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X-Men
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Rating: Good

Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Bryan Singer
Release Date: July 14th, 2000 (wide)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Anna Paquin, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, James Marsden, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.
above picture from www.upcomingmovies.com
Plot: The X-Men are a group of mutants with special gifts, and in this film (which will undoubtedly spawn many more) Wolverine (Jackman) and Rogue (Paquin) are saved by some of the X-Men after they are attacked.  The X-Men beckon Rogue, Wolverine to join the X-Men group and the good Profesor Xavier wants to help them understand their powers at his school for the gifted.  Meanwhile, a semi-evil mutant, Magneto (McKellen) who fears the humans will kill them if they don't fight back has layed sinister plans that will be inforced by his henchman, Mystique (shape shifter), Toad (big tongue hangs on to stuff, can hop), and Sabretooth (just a big strong animal looking fella').  The  X-Men fight back with Cyclops (shoots stuff from his eyes played by Marsden), Jean-Grey (telepathic and can move things, played by x-Bond girl Janssen), Storm (controls weather played by Berry), and of course Wolverine (who can heal himself, has blades coming out of his fists) and Rogue (who steals others' powers).
   Critique: If I had to some up this movie in what sentence I would say it was a fun little ride.  I use the word little because it wasn't too complicated and because the film was fairly short at about 95 minutes.  The histories of the characters were engaging and fascinating.  As child I had not read X-Men, thus the histories fresh to me; a lifetime reader might feel like he/she has heard this a million times.
      The film focuses more on character introductions than the conflict with Magneto, but both segments were entertaining.  The battle scenes are highly enjoyable and keep us guessing.  The special effects are great, and along with the superb editing this movie was a real visual treat.  It even had some depth as the antagonist isn't all bad, Magneto has reasons for his madness, as he was in a concentration camp as a child druing World War II and doesn't want mutants to go through the same thing Jews did.  This was because all the humans reject the mutants, especially a McCarthy like senator.
     X-Men did have its flaws though, the acting was average to over average, but not great, as was the chemistry between them.  The character development was in some cases excellent, but sometimes needed work.  For instance Wolverine was fully developed, but I really couldn't tell what kind of people Storm or Cyclops were, the audience got mixed messages.  It also didn't have any extra kick to it to make it an excellent movie, and when I left the theatre I felt furfilled in that the movie was up to my expectations, but I didn't feel stunned like an excellent movie leaves you feeling.
    The main point however, is that this movie was fun, and in many cases smart.  I will look forward to the many sequels that will certainly follow this one.    

                           supernothingman(ES)
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