Movie- X-Men

#2 Jewish SciFi
Came out in 2000
Running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes
Rated PG-13
Available on VHS and DVD
Directed by Bryan Singer
Story by Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer
Screenplay by David Hayter
Main Stars: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry


What's it all about:
The film is an adaptation of the X-Men comic book series. The story depicts a time and place, similar to our own, when some humans were born with special traits that made them a kind of human
mutant. One such mutant, Prof. Xavier developed a special school in which mutants could develop their special traits and eventually help man. Prof. Xavier's colleague, Magnito, took a different course. Magnito is a Holocaust survivor and did not like the talk among politicians to isolate and separate mutants from the rest of man. He did not think man would ever accept mutants and decided to come up with a plan to even the score.

Why I Recommend It:
1 - The story. Singer, DeSanto, and Hayter are able to transform elements of the comic book series onto the screen and make an interesting, entertaining, and action packed film.
2- The characters. Singer, DeSanto, and Hayter turn comic book characters into three-dimensional complex individuals that come alive through well acted performances of the various actors and actresses. In particular, the characters of Prof. Xavier and Magnito stand out among the mutants.
Their dynamic interactions as well as different political views push the film forward and make viewers think about their situation.

Distinguishing Jewish Appeal:
1 - The parallel story of the potential government law to separate and isolate mutants from the rest of man with what happened in the Holocaust, when the Germans separated the Jews from the rest of man.
2 - The Holocaust connection is emphasized through the character of Magnito, who is a Holocaust survivor.

Of Note:
1- There are going to be two sequels that are coming out to the film. The first sequel will be released into theaters in May of 2003.
2 - Halle Berry became the first black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress at the 2002 Academy Awards.
3 - Anna Paquin is the youngest actress to win an acting Ocsar. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Piano.
4 - Famke Jensen is a bond girl. She was in Goldeneye.
5 - Ray Park, who played Toad, also played Darth Maul in Star Wars The Phantom Menace.
6 - Patrick Stewart is known best for his role on Star Trek as Captain Jean Luc Picard.
7 - Ian McKellan was nominated for an Oscar for his acting work in Gods and Monsters. He can currently be seen in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
8 - Bruce Davidson has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows. In particular, he starred in the adaptation of "The Wave" another Holocaust themed film.
9 - Stan Lee, the creator of X-Men, makes a cameo in the film as a hot dog vendor on the beach.
10 - On the DVD, if you place the cursor on the rose in the main menu, you can see a deleted scene where Spiderman makes an appearance on the set.

Added: December 22nd 2003
Reviewer: Sandy Chertok
Score:
Related Link: Buy it
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Language: english