X-Men is a visually stunning special effects film that has some great substance to behind all the glam.

Rating: 8/10 (17 March 2009)

In a world where children born with strange and dangerous powers-whether they be the ability to read minds, to control the weather, or even walk through walls- are feared and outcast, Professor Charles Xavier(Patrick Stewart), a 'mutant' with the power to read and manipulate another's mind, has created an environment, a school, where mutants can feel safe and welcome. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Rogue(Anna Paquin), two wandering mutants, find solace here for a short time, but are soon thrust into the action as a powerful mutant by the name of Magneto(Ian McKellen) plans to unleash disaster on the unsuspecting public.
First and foremost, I am not a comic book fan. From that you can conclude that I never read any of the X-Men comics. So when I approached the film I held no bias as to what I should expect: I wasn't looking for the same film a fan might of have been looking for. I was looking for a good time and thats just what I got.
One thing I really appreciated was that the line between super hero and super villain was blurred distinctly. The mutants can act as a metaphor for all minorities that exist today, and the film presents this in a way that is not subtle, but not in-your-face either. Humans hate and fear mutants, who we as an audience, in a slightly different universe, can see as kind, caring, angry, depressed, knowledgeable, moral,humane beings. Mutants in general are neither bad nor good, but human, and the title of hero or villain comes only in how certain characters react to the prejudice thrust upon them by humanity. Some might say that Charles Xavier is moronic for protecting the ones that hate and fear him. Is Magneto right for wanting to change the state of the world in order to favor his own kind? Though the 'bad guys' are usually more ugly and visually less human then their heroic counterparts, the idea is still in the air that not all is as well defined as one may think. The film opens with a harrowing scene that leads the audience to sympathize... with the lead villain.
Visually, X-Men is a definite treat. There are just so many memorable and surprisingly well executed shots in this film. I love the first time the audience witness Wolverine's blades pushing through his skin. The first time we see Jean Grey exhibiting her telekinetic power. Perhaps my favorite shot in the entire film is when the powerful shape shifter Mystique changes her appearance- in the middle of performing a mid air spinning kick to her opponent. The fight scenes are all very well choreographed, filmed with a great eye, and not too over the top or extravagant. There is a great variety of locations visited in the run of the 104 minute viewing time: From a vast, snowy Canadian landscape, to the almost futuristic school facility, to a mysterious island and more, these mutants are always on the move, and the audience is alongside them for the ride. The film also sounds quite good, with some impressive sound effects and a very fitting score by Michael Kamen.
The film progresses at a very smooth, fluid pace, building itself up to an explosive climax atop one of the world's grandest attractions. The script, written by David Hayter, strongly develops the mutants, the world in which they live, and their reactions to it. The film's script also has a nice sense of humor to it. Special effects wise, X-Men is a blast. Visual effects, such as a certain character's watery demise, are meticulously crafted and designed for the audience's enjoyment. The mutant effects and make up where also extraordinary, most notably the beautifully and expertly crafted Mystique costume, consisting of air brushed dye and prosthetics that look ridiculously life life. .
The acting for the most part is very good. The only two performances here I didn't totally enjoy where Halle berry's performance as Storm and Anna Paquin's performance as Rogue. Maybe it was the accents these girls spoke with, but both of their performances seemed pretty bad compared to the rest of the cast.
Another of the film's flaw, that I found, is the view on evolution that is so strongly held. Since I am not a believer in evolution, this hardened view did not set well with me, not to the point that I couldn't enjoy the film, but just enough to make note of. This is much more of a personal issue than a technical flaw with the film.
X-Men is a visually stunning special effects film that has some great substance to behind all the glam. Fans of the comic books seem to have taken kindly to the hero's and anti-heroes jump to the big screen, and as a casual movie goer I had quite an enjoyable time.
8/10