X-Men

3/4 stars

As a fan of the X-Men in print, I was very eager for this movie to exist, and glad it did well. But, the problem with it and its sequels is that they still fail to epitomize the world of the X-Men that I know and love. Certainly some of the actors are dead on in their roles: Jackman, Paquin, Stewart. Others, particularly Marsden and Berry fail to hit on what makes their particular character interesting. And, by giving the characters relationships with one another that don't exist in the comics (Mystique as Magneto's henchman, Iceman as Rogue's love interest just for example) they fundamentally change their characterization and muddle their motivations. Furthermore, the storyline of the movies may deliver the required balance of drama and adrenaline, but it lacks the complexity and epic quality of the classic X-Men stories.

Written October 15, 2007.