Plot: What’s it about?
As human evolution advances, some people are given gifts and talents, while others remain in normal states. These gifts might include something small like faster running speed or better eyesight, but they could also be more powerful, such as invisibility or lethal to the touch. As these genetic variables begin to surface, they’re called mutants and many humans consider them to be dangerous. The man at the front of this campaign against mutants is Senator Robert Kelly, who thinks mutants should have register and explain their powers, so they can be watched and controlled. Two men watch him and his push very carefully and they are Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) & Magneto (Ian McKellan). Xavier runs a special school for the mutants who wish to remain on the side of good, while Magneto wishes to overthrow the humans and control the world. As you can imagine, these two have a lot of problems to work out and it won’t be easy. But when Magneto devises a plan that will set in motion his wishes and needs of Xavier’s newest students to complete it, can Xavier and his main crew of mutants save the day?
Movies based on comic books haven’t done so well in the end, with only a few of them managing to remain above water. So when Fox announced they were making a motion picture based on X-Men, a lot of people had serious doubts and with good reason. But once the movie crashed into theaters, it became a smash success in terms of box office draw and popularity. I saw this film at a convention about a week before it hit the theaters and I wasn’t blown away, but I did think it was a fun, exciting piece of cinema. I suppose the main flaw here is the building process of the various characters and smaller storylines, which have fleshed out over years and years in the comic books. The film has under two hours, so it tries to fit in a lot of backstory and also supply plenty of action. I think this first film is a great action flick, but I think the sequels have endless potential. Once most of the backstories are out of the way, then the floodgates can open and we’ll have some real wild flicks. In order to promote the sequel, Fox has released this new two disc set, labeled X-Men 1.5, though there is no extended cut of the film itself. But with a new DTS mix and some added extras, this release is more than recommended.
Who in the world would play Wolverine? That is what I always asked myself and my friends once the film was announced, but we were clueless as to who it could be. I can’t think of any name talent in the business who could bring Wolvie to life, so I figured the role would go to someone outside the system. As it turns out, that was the case and the role of old Wolverine went to Hugh Jackman, who few people had ever even heard of. I can’t express enough how perfect he seems for this part and that’s good, since Wolvie is one of the most popular team members. Jackman plays Wolvie’s animal instincts very well and gives him just the right mixture of disdain & compassion. It was a vital role for this film and Jackman nailed it, let’s just hope he comes in the potential sequels. The rest of the cast is also very good and includes Halle Berry (Bulworth, Monsters Ball), James Marsden (Disturbing Behavior, Gossip), Patrick Stewart (Masterminds, Lifeforce), Ray Park (The Phantom Menace, Iron Fist), Ian McKellan (Gods & Monsters, Apt Pupil), Famke Janssen (Goldeneye, The Faculty), Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (Rollerball, Femme Fatale), and Anna Paquin (She’s All That, The Piano). The director of X-Men is Bryan Singer, who also helmed such films as Lion’s Den, Apt Pupil, and The Usual Suspects.
Video: How does it look?
X-Men is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is the same transfer as before, though that isn’t bad news. As even after a couple years, this visual presentation is excellent and in the end, I could find no problems worth mentioning in this review. The source print is pristine (of course!) and I saw no traces of compression problems, even minor instances were absent here. The contrast is flawless, the black levels are sharp as can be and in a perfect balance at all times. I like the use of metallic tones in this film and with such reference level contrast, those metallic hues look fantastic. The other colors look out of this world also, while even the most bright & rich sequences come off with no problems in the least. It doesn’t get much better than this and for a visual film such as this, that is very good news.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is very good and quite active, but doesn’t have the punch I expected in the end. I wasn’t let down by what is found in this track by any means, but I didn’t find the overall power I wanted, hence the slight knock on the score. A few sequences seem to beg for a massive subwoofer presence, but in the end, little is done to involve it into the audio at all. But that’s not to say this isn’t a superior audio experience, as the mix does provide a lot of power, just not as much as you might expect. There is a lot of surround use throughout the film, but more in terms of subtle use and directional effects, as opposed to speaker shattering stuff. This doesn’t seem to hinder the experience at all though, so no real complaints overall. I just wish there was more kick to this mix, even though it stands as a superb track. I never had trouble with the dialogue either, as the vocals came across in fine form and I heard no problems at all. The new DTS mix ups the ante however, adding in more depth and presence, giving us a much more explosive and immersive audio experience. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This new two disc edition sports a host of new extras, though the fun Mutant Watch featurette from the previous disc is gone, as is the enjoyable Bryan Singer interview, hosted by Charlie Rose. I am let down to see these extras removed, but we’re still given a nice assortment of supplements here. The first disc is home to the enhanced viewing mode option, which enables you to see some deleted scenes and behind the scenes featurettes, all inserted into the movie as you experience X-Men. A total of seventeen featurettes are now available in this mode and in addition to the deleted scenes, you can now listen to Singer’s comments. This adds a lot to the deleted scenes, as Singer explains why the sequences were trimmed. Also on the first disc is an audio commentary with Singer, who discusses the ins & outs of X-Men, which proves to be an extensive and insightful session. I think fans were getting antsy to hear Singer’s comments, but this track was more than worth the wait, to be sure.
The rest of the extras fall on the second disc, most of which is made up of featurettes and documentary content. The main attraction is the Production Scrapbook, which runs well over an hour and offers a look inside the production. This is no fluff piece either, as it focuses on the small details needed to make a movie, which makes for a refreshing experience. This piece has a number of candid interviews, a selection of key behind the scenes footage, and some rather humorous outtakes. This is easily one of the better, most realistic looks inside a movie’s production, a must see for anyone interested in the process. You can also watch featurettes on the casting of the stars, the film’s visual approach, and a look back on the movie’s success. As you watch these programs, you can enable some additional features, like multi-angle scenes, screen test clips, footage from the film’s premiere, costume tests, and a host of production stills & conceptual artwork. In addition to a sneak peek at X-Men 2, this release also includes a dozen internet interstitials, nine television spots, and three of the film’s theatrical trailers.
