X-MEN

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: violence, thematic elements, sensuality

Rated:

What if everyone you touched was harmed in some way? What if you could never have human contact? Perhaps then you could understand the life of young Rogue (Anna Paquin). Outfitted with a mysterious "illness" that prevents her from any human contact, Rouge is forced to be an outsider... one of the few "chosen" ones capable of mutation. The world is not kind to people who are different... people with "gifts" ... the ability to mutate. And so Rogue packs and heads up the Canadian border toward Anchorage, her lifelong destination among the rugged peaks of Alaska. 

A trucker takes her as far as Lawfland City, and there she witnesses the incredible manifestation of a fellow stranger capable of protruding iron claws from his knuckles (Hugh Jackman). He also has the ability to heal himself almost instantly of any wound, fatal or minor. Like Rogue, Wolverine is on the run, and she sneaks aboard his trailer for a free ride. Discovering her, he leaves her by the side of the road but then takes pity on her and agrees to let her accompany him as far as the next town. But they never get there. They're ambushed in the woods by a powerful and deadly advisory who is only rebuffed by two mysterious strangers. Wolverine wakes up in a medical facility, part of the underground network of a group of mutants called the X-Men under the command of Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), whose desire is to teach "gifted" children how to use their talents to protect mankind rather than to harm them.

Many of the students possess incredible abilities... to walk through walls, to create fire and ice, to control the weather and levitate things. They are the future. And they are in danger of being wiped out by mankind. Rogue soon feels at home among them, particularly after making some friends... but Wolverine is skeptical of Xavier's reason for saving him. The one tie holding him back is the lovely Jean Gray (Famke Janssen), Xavier's apprentice and the girlfriend of his arch-enemy Cyclops (James Marsden). He learns mutation has been around much longer than originally believed... the first manifestation was in a young Jewish boy during WWII in which the child was able to manipulate the metal fence around the concentration camp's exterior. 

This child, now an adult and a misguided, powerful man known as Magneto (Ian McKellen), has some dark plan in mind for humankind... to prevent the persecution of the different and potentially dangerous mutants. It was one of his henchmen, the vile Sabertooth, who attempted to ambush Rogue and Wolverine in the wood... but what he wants from them, Xavier cannot imagine. Magneto is beyond his telepathic powers of understanding... an old friend and a new enemy. And it's up to the X-Men to unite and save the very ones who would persecute them....

Never having read the comic book series, I was prepared to be lost in this "new world" of fantastic special effects and heroes with mystifying super-human abilities. I was pleasantly surprised, therein, when I was able to easily follow the storyline and actually enjoy the cinematic experience. The visual effects are dazzling, a clear example of the highest form of computer animation and manipulation; the characters stunningly likable, and the bad guy worthy of pity. There are good lessons tucked in between the comic-book violence, and real characters with some excellent development. The villain is not evil but twisted, a victim of a child-induced paranoia against another Holocaust. You feel a deep pity for the man's soul as he goes blindly on with his plans, little knowing what effect they would have on the world's population. 

The Professor's ideals are good; he uses his powers only against evil and encourages restraint in his students. He teaches them to respect and protect the feeble human race; and one character intentionally sacrifices himself for another. The acting is also rock solid. Hugh Jackman makes a likable and yet dangerous Wolverine, and Anna Paquin allows her youthful talent to shine in the role of the self-conscious Rogue, who has a much larger role to play than anyone could have imagined. The real standout performances, however, are those of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as former friends, now enemies. Xavier wants to save Magento's soul, and his old adversary is unwilling to let him in. Even with these good points, there are some obvious problems with X-Men that Christians will be at odds with.

Evolution is portrayed at the core of the film as an explanation for the super-human characteristics. This is particularly strange when you consider the many respectful references to God and His gift of free will. The characters have "gifts" that range from telepathic to telekinetic, unrivaled physical strength, the ability to heal oneself, and control magnetic force fields. There are a couple of grotesque uses of computer animation, and one of the villain's sidekicks, Mystique, is clothed in little more than blue rubber, giving the illusion of nudity without ever truly becoming problematic.

There is very little language (one d*ck and a few profanities), but an abundance of non-bloody violence between the X-Men and Magneto's cohorts. (Including some action in a fight between Mystique and Wolverine -- a man vs. woman instance that might concern some viewers, particularly when one of them winds up near-fatally impaled.) New York City is the setting of the final climax and the Statue of Liberty is partially destroyed in their final battle. The Twin Towers can be seen in the skyline, a somber reminder of the world we lived in before September 11th. As far as science fiction goes, X-Men is a winner. But for the discerning or squeamish viewer, it may be a no-go.

Editor's Note: The extras on the Special Edition DVD are not rated; profanity includes several uses of the f-word in the making-of featurettes.