You could call this an X-istential action flick. Yes, David Hayter's screenplay works on a none too subtle metaphoric level, comparing the feared mutants to other outsiders, such as the imprisoned Jews of World War II and the immigrants who came as huddled masses to New York. It's no accident that the film's climax occurs at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The movie's anti-prejudice theme lends extra resonance to the kabooms and special effects. The rivalry between Wolverine and Cyclops lends some extra energy, and the script demonstrates a sense of humor at timely places.
Wolverine asks, glancing at the team's black vinyl costumes.
Fans of the comics will recognize the in-joke. But a movie needs a focused story line or it gets too diffuse. The film's finale feels a little rushed, as if trims were made to lower the overall running time. The canny, comic-book angles and contrasts that Singer uses in the first hour give way to more conventional camerawork. It's an engaging popcorn movie in a summer that's littered with duds.