Stillanerd’s Retrospective: X-Men (2000) review

As the last X-Men films from Fox approach their summer release, a look back at the franchise’s previous films, beginning with the one that started it all.

More from Movies

• James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy casts more major DC characters
• New Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer pushes Arthur to his limits
• 7 actors who could replace Ezra Miller as The Flash in the DC Universe
• Masters of the Universe reboot’s new domain could be at Amazon’s Prime Video Streamer
• James Gunn gives interesting update of Superman and Supergirl movies at DC Studios

A few days ago from this writing, Disney–the company which owns Marvel Studios–and 20th Century Fox finalized a $71 billion dollar merger. In doing, this essentially allowed Marvel to reclaim full rights for one of their most popular IP’s, the X-Men. More than likely, this could result in a potential reboot of Marvel’s merry mutants within the next couple of years.

However, there are still upcoming X-Men related movies Fox already filmed and produced prior to the merger slated for this year. One of these is another adaptation of the “Dark Phoenix Saga” simply entitled Dark Phoenix and the other is based on Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod’s The New Mutants. After that, Fox’s take on the X-Men will be no more. In light of this, it’s only appropriate to revisit all eleven of the current X-Men films, starting, of course, with the 2000 blockbuster, X-Men. It can also be argued that the first live-action feature-length X-Men film was also one of the most influential comic book movies ever made.

Consider that prior to this movie, Hollywood didn’t take superhero movies seriously, certainly not after the debacle that was Batman and Robin (1997). Little wonder then that a live-action adaptation of X-Men had also been languishing in development hell for years. It took the success of Fox’s own X-Men: The Animated Series that studio executives could see the potential. Even then, however, there was trouble greenlighting a script. Various creators attached to the project included Andrew Kevin Walker (Seven), novelist Michael Chabon, and writer-director Joss Whedon. Even director Robert Rodriguez was once offered the director’s chair.

By any normal metric, [X-Men]is an utter mess. And yet somehow X-Men mostly succeeds despite its many drawbacks.

Eventually, though, X-Men would fall to Bryan Singer, a rather curious choice when you really think about it. Yes, he won an Academy Award for The Usual Suspects (1995), but he also wrote and directed an adaptation of Stephen King’s Apt Pupil (1998), a box office flop. Moreover, Singer never read a comic book, much less an X-Men comic, in his life. He even banned the cast from reading comics as prep material on the set.

Perhaps that’s why, along with the stigma comic book movies had at the time, X-Men tries very hard–perhaps too hard–to distance itself from its comic book roots as much as possible. It’s certainly not a faithful adaptation. Rogue (Anna Paquin) comes off, albeit understandably, is emotional withdrawn instead of a confident southern belle. Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngers is an actual boarding school, and the X-Men wear black leather bodysuits instead of “yellow spandex.” (Interestingly, Grant Morrison would later adopt those later ideas for his own comic, New X-Men.)

It’s also a movie which clearly underwent extensive rewrites, had entire scenes deleted, and forced to operate under studio mandated budget constraints. It has two different prologues, one of which–depicting a young Magneto in a Nazi concentration camp–feels disconnected from the rest of the film. There are only three action set-pieces despite an hour and-a-half running time. Many of characters are underdeveloped and the plot, involving Magneto and his brotherhood of mutants transforming world leaders into mutants, is riddled with holes. By any normal metric, the film is an utter mess.

Credit: 20th Century Fox

Both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan are absolute standouts as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto respectively. Despite having only three scenes together, you truly believe that they were once friends turned adversaries by their ideological differences, who still have genuine respect for one another.

And yet somehow X-Men mostly succeeds despite its many drawbacks. Part of the reason, of course, is fans were going to see it regardless, especially since it was one of the few comic book movies at the time which took itself seriously. Yet the main reason the movie became such as hit was also due to the strength of its principle cast. Both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan are absolute standouts as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto respectively. Despite having only three scenes together, you truly believe that they were once friends turned adversaries by their ideological differences, who still have genuine respect for one another.

Although Anna Panquin’s portrayal of Rogue isn’t at all close to her comic book counterpart (and whom the movie sadly turns into a plot device), she still does a good job in portraying someone traumatized and scared of their own mutant powers. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, although she doesn’t have many lines, gives an exemplar physical performance. It’s also still amazing how even though she’s technically nude in every scene, the film still managed a PG-13 rating. Even Bruce Davison as Senator Robert Kelly does great job delivering a nuanced performance as the proponent of the mutant registration act.

The very moment he appears on screen, [Hugh] Jackman [as Wolverine] embodies the feral Canadian berserker who’s “the best at what he does” right down to his adamantium bones.

Of course, one cannot talk about this movie without mention Hugh Jackman and his career defining performance as Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine. The very moment he appears on-screen, Jackman embodies the feral Canadian berserker who’s “the best at what he does” right down to his adamantium bones. What easily could’ve come across as a caricature of a Clint Eastwood style loner, Jackman radiates with sincerity, finding just the right balance between barely constrained rage and warm tenderness. Even after almost twenty years, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in this role.

It’s also clear Logan’s the main protagonist of the movie. Given this is the first movie and the character’s popularity among comic fans, it’s just common sense. His skepticism also fits when you consider how the film doesn’t want to be regarded as just a comic book movie. When Xavier introduces the X-Men to Logan and explains what going on, Logan’s response is literally, “This is the stupidest thing I ever heard.” Clearly we, the audience, are meant to agree with him as Xavier, and thus the movie, try to prove Logan, and us, wrong.

Credit: 20th Century Fox

Flaws notwithstanding, there’s no taking away X-Men‘s importance in cinema history. While Iron Man (2008) popularized the idea of a cinematic universe, it’s X-Men which arguably had the greater cultural impact.

Not every performance in the movie is as good, unfortunately. Both Famke Janssen and James Marsden as Jean Grey and Cyclops, while they do their best, have little to work with. Ray Park as Toad just comes off as ridiculous, while Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth is just a brainless thug. Meanwhile, Halle Berry isn’t just miscast as Storm, she phones it in. Not that the script does her any favors when she’s forced to deliver such cringe-worthy meme-inducing lines such as, “Do you what happens when a toad is struck by lightning?”

Finally, while the practical special effects still hold up, the digital effects clearly do not. What undoubtedly looked cutting edge in 2000 now looks more like a high-priced video game. Scenes of Magneto holding cops at bay with their own guns are far more impressive than the 360 degree shot of Wolverine righting himself back on the Statue of Liberty. And even though the set design for underneath Xavier mansion still looks modern with its sleek, chrome plated corridors, it’s strange how there are no guard rails whatsoever in the Cebrereo chamber.

Flaws notwithstanding, there’s no taking away X-Men‘s importance in cinema history. While Iron Man (2008) popularized the idea of a cinematic universe, it’s X-Men which arguably had the greater cultural impact. Along with 1998’s Blade and 2002’s Spider-Man, this movie helped legitimize superhero movies once more as being more than “just for kids,” and proved their box office profitability. It showed there was an audience for such films beyond devoted comic book geeks, address larger themes, and have a social conscience. It’s easy to dismiss this film now, but perhaps anyone rewatching this film should thank it every time the Marvel logo comes on-screen.

Next time, we’ll be taking a look at the first sequel to X-Men that, even now, is still considered better than the original. Or is it?