Surprise! There's acting here!

Rating: Null/10 (16 July 2000)

As one would expect, X-Men delivers on visual spectacle. There are lots of good effects, things being blown up and broken, and so forth.
What one wouldn't expect from an action and effects-driven summer film is the performances. Two veteran actors, Patrick Steward (as Professor Xavier) and Ian McKellen (as Magneto) provide depth to their roles as antagonists on the mutant issue. Newcomer (to the American screen, anyway) Hugh Jackman is a sensitive and effective Wolverine, and Anna Paquin holds up her part as Rogue nicely.
The film also provides some depth to the issue of mutants and their place in society. Three sides are presented (Xavier, Magneto, and Sen. Robert Kelly), and the film doesn't treat it as a black and white good-vs-evil situation. Instead, we see that there is good and bad in all their positions.
Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to future installments in the story, and hoping that they continue to develop the characters and the depth of the story.