The acting makes this film a classic.

Rating: Null/10 (5 October 2001)

The four lead actors give wonderful performances. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen give the film an intelligence that you wouldn't expect from a comic book film. And Hugh Jackman and Anna Paquin give the film real emotion. It's their relationship that defines the concept that the X-Men are tragic superheroes. He's a man who chooses to be a loner, she's a girl who's forced to be a loner. And though Jackman gave the most entertaining performance, it is Paquin who gives the best performance in terms of pure acting. She has to make you care about Rogue if you're going to care about the movie. And she does an excellent job of it. Paquin plays Rogue as a real teenage girl with a horrible affliction. You care about her because you believe her character. You feel for her.
Director Bryan Singer should be applauded for casting these four excellent actors instead of big name stars or Hollywood bimbos. By going with quality, Singer tried to give the comic book genre intellectual and emotional weight. He succeeded.
Great special effects, action, humor, and a great performance from the cast makes The X-Men one of the best comic book films, ranking alongside Batman and Superman. Let's just hope the X-Men sequels are better than the sequels to those films.