Movie Review
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This Week's PCR Movie Review |
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"X-2: X-Men United"
Movie review by: With add'l commentary by Nolan Canova. | |||
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PCR Home Digital Divide Plastic People Ashley's Hollywood Creature's Corner Splash Page Mike's Rant Archives 2003 2002 2001 2000 Crazed Fanboy | |
(Commentary by Nolan Canova follows, below)
Summer blockbuster season is upon us at the movies, and "X2: X-Men United" gets the season off with a 'BAMF!" No, that's not a misspelling. Fans of the comic will recognize that BAMF is the sound the mysterious Nightcrawler makes as he pops in and out of space at will. That sound and a slight blue haze is the only proof he's been in the room with you. It's an awesome effect and it's a great way to start another mutant adventure. Trying to get a message to the president, Nightcrawler BAMF's his way through the White House in a dizzying spectacle that leaves viewers, as well as the secret service agents, amazed.
It's been some time since the battle on Liberty Island and the conclusion of the first film. Magneto (Ian McKellen) is now enclosed in a completely metal-free environment. Wolverine (Jackman) is exploring an old school site for Professor X (Stewart). Jean Grey and Storm (Jannsen and Berry) are back to teaching at the school for the gifted. And Rogue (Paquin) is trying to figure out how to kiss her new boyfriend without sucking the life out of him.........literally. Enter Colonel Stryker (Brian Cox). He has a long time knowledge of the mutants and wants the president's approval to infiltrate Professor X's school and try to track down all of the mutants in the world. But Stryker's request is just a smokescreen for his true agenda, and in order to stop him, the X-men must put away their petty quarrels and jealousies and band together.
It's incredible how good the recent batch of comic based films has become. Where years ago you had the occasional "Superman the Movie" or "Batman," you also had a better chance of ending up with "Captain America" or "He-Man." The original "X-Men" started it all two years ago and last summer's "Spider-Man" certainly raised the bar. Hopefully next month's "The HULK" will continue the tradition. Working with a bigger budget and a cast much more familiar with their characters, director Singer manages to keep us entertained from start to finish. Not only is the action top notch, but a pair of romantic triangles brings out more emotion then was found in the first film.
It's odd to think that two of England's most prestigiously trained actors, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, will most always be remembered for their fantasy film characters (Stewart as Professor X and Star Trek's Captain Jean Luc Picard, McKellen as Magneto and the Lord of the Ring's great Wizard Gandalf), much in the same way that the late Sir Alec Guiness was always linked to Star Wars and Obi Wan Kenobi. However, while Guiness absolutely detested the fact that he would be remembered for the Star Wars films, both Stewart and McKellen seem to enjoy the knowledge that their film legacy will be characters loved the world over. Actor Dougray Scott was originally slated to play Wolverine, but a lengthy shooting schedule on "Mission Impossible 2" gave the adamantium claws to Hugh Jackman and I must say that I can't see anyone but Jackman playing the role. He brings real emotional baggage to a role that could so easily be played over the top. And it's nice to see that as the only mutant with an Oscar, Berry's character, Storm, is a main cog in the machinery.
With many fringe mutants making cameo appearances, the film is bound to be a treat for readers of the comics.
On a scale of zero to four stars, I give "X2: X-men United"
X-2: X-Men United Add'l commentary by Nolan Canova Mike has done an excellent job summarizing the movie and all the reasons it deserves 3 and a half stars, nearly our highest rating. This movie deserves it because it is one of the finest examples of a comics-to-movies adaptation ever made. I just have a few additional comments.
First of all, for those looking forward to the Incredible HULK movie Mike mentioned, there is an extended trailer before "X-Men" that predicts this to be another major movie event. Any fears I had of the CGI Hulk looking too claymation-like or something have vanished. "The HULK" is going to kick serious summer blockbuster ass. Predictably there was also a trailer for "Matrix: Reloaded" and that begins next week, I think.
Now back to the X-Men. I agree with everything Mike said and if there is fault with any of it it is that sometimes it feels as if too much is going on! There are so many good characters, they can't possibly all get a lot of screen time--but some are tragically glanced over. The most glaring is that Colossus as basically a baby-sitter (the fact that it was Colossus nearly escaped me because his cameo is so brief). Terence told me later that in the "escape scene" someone called out "Jubilee!" that a small black child seemed to answer to--I didn't even remember seeing that. There were others like that.
But, in the face of such sheer power it's hard to be mad at them! Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, and Brian Cox are powerhouses of the film industry and their screen presences provide surprisingly good chemistry and balance. I credit director Bryan Singer with keeping control of all that as well as the incredible special effects.
I must take a moment to commend a real stand-out performance and this must not be overlooked. The actor playing Night Crawler (the teleporting BAMFing guy Mike talked about), Alan Cumming, brings real sympathy and vulnerability to the role. Even under all that make-up, his sensitivity to the world and his religious beliefs are truly moving.
Thanks to the success of X-Men 1 & 2 and Spider-Man, comics adaptations are taken very seriously now.....finally. (I was disappointed in "Daredevil"---I can't imagine there'll be a sequel, but you never know.) Congratulations to the cast and crew of "X-2: X-Men United" for a job well done!
I'll probably see you all at "Matrix: Reloaded" (arguably a comics-based movie and an overrated one at that). Then, on to THE HULK! And it better be good, or else.....NOLAN SMASH!!
This week's movie review of "X-2: X-Men United" is ©2003 by Michael A. Smith. The additional commentary is ©2003; by Nolan Canova All graphics this page are creations of Nolan B. Canova, ©2003, all rights reserved. All contents of "Nolan's Pop Culture Review" are ©2003 by Nolan B. Canova.
