Computer-graphics artists save the World in Series opener

Rating: Null/10 (28 August 2000)

The Marvel comics were a god-send for me in the late 60's.
I was fast running out of fresh material: The Victor, Eagle, Batman, Superman, even the countless, jingoistic, British "64-page" war stories. And they were fast running out of plots. I mean, how many times could one man smash the might of Hitler's war machine.
Then they arrived like manna from Heaven for a comics nut.
Looking back now, they seem to have cascaded onto the newsagents stands. Thor, The Silver Surfer, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, and my personal favourite, Dr. Strange. They took me to new worlds and truly opened up whole new civilisations.
Unfortunately, due to my pocket-money constraints, I regularly wore out shoe leather tramping around town to swap or cajole the latest issues from my contemporaries.

But by and large, whatever disapproving teachers and psychologists would say, they helped to broaden my imagination.

To date,though, with the exception of the (for me) insipid and disappointing Incredible Hulk TV series and the admirable Surfer animation, that is where they have remained.
So you won't be surprised to hear that I was looking forward to this one.
While I had religiously gone to "Superman" and "Batman" big-screen interpretations, (and I still swear by "Batman Returns"), Marvel characters will always be pre-eminent for me.
And while its less than a week since I've seen the movie I will have to say that this is one time where I'm grateful for the use of computerised graphics in the cinema. In its depiction of titanic battles between the wonderfully-realised mutants the film scores almost all its plus points as, in many other respects, it seems to me film-making by numbers.
Rope in a few 'distinguished' British actors to lend gravitas as the opposing mutant leaders, introduce some attractive-looking B-list actors to offset the special effects budget overruns, and sprinkle the script liberally with wise-cracks. Oh, and take time to introduce all the characters individually. With an eye on the series, and the attendant merchandising spin-offs. Of course the plot involves a battle to save civilisation as we know it.
I don't know why I'm complaining. I'll probably be queuing for first-run showings of the remainder of the series'. Even if Bryan Singer continues as director.
Singer has gone on record as saying he was never a fan. I would have to say I'm not really surprised as the movie ultimately seems first and foremost a computer-animation project which serves as an introduction to the world of X-Men. Of course I'm speaking as one of the seemingly few who wasn't bowled over by his "Usual Suspects". In any case that movie depended to a large extent on the quality of the performances and its a safe bet that there will be no Oscar nominations here.
I'm not sure was Tim Burton asked to direct. Perhaps the money-men wouldn't tolerate his excesses. Or then again maybe he's too steeped in the Gothic horror tradition to give it its most sympathetic interpretation.
But we need a director with a subversive vision for any future projects.
In this case, though, mark it down as better late than never.