X-Men (film)

***X-Men*** is a 2003 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. The film is the first installment in the *X-Men* film franchise. The film starred Hugh Jackman, Karl Urban, Charlize Theron, Regina Hall, Kyle Chandler, Brian Cox, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rebecca Ferguson, Patrick Wilson, Ian McKellan, and Patrick Stewart, and grossed $436.4 million on a $100 million budget, making it the 7th highest grossing film of 2003 worldwide. It also received positive reviews, with praise for its design and acting (especially Urban's performance), though it was criticized for its loose plot threads.

## Plot

Decades ago, the existence of "mutants", humans with genetically different DNA granting them superpowers, was revealed to the world. Now, mutants fight for their rights to be treated as humans. Professor Charles Xavier, a powerful telepath, is a mutant activist and runs a school for the gifted, which is a disguise for a refuge school for mutants. Among his trusted associates are Scott Summers/Cyclops, who shoots lasers every time he opens his eyes, Jean Grey, a telepathic doctor with telekinesis whose potential is unknown, Ororo Munroe/Storm, an African mutant who can control the weather, and Hank McCoy/Beast, Xavier's close friend who is immensely strong and fast, though he is covered in blue fur. Xavier's former best friend, Erik Lensherr, now acts as a rogue mutant, who believes that mutants should take their rightful place as above humans. In Canada, Logan, a loner mutant with metal claws in his hands, meets Marie, a young girl going by the name "Rogue", who can take the memories and abilities of someone by touching them. The two bond and befriend one another. At his base, Lensherr/Magneto detects a mutant anamoly in Canada and sends Victor Creed/Sabretooth after it. Creed arrives at Logan and Rogue's location. Creed and Logan recognize each other, though the former is only there for Rogue, whom Logan protects. Eventually, Scott and Hank arrive and save Logan and Rogue.

At the school, Storm is teaching a group of students, including Bobby Drake, who is cryokenetic and Warren Worthington III, when Scott and Hank show up with Logan and Rogue. Xavier puts Jean in charge of running tests on Logan, who takes an interest in her, though she is dating Scott. Rogue is instated as a student, and bonds with Bobby. Sabretooth returns to Magneto empty-handed, forcing Magneto to put his plan into action sooner than before. Elsewhere, Senator Robert Kelly is extremely Anti-Mutant and prepares a bill to force mutants to register themselves. However, his assistant Sarah Langley is revealed to be the shapeshifting mutant Mystique, Magneto's second-in-command. Mystique kidnaps Kelly and brings him to Magneto, who orders Mystique and Mortimer Toynbee/Toad to send a message to the country revealing their kidnapping. Xavier and the school learn of Kelly's kidnapping and Xavier immedietly knows it was Magneto and sends Storm, Cyclops, and Beast after Magneto. Mystique disguises herself as Storm and inflitrates the mansion to access Cerebro, an all-knowing program set-up by Xavier and Hank. However, Logan and Jean deduce Mystique's disguise and knock her out. However, Toad is revealed to be there also and takes Rogue.

At Magneto's base, after quickly diabling Cyclops, Storm, and Beast, he and Xavier initiate a trade: Mystique for Rogue and the others, though Cyclops is reluctant. Meeting on Liberty Island, Cyclops, Storm, and Beast are shown, though Magneto gets away with Mystique, while keeping Rogue and Kelly. After discussing what to do, Logan and Bobby force Xavier to help Rogue. Determining Magneto's plan to use Rogue's abilites to kill everyone that is not a mutant, Logan, Bobby, Cyclops, Storm, and Beast go after him. Storm takes on Toad, Cyclops takes on Mystique, and Beast takes on Sabretooth, while Logan and Bobby sneak in to save Rogue. However, they find Kelly already dead. Magneto's plan begins, and, due to the others being caught up on distracting Magneto's minions, Logan and Bobby call in for back-up. Jean prepares to go in, while Warren, who has wings, joins her. The two arrive and manage to save Rogue. Magneto is stopped and arrested by the government, as well as Toad, while Mystique and Sabreooth escape. Logan officially joins the ranks of the "X-Men", as do Bobby, Rogue, and Warren as recruits, while the X-Men are revealed to the public, as a sign that not all mutants are bad.

## Cast

* Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine
* Karl Urban as Scott Summers/Cyclops
* Charlize Theron as Jean Grey
* Regina Hall as Ororo Munroe/Storm
* Kyle Chandler as Hank McCoy/Beast
* Brian Cox as Robert Kelly
* Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Raven Darkholme/Mystique
* Mark Ruffalo as Victor Creed/Sabretooth
* Chris Evans as Warren Worthington III/Angel
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Bobby Drake/Iceman
* Rebecca Ferguson as Marie/Rogue
* Patrick Wilson as Mortimer Toynbee/Toad
* Ian McKellan as Erik Lensherr/Magneto
* Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X