X-Men (2000)

Two mutants come to a private academy for their kind whose resident superhero team must oppose a terrorist organization with similar powers.

Director:

Bryan Singer

Writers:

Tom DeSanto (story), Bryan Singer (story),

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen

11 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Jackman	...	Logan / Wolverine
Patrick Stewart	...	Professor Charles Xavier
Ian McKellen	...	Eric Lensherr / Magneto
Famke Janssen	...	Jean Grey
James Marsden	...	Scott Summers / Cyclops
Halle Berry	...	Ororo Munroe / Storm
Anna Paquin	...	Rogue / Marie
Tyler Mane	...	Sabretooth
Ray Park	...	Toad
Rebecca Romijn	...	Mystique (as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)
Bruce Davison	...	Senator Kelly
Matthew Sharp	...	Henry Gyrich
Brett Morris	...	Young Magneto
Rhona Shekter	...	Magneto's Mother
Kenneth McGregor	...	Magneto's Father

Storyline

In a world where both Mutants and Humans fear each other, Marie, better known as Rogue, runs away from home and hitches a ride with another mutant, known as Logan, a.k.a. Wolverine. Charles Xavier, who owns a school for young mutants, sends Storm and Cyclops to bring them back before it is too late. Magneto, who believes a war is approaching, has an evil plan in mind, and needs young Rogue to help him.

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Plot Keywords:

Mutant | X Men | Wolverine | Professor | Villain | 

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Taglines:

Protecting those who fear them.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence

Details

Official Sites:

Marvel [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

X-Men 1.5

Filming Locations:

Ajax, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£4,749,241 (UK) (18 August 2000)

Gross:

ESP 1,248,400,805 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Marvel Enterprises, Donners' Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital EX SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joss Whedon wrote a draft of the script, but it got rejected because according to Whedon it had a "quick-witted, pop-culture referencing tone" which didn't fit the X-Men. Only two lines of dialogue from his script were used in the final film: the exchange between Cyclops and Wolverine when Cyclops suspects he is Mystique; and Storm's statement about "what happens to a toad when it is struck by lightning." Ironically, Whedon's "X-Men" comic 'Gifted' would be a major inspiration for X-Men: The Last Stand; furthermore Whedon himself would go on to direct The Avengers, another superhero team.

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Goofs

When Jean Gray is checking Logan after the fight you can see a pink bra under her jacket. The camera then switches to Logan and when it returns to Jean Gray the bra is missing and her coat closed up.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Prof. Charles Francis Xavier: [narration] Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward.

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Crazy Credits

When the 20th Century Fox logo fades away, the X in the logo stays for a second longer before it also fades away.

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Connections

References Degrassi High (1987)

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Soundtracks

"FOX NEWS UPDATE"
Composed by Robert Israel
Courtesy of Fox Broadcasting Company

User Reviews

Not a "Comic-book Movie"

There's no doubt about it, X-Men is not a stereotypical "comic-book film". Whenever a movie is made that is based on comic books, there is always a fear that it can and will be typically pigeonholed into the "comic book film" genre and that the movie is basically made for the fans of that comic book. Comic-book films are usually unrealistic and unappealing to the general audience.

Bryan Singer, however, did a wonderful job at making X-Men a movie that will not only overjoy the fans of the comic book, but also the general movie-goer as well. The movie is grounded, without the flighty unrealism of comic book material, and it delivers a message about prejudice that has always been what X-Men were about: fighting for a world that hates them.

The performances are outstanding, especially Hugh Jackman who, in my opinion, did a dead-on Wolverine, and Patrick Stewart, who never failed to show the peace and self-control that Professor Charles Xavier always strove to maintain.

Aside the characters, the plot was original (I couldn't tell you what was going to happen in the end by the middle of the movie) and most importantly: the world was REAL. The only suspension of disbelief that is required is the assumption that these genetic mutations can happen, and did, causing these extraordinary people. Honestly, I was a little disappointed that the colorful high-flare costumes were omitted, but I instantly forgave Singer when I realized why. It was simply to add to the realism.

All in all, X-Men was excellent. If you're a fan of the comic book series as I was, then you'll endlessly enjoy seeing these characters come to life. And if you've never been exposed to the comic book, this movie will give you an entertaining way to be exposed to its message about fear, hatred, and prejudice.