Well written and played out, entertaining

Rating: Null/10 (7 May 2003)

I thought that the movie did an excellent job of being loyal to comic book readers while at the same time presenting an entertaining story to those new to the series. The movie medium really allows for the characters to be expanded from their previous comic book form by added depth in their appearance and personality. The film revolves around Gen. William Stryker and his attempts to control and destroy all of the mutants on the planet, as well as Wolverine's quest to discover his origins. As a part of the adventure, the X-Men encounter, and recruit Nightcrawler, who is excellently fleshed out by Alan Cumming, as the Bavarian Imp who can teleport and has exceptional acrobatic abilities. I thought they did an excellent job expanding and showing his devout religious beliefs, while at the same time cinematography and special effects led to an accurate portrayal of his ability to teleport. Loyal fans of the comic series will be delighted to see other characters pop-up in minor scenes (e.g. Colossus, Syren, Shadowcat, and the Beast) as well as hints at what's to come in the probable sequel(s). Although the movie has to give a parsed version of the plot of the comic series, I felt that the movie did an excellent job of providing entertainment for hardcore fans and neophytes alike.