|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources
|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources
While seeing this witty, sociologically astute action-fantasy won't literally transport viewers to Ponce De Leon's fountain of youth, there is indeed joy in being reminded what pure entertainment a well-conceived comic book is capable of delivering. Imbuing his live-action metamorphosis with practically all the whim, wonder and speculation that made the source material so popular, Mr. Singer entertainingly proves that the leap from comic panel to big screen is possible, so long as the essence of good storytelling remains intact. Kudos for their artistic restraint goes to screen scribes Tom DeSanto and David Hayter.
Coming on the heels of news that scientists have just about completed their mapping of the human genome, this genetic tall tale brings us to "the not too distant future," where the ongoing debate concerns mutants; folks who have made an unexplained, sudden jump forward in the evolutionary process. They possess all manner of special talent, some manageable, some terrifyingly amuck. And because they have 6th, 7th and 8th senses, there are those normal humans who would register them. Identify and number them. The suggestion is clear, the historical implication poignant without weighing down the film's energetic lilt.
Some mutants are psychic. Others have great physical strength. But the most mind-boggling and intriguing news is that no two mutants are alike. Besides sharing this unexplained X-factor, they have only their differences in common. And the extent of these super powers is limited solely by the imaginations of the writers who envisioned them.
For example, Logan (Hugh Jackman), also known as Wolverine perhaps because of his brooding, lone wolf persona, just might be related to Edward Scissorhands. To complement his penchant for the martial arts, scythe-like blades spring from his knuckles like claws from an angry cat's paws. On the desolate road deep into Northwestern Canada, where he meets the wayward Rogue (Anna Paquin), he confides that this self-defence reflex hurts with each activation. Also known as Marie, she in turn entrusts that her hidden power is the unharnessed ability to weaken anyone who shows her affection. No doubt, this literary nod to the melancholy of forbidden love puts a damper on her social life. Nonetheless, they commiserate, the frozen backdrop a proper metaphor for their mutual isolation.
Then suddenly, they are whisked from their self-imposed exile and brought to the very crucible of their being when they become the bones of contention in a battle between two rival camps of mutants. There are the apparent forces of Good, led by the enlightened Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart). And then there is his not quite so good but very worthy adversary, Magneto (also known as Eric Magnus Lehnsherr), admirably portrayed by Ian McKellen. On the eve of a very important summit of world leaders specifically called to deal with the mutant question, their philosophical differences are dramatically highlighted in both word and deed. Suffice it to note, there is kung-fu fighting aplenty -- maybe too much.
Professor X, who runs a posh educational sanctuary/think tank dedicated to studying and aiding mutants, harbours the humanistic belief that mankind is capable of eventually embracing its specially gifted brethren. But it will take education. In short, he's the intellectual liberal, sort of a sci-fi version of Adlai Stevenson in a wheelchair.
The good professor is the founder and commander-in-chief of the X-Men, an elite squadron of freedom fighters dedicated to high-minded principles. Had they existed in the 1930s, they would have fought in Spain. Escadrille and all that. They even have neat uniforms and a special aircraft that jets them to their world-saving missions. Exhibiting Kiplingesque camaraderie, they chat and chide eloquently along the way.
Featured players among this illumined force include: Storm (Halle Berry), who can whip up a northeaster on a moment's notice; the ironically named Cyclops (James Marsden), equipped with special glasses and the ability to emit highly destructive rays, and Famke Janssen as Dr. Jean Grey, all-around brilliant physician, psychic-in-training and Professor X's pet protege.
Lining up behind Magneto, whose fascistic credo contends that there will be no peace until everyone on Earth is a mutant, are equally potent but less glamorous sorts like Toad (Ray Park), whose destructive use of a tongue the length of a garden hose stretches matters a bit. And then there's Tyler Mane as Sabretooth, a brutish throwback to the caveman days, ostensibly an Igor to Magneto's mad scientist. But the most frightening and potentially deadly of them all is Mystique, the ultimate invasion of privacy. Her venal insinuation is worthy of a nightmare drawn from the collective subconscious of both Freud and Kafka.
You see, Mystique (played for the most part with curious sensuality in a reptilian body suit by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) has the power to be you, or you, or you, and even you. How will your compatriots in arms know who the real you is? And you were just worried about someone glomming your social security number.
Mr. Singer's film is preachy and instructive, but only in the very innocent way that primers with a humanistic bent can be. And X-Men is gee-willikers entrancing without being demanding; you don't have to join the cult and learn every nook and cranny of its lore, including the secret handshake, in order to enjoy the saga. The super special effects glibly surprise and amuse without obfuscating the sci-fi essence.
Of course, the musical score could have been more memorable. It would have been nice to have some of the two-dimensional characters fleshed out a bit more. And a slight blossoming of the very subtle love angles might have pleased some vicarious interests. But these are small objections. After all, how often does a film put you back under the bedcovers, place a flashlight in your hand, and eagerly invite you to experience its colourful adventure as if for the very first time?
|
Alphabetic Index
|
Ratings Index
|
Web Resources