X-Men

As a pilot for a series (which this film has actually become in hindsight), it's great and flawless. A lot of iconic characters gradually appear on the scene, each of whom gets their due space, and Singer portrays the entire mutant community well by having the best comic book character in history being led by the hand by the other players constantly explaining everything to him. The script is smart and draws out not only the inevitable issue of mutants coexisting with ordinary humans, but above all a convincing and logically motivated villain, Magneto, whose potential far exceeds a single feature film. Maybe it's just a pity that the film goes by so insanely fast that it doesn't even manage to leave a hickey on our experiential threads, and instead of some stylish eye candy action we remember exclusively the awesome Wolverine claw-fucking his colleagues and the attractive Halle Berry, to whom the word mutant fits about as well as a sleeping pill to a corpse. Definitely a revolutionary achievement, which can be watched over and over again and whose success was the start of a great sensation. (04/03/2017)

So finally, after watching First Class, I filled my gap and checked out the first installment of X-Men. I'm quite pleased with the film, even if it falls well short of the 5th installment in effects and script. Some of the characters are still not as detailed (Storm, Mystique). As sci-fi, of course, it is above average, hence the well-deserved 4 stars. (03/07/2011)

Another comic book adaptation, this time directed by Bryan Singer. The action, effects, music, sound, and acting are all on a very decent level, yet something was a little lacking for it to make 5 stars. Otherwise, I "looked down" on this title for a long time, until I finally got the original.) I'm really looking forward to the second and third ones. (29/03/2009)

Surprisingly excellent comic science fiction, which works not only as a trick and action affair, but also on the level of the characters and the story. Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto's (Ian McKellen) gambit is truly electrifying and is certainly not a traditional battle between good and evil in pure form. The experiences from the concentration camp that have marked Magneto, who perceives the conflict between mutants and humans as a possible repetition of the events of the Second World War, adds tension to the otherwise slightly worn plot. Of course, it doesn't dig too deep and remains, as tends to be the case in Hollywood, only with hints of ethics, but even X-men couldn't handle anymore than that. Mainly thanks to excellent actors and decent tricks, this film is one of the best comic book adaptations ever. And I haven’t even mentioned the open potential for the future films... (11/09/2004)

Is it six years already? I just can’t bring myself to believe that it’s that long ago that I first sat down in front of HBO and let myself be sucked into the world of mutants. Singer captures the viewer at the very beginning with a flashback to Poland in 1944 where we see a little boy trying to get back to his parents in the Jewish ghetto. An entrancing experience. The gradual meetings with other mutants and getting to know them better demonstrates Singer’s huge talent. The characters are written superbly and the viewer really worries about what happens to them. In terms of the acting, X-Men can’t be faulted. Hugh Jackson appeared as a flash out of nowhere and his Wolverine was perfected acted. The chillingly magnetic Ian McKellen surprisingly assumed the role of the one with the most wisecracks in the movie and Famke Janssen seems more beautiful here than she’s ever been (I fully understand Wolverine ;). Before I gave this a 4, but after careful consideration I changed it. Such sophisticated psychology deserves the highest score. (17/12/2006)