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Review rated by 45 Ciao members on average: very helpful
The advent of DVDs in our homes has brought a whole new dimension to our movie watching experience. In the purely video days, we had the sole option of seeing the film in virtually the same format as when we saw it on the ‘big screen’ – except it was smaller. Apart from those of you that have whacking great TV Screens/Sound Systems in their living Rooms! Some films really do leave themselves open to improvements and enhancements available only on the DVD Format. Some films are prime candidates for this – one, obviously, is the Matrix (and it certainly was a movie that transferred brilliantly onto DVD) and another of the more recent crop is ‘X-Men’.
Plenty of special effects of this ‘comic-book-comes-to-life’ film adaptation and a legion of fans clamouring over it’s release, guarantees popularity. At it’s cinema release, the film had definitely been hyped as a big ‘Summer blockbuster’ and it’s recent release onto DVD was much the same.
Anyway let’s let down to the business of this review.
• THE FILM
Firstly – for those of you that know nothing about the pretext of this film, sit yourself down in the right frame of mind. Then think of it as any other super-hero genre - Superman, Batman etc –
you must then suspend certain rules of reality.
Remember too, that the X-Men is not solely an ‘action’ movie i.e fight scenes, chases, special effects, explosions, you know the typical kind of thing you get in a ‘blockbuster’ – it also tries to go beneath the façade of the superhero.
The movie is set at some time in the ‘near future’ and revolves around the ‘anti-mutant’ sentiment that is evident in members of the U.S. Congress and that is gaining popularity among the people. (…and before anyone says –NO Tony Blair and George ‘Dubya’ Bush are NOT Mutants……or….????)
Sir Ian McKellan plays ‘Magneto' - a mutant who faced war-time persecution as a child and who intends to wage a war against the humans to protect the race of mutants.
Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard of Star Trek fame) plays ‘Professor X’ - a mutant with telepathic powers who founds a school where mutants can be safe and learn to control their powers.
The ideological battle between Professor X and Magneto is the basis for the plot in the X-Men. Professor X proposes a peaceful solution to the human-mutant conflict and hopes to work with humans to live together. Magneto - who feels that humans will never live peacefully with mutants - believes that power is the only message humans will listen to.
He moulds a group of his ‘students’, plus maverick drifter -‘Wolverine’ (superbly portrayed by Hugh Jackman and often the focal point of attention) into his X-Men. ‘Cyclops’ (played by James Marsden) is rather portrayed as a weak character – for me – and the sexy Halle Berry does not really do a blonde wig justice as ‘Storm’. 'Rogue' is another of the outsiders brought in - she is dangerous. A mere touch from her can drain the lifeblood out of the recipient! Anna Paquin plays teenager 'Rogue' with all the pouting innocence of one who definately is a case of 'look but don't touch' !!
But the one ‘X-Men’ (woman/person) without a superhero name, Jean Grey (Famke Janssen…have I used the word sexy yet?) is both the ‘love interest’ for Wolverine and the story’s really STRONG Woman character. She has a telepathatic power and is learning from Professor X. It is Jean Grey that in many ways holds the group together during it’s struggle against the forces of evil. And on that note – today’s opposition.
In the ‘blue corner’ the film’s baddies are led by possibly the most gorgeous woman on the planet, Rebecca Rominj-Stamos. Her naked body covered thinly in some kind of translucent covering <......hold on a sec – must go for a cold shower......> in her role as ‘Mystique’ , a shape–shifter who can appear as anyone. You never know quite where you are with Mystique. Her sidekicks are Toad – he of long tongue (no…don’t even go there….?) and Sabretooth a foe of immeasurable strength and ferocity.
The two sides – good and evil battle it out throughout and on to a stunning special effect laden climax.
• THE EXTRAS
This DVD has two extra cinema trailers, which you might remember from when you saw them yourself (I remember one, but not the other). Plus an advert (this is an extra ???) for the film’s soundtrack CD. But the most interested ‘extra’ is the original screen test with Hugh Jackman - who was pretty well unknown before being cast in this film. In it, he plays out a scene with Anna Paquin and you’ll also notice that he does not yet have his trademark ‘Wolverine’ sideburns!.
• VALUE FOR MONEY ETC
Director Bryan Singer (‘Usual Suspects’) has done a fine job in bringing the X-Men’ to life and beginning to give the characters depth. The overall feel of the film is that there is more to come and quite obviously there is another X-Men movie in the wings. But that does not detract from the fact that this movie if very good. It looks almost as good on the small screen – better on a widescreen TV – as at the Cinema.
Whether you were a fan of the comic books, the TV Cartoon series or just came to the X-Men for this film, you’ll want a copy of the first, the original film, of what could be a long running series of movies……and the DVD Case look cool too.
Spiffing review, Keith. Professional stuff. I enjoyed the film stacks more than I thought I would, so credit to Singer for dishing up a stylish blockbuster that isn't utterly braindead. Looking forward to the sequel already. Cheers, J.
Thanks for a great opinion as usual with recently becoming the DVD fanatic that I am thi sone has always been on the list you have just made my mind up that it is a must have well done Squidgie :o)
s flagship characters, Superman and Batman (who originated in the late 1930s) have established themselves as big-screen franchises. Until now--this is the first runaway...
s flagship characters, Superman and Batman (who originated in the late 1930s) have established themselves as big-screen franchises. Until now--this is the first runaway...
![X-Men [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78537118.jpg)
![X-Men [DVD] [2000]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78514605.jpg)
01.06.2001 04:20
Spiffing review, Keith. Professional stuff. I enjoyed the film stacks more than I thought I would, so credit to Singer for dishing up a stylish blockbuster that isn't utterly braindead. Looking forward to the sequel already. Cheers, J.
05.05.2001 01:06
Thanks for a great opinion as usual with recently becoming the DVD fanatic that I am thi sone has always been on the list you have just made my mind up that it is a must have well done Squidgie :o)
04.05.2001 23:44
Great op, I wasnt the biggest fan of this film, buyt it was ok. Arent DVD's cool though ? How i coped with plain old VHS is beyond me :o)