Good: It was an extremely fun movie to watch. There is some very well done characterization and group dynamics. The relationships, especially between Xavier and Magneto, are very interesting to watch. Hugh Jackman nails Wolverine better than I could ever have imagined. Wolverine is portrayed very well and has some great dialogue.
Bad: There were a couple of absolutely aweful lines (“Do you know what happens to a toad when it gets struck by lightning…”), Storm’s wig is just bad and the music score is very bland (but functional, I suppose). There was one scene that I thought was poorly edited and the plot was pretty much incidental. Also, the film seems to have been focused too much on setting up a sequel.
Overall: Given the problems with this movie’s production, this film is a true accomplishment. I don’t know much about the comic books, but it seems to really hold true to the main themes. Some liberties were taken with the characters, but it seemed fair. You’re bound to lose something in condensing something as big as the X-Men. The plot is incidental, but it takes a back seat to the characterization, which was the really story. Its a very fun movie that has more merit than you might think. Three Stars (***) – you can probably expect a full review coming @ Kaedrin soon…
