"Where Movie Critics Get A Taste Of their Own Medicine"
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Does Wolverine lead the pack in 'X-MEN'?
by Herb Kane (Critic Doctor)
July 24, 2000
CRITIC DOCTOR EXAMINES: Michael Wilmington (Chicago Tribune), Bob Graham (San Francisco Chronicle), James Berardinelli (Reel Views), Steve Rosen (Denver Post), Ron Wells (FilmThreat.com), Roger Ebert & Richard Roeper ("Roger Ebert & The Movies" - Buena Vista TV), Susannah Breslin ("The New Movie Show with Chris Gore" - FX Channel) and Kirk Honeycutt (Hollywood Reporter).
out of 4 stars (PG-13)
When I went to see "X-Men" at our local theater,
I didn't know what to expect. I never read the comic books and
was not familiar with the ten mutant characters featured. I ended
up liking the film, unlike some movie critics.
"X-Men" is about a race of mutant humans who develop
special powers over people. The group becomes divided among each
other on what role they should play in society - some wanting
to rule the normal humans while others want to serve along side
them. This struggle explodes on screen!
Michael Wilmington (Chicago Tribune) said, "'X-Men'
is a multimillion-dollar superhero comic book movie with a script
so feeble it might have been written with crayons."
Read Wilmington's review and you'll wish he had written
it with invisible ink. Bob Graham (San Francisco Chronicle)
dismisses any "feeble" notion, "This is a film
with a message. It involves social outcasts and intolerance -
there are specific references to Nazism and McCarthyism."
James Berardinelli (Reel Views) also adds, "The film
is effectively paced with a good balance of exposition, character
development, and special effects-enhanced action."
I was enormously fascinated by the unique abilities these ten
mutants possessed - all having powers beyond our human comprehension.
I won't name all the mutants, but I will say Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)
was the most interesting. Some critics disagree.
Steve Rosen (Denver Post) said the movie needed a character
to care about: "It doesn't help that Wolverine - the wolfman-like
X-man who is arguably the film's main hero - is played by Hugh
Jackman as a rather lifeless Clint Eastwood/ 'Dirty Harry' clone
with a bad memory, nasty retractable metal claws, and a rockabilly-revivalist's
haircut."
Apparently, Mr. Rosen, you didn't pay attention to Wolverine's
slick fight scenes; his relationship with Rogue (Anna Paquin),
a girl he cannot touch without dying; his struggle among the mutants
themselves; or his ability to claw your scathing review apart
in one swipe.
Ron Wells (FilmThreat.com) got it right: "In Jackman,
we have a star. His reaction to all this craziness defines the
audience's as he's forced to pick sides in this super-powered
struggle. Jackman's talent and presence are the driving force
behind the whole movie."
This week the two TV critic shows, "Roger Ebert &
The Movies" and "The New Movie Show with Chris
Gore," were at odds.
Ebert gave the film "an affectionate thumbs down."
Affectionate thumbs down? What is that? I wonder. Is it possible
for a disgruntled reader to flip Ebert an affectionate
middle FINGER? Richard Roeper, his new permanent sidekick,
also gave thumbs down and said, "Right now I'm not even sure
who the hero is." The boys were obviously confused this week.
All four panelists on "The New Movie Show with Chris Gore"
liked the film which was Gore's "Pick of the Week."
Guest critic, Susannah Breslin (TNT's Rough Cut) sums the
movie up best: "It privileges character and relationships
over action and effects and just when you think it may be taking
itself too seriously, it completely makes fun of itself. Most
importantly it aspires to be a great movie and not a great comic
book movie."
Kirk Honeycutt (Hollywood Reporter) said, " Whether
or not the film will have enough box-office oomph to establish
a franchise for Fox is an open question." Open question?
It's a closed case! This movie was packed with powerful characters
who have powerful stories to tell. The special effects were top
notch and the film practically screamed SEQUEL at the end!
"X-Men's" dull ending robbed them of one star, but the
mutants were fantastic on screen and Wolverine clearly led the
pack.
I can't wait to watch him dig his claws in the sequel.
--CRITIC DOCTOR
© 2000 by Herb Kane. All rights reserved.
www.criticdoctor.com
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