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X-Men
USA 2000
Reviewed by Jos Arroyo
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
Poland, 1944. When a young boy gets separated from his parents in a concentration camp, he unleashes a magnetic force that bends the fence's metal gate. The boy grows up to be Magneto. Magneto and former friend Charles Xavier, a telepath, are mutants, people whose extraordinary powers set them apart from other humans.
In America, sometime in the future, Senator Kelly is calling for a system of registration for such mutants. Meanwhile, Rogue, a young girl, runs away to Canada from her Mississippi home when she discovers she has mutant powers. (She can absorb people's life force by touching them.) There, she meets Wolverine, a mutant who is able to heal his body instantly and is fitted with an adamantium skeleton that includes retractable claws. Wolverine and Rogue are attacked by Sabretooth, one of Magneto's lackeys, but are rescued by Storm and Cyclops, associates of Professor Xavier. They take Wolverine and Rogue to Xavier's school for gifted mutants. Xavier mistakenly believes Magneto is trying to capture Wolverine; but in fact, Magneto is after Rogue, whom he kidnaps when she runs away from Xavier's school. Believing mutants to be superior to the rest of the human race, Magneto has developed a machine which mutates ordinary human's DNA and gifts them similar powers to his own; he plans for Rogue to absorb his powers - which drive the machine - and transform the world's leaders, meeting on Ellis Island, New York for a conference, into mutants.
Following the death of Kelly, on whom Magneto tested this device, Xavier realises Magneto's plan will lead to the death of many humans. Magneto's associate Mystique sabotages a device which Xavier uses to improve his telepathic skills; when the professor next uses it, he's almost killed. Wolverine joins the X-Men, a band of mutants comprising Cyclops, Storm and Grey dedicated to using their powers for the greater good. They fly to the Statue of Liberty, where Magneto is about to operate his machine. The X-Men defeat Magneto, who is imprisoned in a plastic cell.
Review
In America, DC and Marvel are the two great publishing companies of superhero comic books. DC, which owns such titles as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, is the source of powerful childhood fantasies. Post-puberty, though, readers tend to graduate to the harsher and more complex world of Marvel, whose titles included The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and, of course, The Uncanny X-Men. There, good didnt always win in the end and superheroes were often angst-ridden characters, shunned by humanity. Yet, while Marvel ruled in comic books, DC was able to turn Superman and Batman, its two flagship characters, into blockbuster film franchises. The closest Marvel came to screen success was in television, usually anodyne cartoons for toddlers. Marvel on screen was a betrayal because it reproduced what we had left behind in DC. Moreover, DC on screen, at least in Tim Burtons Batman films, was what wed all hoped for from Marvel. These are only some of the reasons - tribal ones, admittedly - why the new X-Men film has been so keenly anticipated
Fans were right to fear that one of Marvels very best titles might have been trashed. Turning a long-running and much loved comic into a film tends to be more difficult than adapting a novel or a play. With the X-Men, there are almost 40 years worth of stories to choose from. The tone and visuals have changed over the years, too. Film-makers also have to deal with the expectations of loyal fans. Moreover any adaptation of a superhero book needs to set out how its central character came to have his or her extraordinary powers so that non-fans can follow the story. Its a complex job, one well done in X-Men by screenwriters David Hayter, Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer (also directing).
The structure theyve created for the film is built on parallelism and oppositions. Magneto, the villain, and Professor Xavier, the X-Mens founder, are in many ways equal but opposite to one another. Friendly foes, they are both powerful mutants, each with a band of followers. But whereas Magneto wants to conquer the world, Xavier wants to save it; whereas Magnetos followers are lackeys, Xaviers are students, encouraged to think for themselves. In many ways the film is about the attempt by Magneto - who first discovered his mutant powers in a concentration camp - to stop the politician Kellys Nazi-like scheme to impose a mutant-registration scheme. But its Wolverine - who makes the journey from hard-drinking loner to X-Man in order to halt to Magnetos scheme - who drives the story. Wolverines trajectory finds echoes in Rogues arc, from isolated Mississippi teenager to one of Xaviers gifted pupils, but whereas shes an outsider because of what happened to her naturally at puberty, Wolverines sense of alienation derives from being subjected to painful, state-sanctioned medical research - a further allusion to Nazism. While there are still holes in the plot, this complex but deft structure - tightly woven around the central theme of prejudice - allows different characters to share the burden of a convoluted plot.
But the film could have fallen apart if other elements hadnt succeeded. Visually, the movie is a treat. X-Man Cyclops joke about wearing yellow spandex suits suggests the film-makers were right to dispense with the garish uniforms of the original comic book and opt for darker, more high-tech accoutrements. The make-up work is accomplished - we see expressive faces behind the masks - and the set design is a superb combination of opulence and minimalism ( Xaviers school, for instance, is all leafy exteriors and oak-panelled lecture halls, but it conceals a network of chrome vaults and pristine corridors). Assisted by DoP Newton Thomas Sigel, Singers visual flair is evident throughout: from the simplest of shots such as the first image we see of Wolverine, his face shrouded in shadows and smoke, to the big set pieces - notably the fight on top of the Statue of Liberty (recalling Saboteur, 1942) - which are witty, if a little short of thrilling.
Aspects of the film X-Men clearly dont work: Halle Berry is a little too cute to play Storm and while Ian McKellen lacks the size to convey Magentos sense of physical menace Yet, in spite of this, X-Men works. Its not as good as Superman II and certainly nowhere near as good as the comic book; but its good enough to raise hopes for the sequel - Marvel may yet beat DC on screen.
Credits
- Director
- Bryan Singer
- Producers
- Lauren Shuler Donner
- Ralph Winter
- Screenplay
- David Hayter
- Story
- Tom DeSanto
- Bryan Singer
- Director of Photography
- Newton Thomas Sigel
- Editors
- Steven Rosenblum
- Kevin Stitt
- John Wright
- Production Designer
- John Myhre
- Music
- Michael Kamen
- ©Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
- Production Companies
- Twentieth Century Fox presents in association with Marvel Entertainment Group
- The Donners' Company/ Bad Hat Harry production
- Executive Producers
- Avi Arad
- Stan Lee
- Richard Donner
- Tom DeSanto
- Co-producers
- Joel Simon
- William S. Todman Jr
- Associate Producers
- Kevin Feige
- Scott Nimerfro
- Production Co-ordinators
- Janine Anderton
- Miniature Unit:
- Kristine Scott
- Production Manager
- Toronto:
- Whitney Brown
- Unit Production Manager
- Ross Fanger
- Location Manager
- Byron A. Martin
- Post-production Supervisor
- Holly Schiffer
- 2nd Unit Directors
- Conrad E. Palmisano
- Philip C. Pfeiffer
- 2nd Unit Director/Fight Sequence
- Corey Yuen
- Assistant Directors
- Lee Cleary
- Simon Board
- Stephen J. Morrison
- Kirsteen McLean
- Miniature Unit:
- Patrick Arias
- 2nd Unit:
- Don French
- Jerry Grandey
- David Footman
- Penny Charter
- Bryn Caron
- Patrick Murphy
- Script Supervisors
- Blanche McDermaid
- 2nd Unit:
- Sandy Morrow
- Dug Rotstein
- Casting
- Roger Mussenden
- Associate:
- Elizabeth Boykewich
- Toronto:
- Ross Clydesdale
- Juli-Ann Kay
- Director of Photography
- Miniature Unit:
- Derek Vanlint
- 2nd Unit Directors of Photography
- Michael Benson
- Paul Sarossy
- Camera Operators
- Klemens Becker
- Tim Merkel
- 2nd Unit:
- Perry Hoffmann
- Peter Luxford
- Candide Franklyn
- Michael Hall
- Joel Guthro
- Steadicam Operators
- Klemens Becker
- Tim Merkel
- 2nd Unit:
- Candide Franklyn
- Spacecam Operator
- Hans Bjerno
- Visual Effects Supervisor
- Michael Fink
- Visual Effects Editor
- Steve R. Moore
- Visual Effects Producer
- Denise Davis
- Visual Effects Wrangler
- Bill Maher
- Visual Effects Co-ordinators
- John Cox
- Chris Claisse
- Kirsten Fazio
- Visual Effects Director of Photography
- David Stump
- Special Visual Effects/ Digital Animation
- Digital Domain
- Visual Effects/Animation
- Cinesite
- Visual Effects
- Hammerhead Productions
- POP Film & Animation
- Special Visual Effects
- Kleiser-Walczak
- Digital Visual Effects
- C.O.R.E Digital Pictures
- Additional Visual Effects
- Pacific Title Digital
- Hollywood Digital
- Illusion Arts
- Rhythm & Hues, Inc
- Pre-visualization CG Animatics
- Keyframe Digital Productions Inc
- Darren Cranford
- Temp Composites
- Reality Check Studios
- X-Jet Digital Navigation Screen
- Keyframe Digital Productions Inc
- Digital Body Scans
- Inspeck Inc
- 3D Matte Paintings
- Matte World Digital
- Special Effects
- Co-ordinator:
- Colin Chilvers
- Key:
- Kaz Kobielski
- Tony Kenny
- Miniature Unit
- Jjamb Productions, Inc
- Associate Editor
- Cynthia E. Thornton
- Art Directors
- Tamara Deverell
- Paul Denham Austerberry
- Set Designers
- Gordon White
- Thomas Carnegie
- Michael Shocrylas
- Andrew Menzies
- Set Decorators
- James Edward Ferrell
- Canada:
- Dan Wladyka
- Illustrators
- Adam Brockbank
- Bartol Rendulic
- Rpin Suwannath
- Nathan Schroeder
- Conceptual Artists
- Steve Burg
- Timothy Lawrence
- Scenic Artists
- Key:
- Ian Nelmes
- 2nd Key:
- Stephanie Yarymowich
- Storyboard Artists
- Michael Ploog
- Raymond Prado
- Tom Southwell
- John Coven
- Sculptors
- Judy Kuntz
- Bruce Johnston
- Armen Nazarian
- Ray Pryce
- Robert Malyon
- Arthur Thomson
- Costume Designer
- Louise Mingenbach
- Costume Consultant
- Bob Ringwood
- Costume Supervisor
- Jay DuBoisson
- Make-up
- Chief:
- Ann E. Brodie
- Artist:
- Inge Klaudi
- 2nd Unit, Key:
- Dorota Zajac
- Special Make-up Design
- Gordon Smith
- Special Make-up Effects
- FX Smith, Inc
- Key Hair Stylist
- Jennifer O'Halloran
- Hairstylist
- Kelly Shanks
- Title Design
- Robert Dawson
- Main Titles
- Asylum
- End Titles
- Scarlet Letters
- Opticals
- Pacific Title
- Temp Music Editor
- Curt Sobel
- Sound Design
- Steve Boeddeker
- Craig Berkey
- Sound Design Consultant
- Gary Rydstrom
- Sound Mixer
- David Lee
- 2nd Unit Sound Recordist
- Patrick Rousseau
- Re-recording Mixers
- Andy Nelson
- Anna Behlmer
- Supervising Sound Editor
- John A. Larsen
- Dialogue Editors
- David Kulczycki
- Susan Shackelford
- Sound Effects Editors
- Richard Burton
- David Hughes
- Ethan Van Der Ryn
- Jay Wilkinson
- ADR
- Loop Group:
- Loop De Loop
- John Gidcomb
- Mixers:
- Charleen Richards
- Ron Cox
- Supervising Editor:
- R.J. Kizer
- Editor:
- Mary Andrews
- Foley
- Supervising Editor:
- John Morris
- Editor:
- Andy Kopetzky
- Stunt Co-ordinators
- Gary Jensen
- Rick Forsayeth
- Weapons Handler
- John 'Frenchie' Berger
- Cast
- Hugh Jackman
- Logan/Wolverine
- Patrick Stewart
- Professor Charles Xavier
- Ian McKellen
- Magneto
- Famke Janssen
- Jean Grey
- James Marsden
- Cyclops
- Halle Berry
- Storm
- Anna Paquin
- Rogue
- Tyler Mane
- Sabretooth
- Ray Park
- Toad
- Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
- Mystique
- Bruce Davison
- Senator Robert Frank Kelly
- Matthew Sharp
- Henry Guyrich
- Brett Morris
- young Magneto
- Rhona Shekter
- Magneto's mother
- Kenneth McGregor
- Magneto's father
- Shawn Roberts
- Rogue's boyfriend
- Donna Goodhand
- Rogue's mother
- John E. Nelles
- Rogue's father
- George Buza
- trucker
- Darren McGuire
- contender
- Carson Manning
- Scott Leva
- waterboys
- Aron Tager
- emcee
- Kevin Rushton
- Stu
- Doug Lennox
- bartender
- David Nichols
- newscaster 1
- Malcolm Nefsky
- Stu's buddy
- Sumela Kay
- Kitty
- Shawn Ashmore
- Bobby
- Katrina Florece
- Jubilee
- Alexander Burton
- John
- Quinn Wright
- lily pond kid
- Daniel Magder
- boy on raft
- Matt Weinberg
- Tommy
- Madison Lanc
- Tommy's sister
- Stan Lee
- hot dog vendor
- Nanette Barrutia-Harrison
- newscaster 2
- Adam Robitel
- guy on line
- Dave Brown
- lead cop
- Ben P. Jensen
- Sabretooth cop
- Tom DeSanto
- Toad cop
- Todd Dulmage
- coast guard
- Dan Duran
- newscaster 3
- Elias Zarou
- U.N. secretary general
- David Black
- president
- Robert R. Snow
- secret service
- David Hayter
- museum cop
- Cecil Phillips
- security guard
- Dave Allen Clark
- newscaster 4
- Deryck Blake
- plastic prison guard
- Ilke Hincer
- Ron Sham
- Jay Yoo
- Gregori Miakouchkine
- Eleanor Comes
- Giuseppe Gallaccio
- Rupinder Brar
- Abi Ganem
- translators
- Joey Purpura
- Manuel Verge
- Wolfgang Müller
- Ralph Zuljan
- Andy Grote
- German soldiers
- Certificate
- 12
- Distributor
- 20th Century Fox (UK)
- 9,377 feet
- 104 minutes 12 seconds
- Dolby Digital Surround-EX/DTS/SDDS
- Colour/Prints by
- DeLuxe
- 2.35:1 [Panavision]