Best Super-Hero film ever

Rating: 10/10 (16 July 2000)

The "super-hero" film is a much maligned genre. In most cases, this reputation is well deserved. Face it. Most super-hero films stink. Above the usual duds, there are a few that stand out as adequate or slightly better, such as Superman or Batman(1), but even these miss the mark. The common failure with these films is that they do not capture the essence of the heroes involved in the stories. They too often ignore anywhere from 10-50 years of history, and they simply cover a typical story with a hero's insignia, or they parody what is wrongly regarded as only a "kids" genre. They miss the comic book. X-Men does not. More than any super-hero film ever, it stays true to its source. It captures the spirit of 30+ years of "The Uncanny X-Men." It treats its characters and subject matter seriously and makes it easy to believe that Super-Heroes do exist in the world of this film. They are not campy parodies or distant icons, but real heroes. The genre has always held tremendous potential. It's nice to see someone finally capture some of that lightning.