X-Men (2000)

Director:

Bryan Singer

Writers (WGA):

Tom DeSanto (story) &
Bryan Singer (story) &
David Hayter (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Evolution Begins.

Plot:

Two mutants come to a private academy for mutants whose resident superhero team must oppose a powerful mutant terrorist organization.

Plot Keywords:

Mutant | X Men | Fire | Train | Near Future

Awards:

11 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Hugh Jackman	...	Logan / Wolverine
Patrick Stewart	...	Professor Charles Xavier
Ian McKellen	...	Eric Lensherr / Magneto
Famke Janssen	...	Jean Grey
James Marsden	...	Scott Summers / Cyclops
Halle Berry	...	Ororo Munroe / Storm
Anna Paquin	...	Rogue / Marie D'Ancanto
Tyler Mane	...	Sabretooth
Ray Park	...	Toad
Rebecca Romijn	...	Mystique (as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)
Bruce Davison	...	Senator Kelly
Matthew Sharp	...	Henry Gyrich
Rhona Shekter	...	Magneto's Mother
Kenneth McGregor	...	Magneto's Father
Shawn Roberts	...	Rogue's Boyfriend

Also Known As:

"X-Men 1.5" - USA (DVD box title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37616) | Ireland:12 | Iceland:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Denmark:11 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:G | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Ajax, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Despite being nearly 6 feet tall, James Marsden had to wear platform shoes so that he would appear taller than Hugh Jackman (6'2").

Goofs:

Continuity: After the bar fight, Logan drives off; as he stops, the tires leave snow tracks. As he starts up again, and before the snow could have buried them, they disappear.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prof. Charles Francis Xavier:[narration] Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Sausage Fest (#2.15)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

GOVERNOR'S GUARD

intelligent and significant

With so many movies out right now that are designed solely for entertainment puposes--from "Gone in 60 seconds" to "MI-2" to "Scary Movie"--it is promising to sit through a 90-minute film based on a comic-book that actually gives you an opportunity to think and be challenged.

Bryan Singer's "X-men: The Movie" is nothing more than an introduction to the lives of the characters from the comic book. The very fact that his movie doesn't try to add new elements, or change elements that already existed within the comic, is what makes it so successful.

X-men the comic series has been around for more than 30 years. And for good reason. It has dealt with all of the important elements that good storytelling includes--rejection, loneliness, hope, fear, distrust, love, selfishness, power, and the price you pay for doing what you believe is right. By consistently exploring various difficult elements of humanity, the X-men comic has been able to be not only entertaining but stimulating as well.

Thankfully, Singer's movie translation is no exception. "X-men" is very well executed, with excellent character work for the leads (Logan, Rogue, Magneto and Xavier), a good exploration of the motives of each character, and dialogue that is sharp and intelligent. However, lest you think X-men is only intellectual, let me assure you that the special-effects department has done an incredible job of mingling the human elements of the story with action. From Wolverine's claws to Rogue's devasating touch, from Storm's namesake displays of nature to Magneto's awesome power, "X-men" constantly finds new and arresting ways of showing-off each mutants power. And the closer you get to the end, the more exciting it is.

True, the movie was not perfect. Certain story elements were modified slightly for big-screen adaptation (nothing, however, that is disloyal to the ethic of the series). The soundtrack was only sufficient, rather than being something truly memorable. And not all of the characters were given equal time on screen (some important characters were completely missing).

But for a 90 minute movie that needs an action plot, it's obviously impossible to give all the X-men (and their evil counterparts) equal attention or character development. In fact, the sheer scale of the series alone all but requires a sequel to flesh out what was missing in this first, "Intro to X-men" movie.

Yet, as a beginning exploration of the "X-men" universe, this movie shines. It is attractive, fun and meaningful. Whether you're an X-men fan, you're looking for something that will make you think, you want an action movie, you enjoy sci-fi, or you just want to leave the theater feeling like you didn't just waste a couple of hours and seven bucks, go see Bryan Singer's "X-men." You won't be disappointed.