Yet more drooling over Hugh Jackman

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2000)

I'm yet another person who never read the comics, watched the animated series occasionally, and yet saw the movie. Why? Two reasons. Number One is that I'm married to a rabid fanboy who's collected the comics since he was a kid. Number Two is that I may not be an X-Men fan per se, but I am definitely a Wolverine fan.
Back in February my husband told me that Dougray Scott had to bow out of "X-Men", and that a newcomer named Hugh Jackman had been hired in his place. My response was probably not unique: "Hugh WHO?". So I looked him up on the Internet, and I was not inspired by what I saw. A handsome, dark-haired man with a pleasant smile. THIS guy was going to play Wolverine, the biggest badass to ever strut out of the Frozen North? (I'm a Canadian too, by the way.) Yeah, right!
Then I saw some publicity stills in Entertainment Weekly, and I started to wonder. The hair ... looked pretty good. It could've looked silly, but they managed to get the DA style with the two trademark points just right. The claws looked pretty damn good, too. Maybe this guy had possibilities, but just because he looked the part didn't mean he could play the Canucklehead.
Then came the previews and the TV special, and I found myself starting to become convinced - especially when I saw the shot of him leaning against a wall, in full X-Men getup, flipping out both sets of claws like switchblades (when I saw the movie I realized that this was just before he goes toe-to-toe with Mystique).
Then I saw the movie.
Is it perfect? Hell, no. The budget was slashed (pun intended), and Singer was forced to have a summer release date rather than a Christmas one. This hurt the movie, no question. Is it a good movie nonetheless? I think so, and the main reason is Mr. Jackman. If he had been a less-perfect Wolverine, the movie would have gone down the tubes faster than you can say "snikt".
Ladies, if you haven't seen this movie yet (and I'm sure there's still one or two of you who haven't) ... GO. Even if you think comics are dumb (I don't, I just don't read 'em is all), you'll love Wolverine. He's sexy, he's menacing, he's dangerous, and dammit, he's protective of the women in his life. What more can you ask?
P.S. Memo to Jean Grey - I've thought this for years, and now I'm convinced - you're nuts to stay with Cyclops. At least give Wolvie a tumble. This guy is aching for you, and you're saying no? Cyclops need never know - you're the one who's psychic, not him!