I want to see it again...

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2000)

I will pay this film my highest compliment: I want to see it again.
It was much more than I expected; especially after reading some lukewarm reviews about the characters that X-Men aficionados felt were missing, the special effects and other trivial minutiae.
BUT  for someone (me) that has never read an X-Man comic and knew nothing about the characters, this is an exciting, well-told story with characters that had the boldness of comic book characters, all told in a visually gripping style.
The story would appear to hinge on Wolverine but it makes a smooth transition to the real lynchpin of the plot.
I am quietly grateful that Hugh Jackman was a last minute replacement for the actor that was originally scheduled for the part of Wolverine. He has an incredible intensity and screen presence that cannot be entirely attributed to his character. He Rocks!
Anna Pacquin as the mutant unsure of who she is and how she fits in  either in the Mutant society or the real' world  turns in a performance with just the right amount of angst' and still is believable and can be taken seriously.
One of the naysayers in another review I read said that Halle Barry was misscast as Storm. I disagree.
She is undeniably beautiful and looks more like a comic book hero (especially with her blonde mane) than anyone else in the film.
Ian McKellen (Gods and Monsters) was suitably chilling as the evil Magneto and Dr. Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) arch nemesis.
Ray Park (Darth Maul from Star Wars) was supremely disgusting as Toad. I ended up wishing he had more screen time.
But what held this film together above all was the dialogue  there had to be a certain amount of exposition for the non-X-Men audience; but it had the basics of the story and moved the plot along at a steadily increasing pace.
All things said I was not able to find many faults with this film and I cannot wait for the sequel(s).