John’s “X-Men” flashback review, johnvhansen.com, June 14, 2014
“X-Men” – From the opening scenes showing the backgrounds of three main characters to the final epic battle atop the Statue of Liberty, it’s clear that director Bryan Singer (“Apt Pupil”) is displaying his talent for delivering compelling characters. Like the comics, the film takes itself seriously – it’s an adult movie that kids will like also. Professor Xavier’s (Patrick Stewart) X-Men have a difference of opinion with Magneto’s (Ian McKellan) Brotherhood of Mutants. Both groups are outcasts, but Magneto’s plan to turn the entire human race into mutants via radiation is too extreme for Xavier’s bunch. Rogue (Anna Paquin), the cute teenager who can’t touch anyone because she absorbs their life force, and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), an amnesiac with retractable wrist-daggers and healing powers, are the best characters, and they get the most attention. Because it’s a plot-and-character-based film, there’s not a ton of action, but when the two sides do clash, we get some nicely stylized fights and great music from Michael Kamen. It all comes together to form the coolest comic-book movie ever made. A
– John Hansen, NDSU Spectrum, Sept. 8, 2000