Author: EVula
Date: 9/1/00
Rating: 9.5
Movie Rating: PG-13
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First off, let me say right off the bat, I used to be a huge X-Men fan. I've still got all my old comics, stuck away under my bookcases (on the bottom level, as their weight reduces the risk of my bookshelves tipping over, which would suck beyond all belief). However, even though I was such a fan, I wasn't expecting much out of this movie. I was expecting to enjoy it purely on a sentimental note, and it would have kick ass special effects, and that would be it.
I was wrong. Oh so wrong.
This movie kicked ass on its own. For a comic movie, it reached new levels of kick-assness that previous comic book movies (The Phantom, for one...) have failed miserably to reach. Remove the movie's comic book background, and you still have a damn good movie, with a somewhat stable plot to it.
For those of you who don't know, this movie is about mutants. Mutants are human beings that have "evolved" a bit, into a person with really, really cool powers. These powers vary from person to person (the range goes from the ability to alter magnetic fields, to telepathy, to control of the weather, to enhanced senses, etc.). Mutants look like normal people, which freaks out normal people, since some mutants can be rather dangerous and/or deadly.
In the beginning of the movie, you are introduced to the major characters, human and mutant, and are shown their respective stances on human-mutant interaction. In one corner is Senator Kelley, who is pushing for the passage of the Mutant Registration Act, since he fears mutants. In the other corner is Magneto, as well as the Brotherhood of Mutants (includes Toad, Mystique, and Sabretooth). These are the bad mutants. In the other corner is the X-Men, led by Professor Xavier (Picard from Star Trek: TNG for those of you unfamiliar with the trailers). The X-Men believe in protecting humanity from Magneto, and that mutants and humans can coexist peacefully.
Basically, the movie focuses on Wolverine more than anyone, which is good, because Wolverine was easily most people's favorite character from the comics. This guy is a bad ass, nothing more needs to be said (especially if you've seen the trailers).
Alright guys, now for the main reason to go see this movie: Mystique. Hot damn, how the hell else are you going to see Rebecca Romijn-Stamos walking around almost completely naked, in a PG-13 flick, no less? COME ON people, yeah, the special effects are good, ooh, the actors can deliver their lines with power behind them, so what if Hugh Jackman plays a damn good Wolverine, you get to see a chick practically nude multiple times in the course of the movie.
Alright, alright, enough about the hot blue chick. This movie kicks ass. Go see it, especially if you are a fan of the comic books. It stays pretty close to the original books, as close a comic book movie can get. Also, see if you can spot Pyro, Shadowcat, and Iceman from the comics in their roles in the movie. ;) (note: anyone with a rough idea of who those characters are will see them, it doesn't take much).