Little Flora and Feisty Rogue. Little Flora IS Feisty Rogue??? (X-Men (DVD))

Member Name: Calexico

Product:	X-Men (DVD)
Date:	04/06/01 (158 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great special effects, Excellent Casting, Original and interesting storyline

Disadvantages: Differs quite a bit from the cartoon - so the original fans might be disappointed., Storm's Character could be developed more.

When i heard there was going to be an X-men movie, i thought, how the hell are they gonna work that one out? But to be honest, i think they pulled it off pretty well.
Ok so the movie didn't really relate much to the cartoon. There wasn't the costume, (that would've made good entertainment in itself) it lacked a lot of the original main characters, and some of the characters were quite different to the originals, but the biggest difference that first jumped out to me was Ms Paquin - little Anna, 11 year old Flora in the Piano as sexy, feisty Rogue? What's that all about?

But as a film on it's own, un-compared to the cartoon, i actually found it quite entertaining, despite my initial doubt. Full of some great special effects, and an interesting storyline, this film wasn't all as bad as i expected. With Paquin playing a much younger Rogue, she actually fitted better into the story, as a confused teenager who has just devoloped her powers - the ability to drain or 'borrow' another mutant's powers by touch.

Rogue enters the scene as a young girl, who as discovered she possesses a mutant power. As if the alienation of her late discovery isn't enough, she cannot control this power to 'borrow' another mutant's powers, and so whenever she touches a mere human being, she literally drains the life out of them. A frightened and confused Rogue, flees her home, hitching rides with travellers, until she bumps into Wolverine.

Wolverine, aka Logan - Hugh Jackman - is first seen, in an old bar, just off a main road, in a boxing match. He's against a burly bloke, quite a bit bigger than him, nevertheless, he wins the match, quite un-scathed.
The big fella gets narky, and threatens Wolverine, provoking him to unleash his claws! In the end though, he leaves the bar, and no one is hurt - except maybe his pride, after being taunted an hissed at for being a mutant. He drives off a little way down t
he road, before noticing something in the back, moving. He gets out, and inspects the trailing cart, lifting the cover to reveal Rogue, hitching a lift. After a little reluctancy, he eventually lets her travel with him. There is a minor set back, as a tree which has fallen down, is blocking the road, but because of a squabble about safety belts, Wolverine doesn't see until it's too late. He is thrown out of the front screen, and out into the snow.

A big guy comes along. Several feet taller than Wolverine. Of course, it's Sabertooth! There is a fight, a little struggle from Rogue as she fiddles with her safety belt, attempting to undo the jammed device when she spots an oily rag catching fire. Cue more struggling. Out of the blue there is a mini snow-storm, and with some help from cyclops, storm enters the scene, sorts out Sabertooth, grabs Wolverine who is now unconcious, and frees Rogue, in time to escape from the exploding truck. And so enters the idea of the X-mansion.

Professor Charles Xavier - Patrick Steward - holds a school for mutants, helping them to progress with their powers, teaching them how to use it, and most important, giving there somewhere they can live, without the mockery and hate of the 'normal' human civilisation. From his most advanced pupils, he has produced the X-men;
Jean - Famke Jansen, has telepathic and telekinetic powers. (Also happens to be ex-bond girl - Xenia Onnatop. Hmm... some 'thoughtful' casting for the male viewers there)
Cyclops - James Marsden, has laser beams emitted from both eyes, which is kept under control through an selective eye mask, which he can use to contol the light that he lets out. (ex-model so that explains that)
Storm - Halle Berry (also notching up some 'babe' ratings' - i have to say this is not one of her best performances though), posses the power of all the elements of a storm (hence her name) eg a snow storm, ice, snow, etc.
r>They're main enemy is Magneto - Ian Mckellen - also relating to his name - he can control metal as if they are magnetised to him, so he can any metallic objects to a certain distance, to his telekinetically - and his crew;
Mystique - Rebecca Romijn Stamos (A swimming costume model. Need i say more?) who can shapeshift to whatever she likes (her 'atire' also happens to consist of blue paint, a few prosthetic scales and not much else)
Sabertooth who we met before - Tyler Mane - like his name, is a giant wolf like creature about 10ft tall!
Toad - Ray Park - a bigger, more long limbed version of the creature in his name.

Magneto and his evil brotherhood have a plan which will involve the entire world, and one of the x-men which they are after, and you can bet it won't be good.

Underneath all this excitment, there also lies a very strong question of social justice and the view on society's outcast, exploring it on a more extreme level. There is always the conflict of 'two sides' - The ones that fit, and the ones that don't. X-men touches on the subject lightly, but in such a way that the extremes and 'just off reality' setting of the story takes it lightheartedly so as to not taint the light entertainment of the movie itself.

But not to spoil the film if you haven't already seen it, i won't go any furthur, but despite a few bad critics, and some low expectations, this film exceeded itself, and most expectations of it. In a nutshell, i'd say pretty good special effects, an excellent cast (doubts on the white haired, toad frying part though) and an unusual storyline make this a light-hearted but entertaining and stimulating watch.