"'X' Marks the Spot"
by Scott Mantz

"X-Men"
Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman
Directed by Bryan Singer

Gimme claw! Hugh Jackman cuts through the bull in "X-Men"

For the past few years, a number of Hollywood films were released with so much advanced publicity that they literally re-wrote the book on hype. In the summer of 1998, you practically had to be living on a deserted island not to know that "Godzilla" was about to rear his ugly head. Everywhere you went, there were billboards or bus ads that bore ridiculous slogans like "his eye is as big as the Empire State Building." Unfortunately, there was no way that the film could possibly match the hype, and while it made a ton of money ($136 million in the US alone), it was still seen as a critical disappointment.

"X-Men" is easily this year's "big thing," but this time around, things are different. Other than the billboards containing the cryptic message "the evolution begins July 14," the Hollywood hype machine has thankfully kept the film in neutral. As a result, movie lovers and industry pundits alike are awaiting the film's release, not with overblown expectations, but with cautious optimism. Sure, the excitement is there, but instead of pre-judging the film by unconfirmed rumors or lame trailers, everyone is waiting to see the finished product before they pass final judgment.

That's a good move, for not only does "X-Men" deliver the goods, but it just may be the best cinematic adaptation of a comic book series since the 1978 version of "Superman." With the perfect blend of action, suspense, humor, depth, intelligence, and (the horror!) characterization, "X-Men" may actually do the impossible and replace that Tom Cruise movie at the top of the box office. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just looking for a good time, there's plenty of fun to be had with this near-perfect film.

A war is brewing between the mutants and the humans. Some people, like Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison), think that the mutants are a threat to the human race, while the leader of the mutants, Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), thinks that they have a lot to offer. But not all mutants are looking to be embraced. Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his band of outlaws--Sabretooth (Tyler Mane), Toad (Ray Park), and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)--are out to mutate the leaders of the free world, who are convening in New York City for a major conference. It's up to the X-Men--Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halle Berry), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)--to stop that from happening, that is, if they don't kill each other first.

The enduring popularity of "The X-Men" can be attributed to a few factors. When the comic first appeared in the mid-sixties, the nation was literally up to its neck in racial conflict. The stories reflected these issues, but they also provided for some enormously appealing escapism. Also, instead of being flawlessly perfect, the X-Men were perfectly flawed, with the same problems that many of it's readers could easily relate to--specifically alienation, insecurity, and intolerance. While these so-called superheroes lived in a society that didn't accept them, they still rose to the occasion to defend it from evil wrongdoers. How's that for a little internal conflict?

Director Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects," "Apt Pupil") faced the unenviable task of bringing these characters and issues to the screen in a way that would appeal to the masses while still staying faithful to the source. What's amazing is how much he succeeds on both levels. Along with screenwriter David Hayter, he infuses sharp wit and intelligence with lots of action and incredible special effects. Most films try so hard to introduce their characters that they only end up being forced and contrived (see "The Perfect Storm"). Not here. Events flow seamlessly into one another, and before long, you understand the characters and their motives.

As far as casting is concerned, you couldn't have asked for a better Wolverine than Hugh Jackman. Sure, Wolverine was always one of the good guys, but Jackman infuses his performance with so much tortured doubt that it takes him a while to figure out who's side he's really on. He's got a lot of pent up anger inside, but he's also sensitive (with a protective eye on Rogue) and sexy (with a romantic eye on Jean Grey). This causes a lot of fun friction with Grey's boyfriend Cyclops, played with boyish charm by James Marsden. Anna Paquin's Rogue is teeming with the insecurities that all young women must eventually face, but she has the added pressure of never being able to touch another human being. Talk about issues!

Patrick Stewart uses the diplomatic skills he learned on the Starship Enterprise to good measure here as Professor Xavier, playing father, teacher, and friend to the confused mutants who come his way. As bad guy Magneto, Ian McKellen absorbs the role like, well, a magnet. He goes from being authoritative and insightful one moment to maniacal and deranged the next. He actually has a lot in common with Xavier, but his point of view couldn't be any more different. He fought his way out of the Holocaust, where he faced one form of racial intolerance, only to find himself as a mutant, where he now faces another form of racial intolerance. He's pissed off, and who can blame him?

As I stated, "X-Men" is a near-perfect film, and like the characters themselves, it is not without its flaws. After an engrossing buildup with a number of suspenseful fight sequences, the final showdown between good and evil seems a bit tame compared with the rest of the film. Also, only Wolverine, Rogue, Magneto, and Xavier, are given any depth, while Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm stay on the sidelines. I wouldn't worry though. Considering that the ending contains one of the biggest invitations for a sequel since "The Empire Strikes Back," they'll get their chance to shine the next time around. And hype or no hype, considering how X-cellent, X-citing, and X-traordinary this film is, I'll be the first in line to see it.

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