X-Men

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... (09/11/2004)

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. (12/17/2006)

I can't help it, but I have been fruitlessly searching for what fascinated me about the movie in the past. There are moments here that are completely out of logic and don't even work in the comic book world. I understand that this is a groundbreaking film in terms of reviving interest in comic book adaptations, but it is lacking a more developed plot. It is only saved by the great characters, which were already created by comic book authors. (03/27/2014)

The first time I saw this movie a long time ago, I didn't even finish it. That’s how bored I was. After many years, I thought I'd give X-Men another chance, and it turned out...more or less exactly the same. Although it didn’t seem so boring anymore, I still found it rather hilarious, even in places where it wasn’t intended to be. It all just seemed too weird, with the exception of Wolverine, excellently portrayed by Jackman. Before this movie, superheroes were considered to be some sort of freaks in costumes. After this movie, better and better superhero movies started coming, but I think of the first installment of X-Men as a kind of intermediary step which, if it hadn’t been for Jackman, would have been a total flop. (07/25/2013)

Visually cold and narratively very straightforward with a remarkably short running time considering account how many main characters are introduced. Bryan Singer's direction is clever and skillful, and with this work, he kick-started one of the best comic book sagas. Each of the characters is interesting, attractive, and emotionally appealing, so every viewer should be able to find their favorites. Technically, it is of course fine, although compared to other installments, it is evident that there is a significant increase in resources (filters, enhanced effects). Not only for that reason, the first X-Men film has a pleasantly intimate and minimalist impression and goes in a completely different direction than big blockbusters like Avengers or Batman. (12/16/2012)