I liked it. There I said it. I liked X-Men: the Movie. Being a comic book fan for over 20 years (oh wow, I can't believe it's been that long), I know the entire history of the X-Men, and they've been around even longer than I have. So it's hard for someone like me to go into the movie without some skepticism. One would think that comic books would be an easy translation into the big screen format. That's not always the case. The only ones that I think were successful are Superman I & II, Batman, and Blade. Surprisingly though, I went into this movie with an open mind and free from any preconceptions. I'm glad I did.
X-Men: The Movie was a delight. It should please even the die-hard fans of the comic book and amaze those who have had no experience with the mutant genre at all. The story was good and I understood why director Bryan Singer chose the characters that he did. The X-Men universe is bustling with many characters which makes it tough for people new to the subject to understand what is going on.
The casting was sound as well. Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier was perhaps the easiest one to cast. For years, his name was always associated with Professor X with the comic book fans and to see him in that role was faith rewarded. Sir Ian McKellan was an excellent Magneto. You couldn't have an X-Men movie without the main villain. I could have just watched these two throughout the entire movie and be happy.
But perhaps the biggest character under heavy scrutinization was Wolverine. Who would Singer get to play the part of the most beloved X-Men? The answer came in the form of Australian actor Hugh Jackman, and he did his job beyond the call of duty. If Jackman couldn't convince the movie audience that he was Wolverine, then this movie would have been a bust. Just as Christopher Reeve played Superman and Michael Keaton as Batman, Jackman had the weight of the entire movie on his shoulders... and he delivered.
I found myself fixated on the screen for the entire movie and couldn't believe how fast the time went. There was drama, mystery and action in every scene. The special effects were great and only helped enhance this movie. I also liked the fact that Singer threw in some hidden cameos and references for the die-hards as a way of rewarding them for supporting his endeavour in undertaking this massive project.
People don't realize the magnitude that this film has on comic book movies yet to come:
• It has redeemed itself in the eyes of comic book fans after the last two disastrous Batman movies;
• It serves that you don't have to "dumb down" and saturate the content in order to make it work... people will understand it if you allow them the chance;
• This movie was a successful testing ground to see if comic book movies still had a place. With the success of the X-Men, expect a sequel since it is crying out for one. Plus, the highly-anticipated Spider-Man will be a major attraction due to the X-Men's success.
The X-Men have seen many incarnations in their 30-plus years of existence, from comic to toys to cartoons and now movies. It says a lot for these characters if they can survive and adapt with the times, and it puts them up there with Superman, Batman and Spider-Man.
As a comic book fan, this movie did wonders, especially the character interaction between Wolverine and Cyclops.
Wolverine: We're supposed to go out there wearing this?
Cyclops: Would you rather be wearing yellow spandex or something?
Witness the evolution of spectacular action and excitement in this dazzling feast of fantasy (San Francisco Chronicle) unlike anything you ve ever see...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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