"Some of us don't heal as quickly as you do, Wolverine," says Cyclops (James Marsden), a nod toward Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) ability to heal almost instantaneously. "You of all people know how fast the weather can change," says Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) to – guess who - Storm Ororo (Halle Berry), a mutant who can manipulate the weather.
But the X-Men blockbuster franchise was admittedly rough from the start. The first film introduced non-Marvel comic fans to a world of “good” mutants, standing between hostile mankind and “evil” mutants, a decision that weighed down an already lifeless plot. Wolverine was the film's saving grace; a criminal who volunteers to be injected with adamantium, a special liquid steel substance which 1) allows him to heal quickly and 2) somehow gives him the ability to grow claws from his knuckles. The second film, X-Men United, a leaner, more engaging film by far, offered nuanced and complex performances by a stellar cast, most notably by Ian McKellen and Stewart. X-Men United was less about mutant abilities than it was about laying bare humanity’s inability to accept, celebrate and value difference, writ large. Story of our lives.
right Good vs. Evil?
Hollywood often pisses special effects in order to distract moviegoers when there are large plot holes. Not so here. The filmmakers’ refusal to kowtow to the good/evil binary is also commendable. For a culture that needs to distinguish its heroes from its villains, a film that doesn’t pander to this dynamic is refreshing. Normally we get Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc., films that eagerly play to the gallery. Who, indeed, are the villains in X-Men? Depends on who is looking. For example, Magneto (McKellen) seeks to destroy humanity because the relationship is crystal clear: humans fear/hate/try to subjugate or obliterate mutants. If I were a mutant, I'd be pretty pissed. Maybe I am. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Stories about Us
The X-Men, probably the most complex (and financially successful) creation of all Marvel Comics, captures our attention because we can relate to the character's struggles, and most likely because a large number of the comic’s readers – teenagers – definitely feel, and are made to feel like outsiders. Storm's emotions are tied to her powers, and, in a blink, a sunny day can transform into a deadly gale.
Rogue (Anna Paquin), has the ability to absorb things from people on skin on skin contact - memories, skills, abilities, and superpowers from anyone she touches. She’s a teen who fears touching her boyfriend. Dr. Hank McCoy a.k.a. the Beast (Kelsey Grammar) is a diplomat, seeking to unite humans and mutants in peace and harmony where fear and discord remain constant.
Mutants R Us or Mutants as a Raced People
Who are the mutants in our society? That's easy enough: people of color, non-heterosexual folks, immigrants, etc. Simply put: anyone or group of people who have been traditionally used as a barometer to gauge difference in America. But even in the world of X-Men, people of color comprise what would be thought of as "the others of the others."
Critic Larry D. Lyons II accurately points out that Magneto's Brotherhood of mutants (a.k.a. the bad mutants) is more ethnically diverse than the X-Men. The Brotherhood includes and showcases two Dominican actresses who play black women: Dania Ramiraz "Calisto" and Omahyra Mota "Arclight," a German "Juggernaut," and an Asian shape-shifter. Storm is the lone sister waving the diversity flag in the core group of X-Men. A tangential character, Angel (Ben Foster), appears to be of the homo variety, as evidenced by all the gay facial expressions he offers.
Whiteness as a Cure
Even the "cure" for mutants touted in the film is cause for suspect and provokes thought. It’s not a drug or a rehabilitation program. It’s a little blue-eyed white boy named Leech (Cameron Bright). It's not a stretch to imagine that Leech is the modality through which normality can be achieved - whiteness. Guess what his superpower is: stripping away the mutant gene. He's like a colonizer armed with a hot comb and English dictionary - poof goes difference = diversity = you and me, that is, if you are not a white, heterosexual man.
Phoenix Rising
The most provocative story, for me, at least, was the saga of the Phoenix. Quick back-story. Jean Grey was a telepath with telekinetic abilities who sacrifices her life to save the X-Men. As a child, Professor Xavier set-up psychic barriers in her mind to keep Jean’s considerable and potentially destructive powers under control. After she “dies,” she reappears, years later. After she is discovered, it is clear that she is no longer the Jean Grey of old; she’s evolved into the Phoenix, an energy seeking only to consume.
The film could have done more with this character but decided instead to feature more mutants which ate up more screen time. An entire movie could have been dedicated to the Phoenix saga. If you’re a fan of the X-Men comic, I’m sure you’ll agree. Still Janssen’s performance was laudable.
Magnetic Magneto
In all three films, Ian McKellen delivers. Besides the Patrick Stewart, McKellen uses his screen time nicely, bouncing effortlessly from charismatic foil to deadly assassin. While Jackman and Berry both handle their roles ably, the filmmakers don’t give them much to do but furrow their eyebrows and growl. Grammar’s performance is competent, but again, so little screen time due to the legions of mutants we must all meet and love or hate.
I was pretty pleased to see one character die early in the film because he was a boring block of ice throughout the entire trilogy. May he never rejoin the living.
X-Men 3: The Last Stand offers both surprises and copouts. I won’t reveal them here because you may want to check it out. Overall the film is a hybrid of the first two installments. I’ll most definitely see it again, if only to see the Phoenix fire me up.
Read more vibe.com reviews.
del.icio.us
digg
Furl
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Comments
1.
zainab says:
i like sex and my partiner have no access to do my best
March 18, 2007 at 9:09 am