A complex adapted story with strong direction and acting holding it together

Rating: Null/10 (10 July 2000)

X-Men the movie manages to be an deep as X-Men the comic book which is quite a comment when one compares the comic book medium prior to Stan Lee and his `mutants'. After a surprisingly effective scene when a young Erik Magnus is forcibly separated from his parents in Nazi concentration camp unleashing his intense magnetic powers the action moves to the home of Marie played by Anna Panquin. As a young teen with a love of travel she confides her dreams to her boyfriend who kisses her. Instead of lovely moment Marie's boyfriend passes out and suffers a seizure. Marie is one thousands who are mutants; people born with unique genetic gifts that emerge in adolescence.
In Washington D.C. Senator Edward Kelly (Burce Davidson) advocates a law requiring mutants to register themselves. Kelly in tense public meeting produces a list of known mutants and even enlists gun control supporters to outlaw mutant `weapons in our schools.' Very few young people will appreciate Kelly's `list' and its subtle reference to McCarthyism. In the audience a much older Erik (Ian McKellen leaves the auditorium as the throng applauds the senator. Erik is then confronted by Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) who suspects that his old friend will take action against `humankind'. X-Men spends nearly half the movie introducing us to the world of the X-Men and create the setting. The film also uses the beloved character Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to introduce us to the rest of cast. This makes the film slow moving for fans of the comic book who are already up to speed. Soon the X-Men discover Erik's AKA Magneto's plan to destroy a United Nations conference and make the first strike in a new race war between humans and mutants. Director Bryan Singer manages to weave the vast backstory of the X-Men into the film without boring fans or overwhelming newcomers to the X-Men and the Xavier School. Singer manages to coax an exceptional performance from his players including Ian McKellen with whom he worked with in "Apt Pupil."
The only people who may be disappointed with X-Men are the die hard comic book fans who can't appreciate Singer's handling of a complex (and yes sometimes unfocused) screenplay. A exciting adaption of comic book without the comic book feel.