More than just a "comic book" movie, a very entertaining Sci-Fi film.

Rating: Null/10 (26 November 2000)

The premise of the X-Men is this - natural, slow mutation is what causes evolution and is responsible for the human race being here. However, every few hundred thousand years accelerated mutation happens and humans with certain "superhuman" abilities come to be. It manifests itself during puberty, and is triggered by an emotionally-charged event.
The film opens in 1944 Poland, a concentration camp, where the protagonist who will become "Magneto" is an adolescent and his power is first manifest as his mother and father are being dragged away from him. Next, the "not too distant future" in Mississippi, where the girl known as "Rogue" (Anna Paquin)kisses her boyfriend and almost kills him.
There is activity in congress to legally require "mutants" to be registered. This concerns Magneto who hatches a plan to convert large numbers into mutants, to thwart that effort.
The good mutants become known as the "X-Men". Under their guru, Xavier (Patrick Stewart), they become the group that tries to prevent Magneto and his guys from achieving their havoc.
The final scenes, at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are very inventive and action-filled. In fact, the whole film is an action movie, with great costumes and special effects. I rate the "X-Men" movie a strong "8" of 10, and is one that I will watch a number of times.
I have the DVD. Picture and surround sound are fine as would be expected with a THX release. There are not a lot of "extras", but one of them, a pseudo-documentary on "mutants", includes comments by the various main actors, and some behind the scenes shots that shows how some of the filming was done.
I have never read the X-Men comics, but as a 54-year old am still able to appreciate and enjoy this film. It is everything that "Mystery Men" is not!!