an anime can't? It wouldn't be the special effects - CGI is so good by now that live action and anime can produce similar end results, only the palette and textures are different. The answer must lie in the acting, in the ability of human beings to provide emotional depth and subtlety that animation and voices cannot. "X-men" doesn't quite make it in this regard. Which is a pity, given some of the names on the cast sheet.
In fact, some things such as action and fight sequences in this genre are still best done by anime. A number of such sequences in this film look like manga frames brought to life. It's impressive, but ultimately weird. The fight scenes are cranked up to such a bizarre level, with odd camera angles and exaggerated violence, that they look frankly unbelieveable. Particularly when no-one actually appears to die in this film, if they lose a fight they just get belted for miles out of the frame and disappear. If the camera happens upon them sprawled on the deck, they get up and wade back into the brawl. If it doesn't, they seem to just quietly disappear from the film. Odd.
Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart have both done better work than their roles as the two mutant leaders, doing their own version of the War of the Roses (check the actors' birthplaces and your English history!). Much was made in Australia of "nice guy" Hugh Jackman landing the plum role of Wolverine. Apart from a simplistic study of macho posturing, he brings little to his role, it must be said. My favourite from this film is Anna Paquin, all grown up and looking just a bit like Claire Danes, which is no bad thing. We first see her upstairs in her suburban whitebread house, her mom's piano tinkling downstairs (a nice touch and this film's single delightful moment). Anna gives a brave and layered performance in what is admittedly the most interesting role of Rogue, the mutant with the poison touch. A few more performances like Anna's and this could have been a great film.
To summarise, the film does enough to pique the interest of those unfamiliar with the corresponding comic series to give it a look. But only just. I cannot speak for existing fans of the comics.