Where It All Originated From…

It’s fairly arguable that when you take a look at what particular films make the most money and are generally advertised the most when it comes to distribution in this present day, it is indeed the ‘Super-Hero’ or ‘Comic-Book’ films that generally fit that description. When you actually take a look at the list of highest-grossing films in it’s current state, there are in fact seven ‘Superhero’ films that make up the Top 50 which is actually quite a big margin. Now I know after just reading that statistic you might be thinking that seven ‘Superhero’ films isn’t that big of a number considering the 50 films that make up that list of the highest-grossing film. However, considering that most of those 50 pieces consist of films that belong to well-renowned series like ‘Harry Potter’, ‘LOTR/The Hobbit’, Pirates of The Caribbean’, ‘Twilight’, ‘Star Wars’ and so on, those seven ‘Super Hero’ films does look like a reasonable margin. Although this particular film that I’m about to review isn’t anywhere on the list of highest-grossing films, I would go as far as saying that it’s a film that started it all off. What I mean by saying this is that it was the first film of it’s kind to really apply itself and contend against the much more ‘bigger’ films with it’s concept and Super Hero background which understandably had a big following to begin with. 

Even before the first X-MEN film was made, the ‘X-MEN’ franchise beforehand was already something that not only comic-book fans adore, but also the general demographic as well which in fact still remains to be true in this day and age. For my money, ‘X-MEN’ as a whole, has a lot more appeal to a wider audience than the ‘Avengers’. Sure ‘The Avengers’ has made a ton of money for Marvel and will continue to do so when that series ends, I just feel that one of the better elements that ‘X-MEN’ has always had is how it niche comments on the social aspects of modern day living like politics partially being corrupt and human morality and growing as an individual. With this 2000 film recreation, while the adaptation does employ these social themes really well which pretty much flourish in X2 which I’ll also review in the near future, X-MEN is a lot more than just a ‘comic-book’ film adaptation. One of the negative flip-sides to a ‘Comic-Book film’ is that for a small margin, they’re films that can not only go over the top with it’s multiple actions sequences but the stories are basically made for the comic-book die hards as well as being so predictable that you can sometimes just sit there and think ‘is it done yet? While X-MEN does fit into that medium of a ‘Comic-Book Film’, it does have elements that make more plausible and eye-catching to the casual audience. Like I said before, even though the film does hint at social themes ever so slightly with it’s story and universe, I think what makes X-MEN so loved is the fact that it doesn’t just stick to one ‘heroic’ figure. One of the good aspects about X-MEN is how it focuses it’s attention of a multitude of different characters that are more relatable than say an Iron man or a Captain America. Bryan Singer not only has created a world which is grounded and realistic that strongly delivers this message about prejudice which is something that X-MEN has always put across with it’s stories, but it’s a work that lays the foundations really well for the 2003 sequel.

So for those who don’t know what ‘X-MEN’ is all about and yes, I would be shocked if I knew someone who didn’t know what ‘X-MEN’ was all about, I will quickly give you a brief plot description of the world of X-MEN and who the story centralises around. In a fictional near future, where some people are born with special genes that allow them special powers making them what others refer to as mutants, the seeds of a new holocaust are being sown by Senator Robert Kelly as he attempts to introduce a ‘Mutant Registration Act’ in Congress which would force mutants to publicly reveal their identities and abilities. Among this situation which is brought into full fruition are the mutants and former friends Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Ian Mckellen) and Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) who share a conversation with each other in secret. While Xavier wants a peaceful means of stopping this hatred between Mutants and other ordinary people, Magneto seeks to even things out with a machine that would speed up the mutation process in all humans, making everyone equal. To try and stop Magneto, Xavier brings together a special group of mutants called the ‘X-MEN’ to stop him and his over evil adversaries. While elsewhere, two mutants emerge and bump into each other. One is Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who is a powerful and aggressive mutant who seemingly doesn’t remember anything of his past or who exactly he is. And the other is a young girl named Marie/Rogue (Anna Paquin) who is scared of what she is and what she can do to other people in the form of physical contact. Their quests for finding answers of who they are and what they represent eventually land them in the sights of Xavier and Magneto, but for what purpose?

As stated a few times in this review of X-MEN already, one of the ways in which this film stands out to most when you compare to other ‘SuperHero’ films is how has traits that commonly doesn’t make it a ‘Comic-Book’ film. The social themes as I said is probably the strongest aspect in relation to this since X-MEN smartly doesn’t fill the time with just another flashy explosion per-minute special effects extravaganza like the majority of other ‘Super Hero’ films. However besides the social themes which I’ll explain a bit more further into this review, one of the other filmic aspects that Singer adopts and executes well to show that X-MEN doesn’t fit into the stereotype of ‘Comic-Book’ films is it’s characterisation and performances. Forgetting the film for a minute, X-MEN in past interactions whether it be from the comics or the various animated T.V shows, have always focused on political progressiveness, individuality and discrimination. With that as the premise, it allows the main characters who are all mutants if not on occasion some humans to find a way out of the struggle they are faced with since society in the world of X-MEN are either scared or rejects the idea of mutants. Going back to the film adaptation, it’s evident that Singer has indeed done this in near enough perfection.The obvious character example you can apply this to in the film is Marie/Rogue since she’s not only a character that is constantly scared of what she is and she can do, but she’s also the only character that as an audience member, we can relate to since she’s experiencing this world that she’s trying to embrace like us the audience member and that she’s very much isolated due to the her power. One of the other aspects I’ve always liked about the characterisation of ‘X-MEN’ is how the protagonists and the antagonists don’t fall into the ‘Super Hero’ stereotypes one side being simply heroic and striving for justice and the other side trying to create anarchy and command the world as he or she see’s fit. A good example of this would be the character of Magneto since he doesn’t play out to be a crazy, evil lunatic like most Super Villains tend to be. On one level, you can sympathise with a character like Magneto since he’s already embraced a past that always torments him and from that experience, he embraces a philosophy that is understandable which is essentially to secure a future for all mutants where they are the dominating species. To him, the war never ended, it’s still very much alive, and he now has this hatred towards humans he simply can’t let go of. He is the definition of a compelling villain and there’s so much more to his character than just ‘I’m a bad guy’. One of the flip-sides to the characterisation that I think is disappointing to see is the development of some of the more ‘iconic’ characters in X-MEN. For instance, Jean Grey’s (Famke Janssen) and Cyclops’ (James Marsden) relationship is very much a lack-luster as it doesn’t really flesh out until the 2nd film and with Storm (Halle Berry) she honestly may well be an extra since there’s no real emotional attachment to her role in the film as she just appears and does stuff. 

As I’ve hinted at a few times now in this review, ‘X-MEN’ has always been a concept that’s constantly finding new ways to explore and provide social commentary on racism and prejudice. And with that intact with older iterations of ‘X-MEN’, Singer goes about making this film in the right way by adding that social commentary into X-MEN which ultimately never makes this film and the other ‘X-MEN’ films preachy. Although these themes are apparent throughout this film and some of the others, we never have to rely on seeing one of the major characters make a cheesy or dumb speech near the end. It’s about exploring these different philosophies and ideologies and ultimately, that’s where the best drama comes from. I think it was a very conscious decision to ground this film in a certain degree of reality and seriousness because while admittedly I do like the abstract and expressed comic-bookish tone that some of the past iterations of ‘X-MEN’ have gone with, the important themes in this don’t come of as ‘oh another silly and overblown comic-book film’ because these delicate and sensitive ideas are treated with a level of sophistication and respect which makes me connect with this fictional world. You can change a lot from the original source material, but as long as you keep true to the essence of what it was all about from the beginning, whether it be either from the characters or the story, then it doesn’t really bother me how the costumes are black leather as opposed to the yellow spandex, I don’t care that Magneto is older than his comic-book counterpart, I don’t care that Rogue is almost a completely different character and I don’t care that this group of X-MEN aren’t the original stories. With all that mentioned, whatever is changed, it’s for a reason, and in this filmic case, it works in the context of the film. I also think that this decision to go for a much more serious approach help me understand where Senator Kelly and his views are coming from. The points that he regards to early in the film are very much valid in this context of the film. In past interactions, Kelly can come across as a typical Villain. in X-MEN however, I’m glad that Senator Kelly is not highlighted as a villain as he does change his perspective of mutants as he understands what it means to be one which I think was done as realistic as possible. 

One of the more favourable and connected aspects that people can certainly relate to in this film is the ‘father and daughter’ relationship that Wolverine and Rogue adopt. As I said about Rogue before, she’s probably the one character that most will relate to since she’s a character who is the gateway for the audience in experiencing what this world is all about and what it means to be a mutant who is scared of future prospects. However I think when Wolverine interacts with Rogue, that theme of loneliness and constriction is amplified even more and by the end of the film as the two individuals become stronger and confident of who they are and what this world holds for them. As well, since Rogue is a relatable character that has a power that symbolises isolation, you could argue that between Rogue and Wolverine, they are also good opposites between each other being that Rogue is someone that can unexpectedly harm someone without no intention and Wolverine being someone that can heal instantaneously. Being that most Super Hero/Comic-Book films tend to have comedic elements into their narrative, I undoubtedly have to mention the banter that X-MEN as it is something of a nice breather for the film.

Now being that this is a Super Hero/Comic-Book film adaptation, you can’t really ignore the negatives that ever so slightly hinder X-MEN. Being that X-MEN is a team of mutants fighting for the good of the world, everyone really should get their moment of at least backstory but they disappointingly don’t. It’s fine with having Wolverine be the relatable protagonist to a degree allowing us to enter the world of mutants in a different perspective (the other perspective being from Rogue) because it works on a storytelling level. However, characters like Cyclops and Jean aren’t focused on much and that wouldn’t be so much of a problem if we didn’t have to buy this idea that Logan’s in love with Jean. In all seriousness, why is he in love with her? The real reason I can is that’s how it is in the comic-books. Yet in a way, there’s barely an attempt to give them some kind of chemistry here. They barely get any scenes together and the only vibe I get from Logan is that he simply wants to get in bed with her and suddenly we’re meant to invest in this romantic angle as if there’s more to this than just the physical nature. If the film was longer, I think they could have invested more time into this romantic touch and possibly invest more time in this rivalry between Wolverine and Cyclops in relations to Jeans love. But I’m sorry, as far as I’m concerned, the romantic notion is too feeble to say the least. My other criticism that I found when watching this film again was the weird decisions of some of the cuts in some of the scenes. Most noticeably, the one sequence which I thought was rushed was the segment in which Xavier was explaining to Logan what his ‘school’ was intended for with a short montage of the mutant students doing stuff. That segment was something that I thought felt a little rushed and possibly could of paced down just a tad bit. Another example would be when Cyclops notices Jean reading Logan’s mind which results in the two mutant males start their rivalvery. Again, it would have been nice to see that little segment flesh out as with the characters in the original ‘X-MEN’ the rivalry between Wolverine and Cyclops can create some good drama. My last criticism would be of some of the performances as I will admit that the majority of the cast in this film and the other X-MEN films tend to be really good, there one or two characters in this film that to me make this film a little cheesy. The obvious contender for this would be the lesser antagonists Toad since like Storm, he doesn’t really do anything and gets killed off in a way that is laughable. 

While the Super Hero/Comic-Book films just before the 21st century like Batman & Robin and Blade were examples of Super Hero/Comic-Book that were poorly made and panned by numerous critics which in some way affected the genre, the first film iteration of X-MEN in 2000 showed that there was just more to a Super Hero/Comic-Book films than just pure action and acts of heroism. With Singer enabling the social themes that were ever present in the old ‘X-MEN’ stories, X-MEN is truly a film that appeals to general demographic with it’s grounded realistic tone and themes and it’s characters that are relatable and are interesting to watch rather than your typical Superman who always saves the day through justice. While admittedly it does have some flaws with some of its scene structure and it’s lack-luster management in the romantic segments, X-MEN whether you disagree with me or accept what I’m saying, is an important film in how it did reinvigorate the Super Hero/Comic-Book genre franchise and was the stepping stone for Marvel in achieving domination in the film industry.

Right, and that concludes my latest review of X-MEN. As always everyone, if you enjoyed my latest review of X-MEN, firstly thank you for reading and secondly you’re all welcome to post a comment down below if you have anything to say regarding the film I’ve reviewed or the actual review that you’ve just read. Just a quick update for a few things, firstly I will be now and again be reviewing the Marvel films that I have liked watching as I think in this day and age, the Super Hero genre is taking over the film industry and so I thought it would be a good idea to review my favourite Marvel films for you guys. Lastly, I will be in fact posting up a Blog Post later on this week which actually involves ALL OF YOU GUYS and it’s something that I’ve had in my mind to do for a while now. All I can say for now is that it’s a Blog Post that will hopefully never end. As usual, next week at the same time, I will always have a film review ready for you guys so until my next Post whether it be the special Post later this week or my next Film Review, I’ll see you all soon 🙂

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ – Alex Rabbitte