PG-13, 84m, 2000

Starring: Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Brett Morris (Young Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto), Halle Berry (Ororo Munroe/Storm), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Scott Summers/Cyclops), Bruce Davison (Robert Kelly), Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Mystique), Ray Park (Toad), Tyler Mane (Sabretooth), Anna Paquin (Marie D’Ancanto/Rogue), Shawn Ashmore (Bobby Drake/Iceman), Alexander Burton (Pyro) and Shawn Roberts (Rogue’s Boyfriend). Directed by Bryan Singer. Produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter. Screenplay by David Hayter. Music by Michael Kamen. Based on X-Men by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

            Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was established in 2008 with the release of Iron Man, making films based on comic books was considered a gamble since comic book movies generally only appealed to niche audiences. Sure, comic book films such as Batman and Superman received critical and financial success, but a contributing factor to the success of those films was name recognition. The X-Men weren’t as well known as Batman or Superman were, and this may have contributed to X-Men bombing at the box office. A lot of expectation were riding on this film since Marvel Studios had plans to produce other films based on comic book properties if this film was successful. The result was a surprisingly well-made film that helped give films based on comic books respectability and proved that a comic book movie can have a heart at its core.

            The film opens with a narration from Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) explaining the process of evolution through mutations. The film then cuts to Nazi-occupied Poland in 1944 where a young Magneto (Brett Morris) along with countless others are being marched through the gates of Auschwitz. Magneto is then separated from his mother, and from an individual whom I presume is his father. This rightfully drives Magneto into a desperate frenzy to reach his family. A Nazi guard tries to haul Magneto away, but Magneto is so consumed by grief and fear that it takes several more Nazi guards and a bash to the head with the butt of a gun to bring him down. In his frenzied state, Magneto’s mutant powers are awoken, and he uses them to bend the gate leading to an extermination chamber. Years later in the “not too distant future”, a young woman named Marie (Anna Paquin) is making fun plans for the future, while spending time with her boyfriend (Shawn Roberts). A passionate first kiss sends the unfortunate guy into a coma, after her mutant powers that drain the life force out of anyone she comes into physical contact with are awakened. Meanwhile Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison) is trying to pass the Mutant Registration Act- which would force all Mutants to register with the government and let people know who they are and what they can do. This angers an elderly Magneto (Ian McKellen), who believes that a war is brewing between humans and mutants. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) the leader of the X-Men, as well as an old friend of Magneto, tries in vain to convince Magneto that humanity isn’t entirely evil, and that they deserve a chance. Magneto brushes Charles’ concerns off and warns him not to get in his way. In Northern Alberta, Canada, Marie- now going by Rogue- is on the run when she comes across a cage-fighting Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). After he outs himself as a mutant, she stows away in the back of his trailer. Wolverine discovers her, and instead of turning her away, he allows her to travel with him. Their journey together is interrupted when they are attacked by Sabretooth (Tyler Mane), who knocks out Wolverine. The duo are rescued by Cyclops (James Marsden) and Storm (Halle Berry), who take them to Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. There they meet Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and Charles Xavier, Xavier informs Wolverine that the person who attacked him is under the tutelage of Magneto. Xavier promises Wolverine that he’ll help him unravel the mystery of his past and find out what Magneto wants from Rogue and himself. Meanwhile, Senator Kelly gets abducted by Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) and Toad (Ray Park), and is turned into a mutant through a machine built by Magneto. Kelly escapes and makes it to the home of the X-Men, where he informs the X-Men of Magneto’s machine. Rogue is captured by Magneto and his minions, while trying to run away due to a misunderstanding at Xavier’s Mansion. Now it’s up to Wolverine and the X-Men to rescue Rogue and stop Magneto from enacting his plan.  

            The aspect that I enjoy the most about this film is its level of maturity. The film tackles the issue of inequality head-on, even going as far as to show human protests against mutants, some of which are sporting lynched effigies of mutants. This brings to mind real life protests comprised of bigoted individuals who feel threatened when somebody else looks or thinks different than they do. Granted, the film never goes as far as to show a lynching of a poor mutant, I can’t help but feel the film would have if the film had been allowed to take more risks. But the film does touch on the long-term effects of prejudice, and how hate breeds hate. “You know people like you are the reason I was afraid of going to school as a child.” This is most prevalent in the “Brotherhood of Mutants”, who are led by Magneto. Their goal is to make the entire population into mutants, even if it means destroying all the humans in the process. I do feel that the film stumbles a bit with the “Brotherhood of Mutants” since none of the characters- save for Magneto- are properly fleshed out. This could have lent to some truly powerful moments that show the adverse effects of prejudice and bigotry.

            The majority of the characters in this film are interesting, but undeveloped. This film introduces exiting characters like Jean Grey, Sabretooth, Storm, Cyclops and Mystique, but the film forgets to give them any real character development and as a result, character motivation is a bit muddled and confusing. The characters that received more development, such as Magneto, Wolverine and Rogue, are the characters that give the film an emotional core. In the opening scene, Magneto is shown in Auschwitz. This lets the audience know that he has seen some of the worst of humanity, and that he has a reason to fear his people being persecuted and getting rounded up, just because they were born a little different. This scene actually reminded me of an excellent line from Magneto in X-Men: The Animated Series: “They (Humans) can’t even make peace with each other”. While the audience may not agree with Magneto’s motives, they understand where he’s coming from and how he came to his beliefs. This, in my opinion, is what makes a truly great villain. It also helps that Magneto is portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen, who gives a particularly powerful and charismatic performance. The relationship between Rogue and Logan provides the film with a powerful emotional core, that was unseen in most superhero films of the day. The two have an almost father/ daughter relationship. Rogue is a scared teen that is wary of getting close to people because she knows, if she touches somebody for too long, she could accidentally kill them. Logan provides that strong father-like figure role that Rogue needs during this uncertain time in her life. Rogue provides a reason for Logan to begin opening up and quit abandoning people when they need his help. Logan was completely prepared to leave the X-Men and let Magneto win. That is, until he found out Rogue was in trouble. He then goes into a protective mode that would rival that of a mother bear defending her cub. This film proved that a comic book movie could be entertaining, have great action scenes and have emotional depth.

            While this film isn’t great, it did help lay the tracks toward changing what most considered a niche film genre into a multibillion-dollar juggernaut that would forever change the industry of cinema. The only real problems I have with this movie are that some of the characters are underdeveloped and the film feels like it’s setting itself up for future sequels, which would eventually prove problematic in future installments.