X-Men is a 2000 superhero film, based upon
the fictional characters the X-Men. It formed a major
part of the current revival in comic-book adaptation movies. The film is about mutants who are the next evolutionary step in the chain
of humanity, with special powers that manifest at puberty. These mutants are almost universally feared and loathed by the rest of
humanity.
Professor Charles Xavier (the world's most powerful telepath) takes gifted individuals and teaches them to control their powers for the good of mankind in
Xavier's Academy for Gifted Youngsters, his school for gifted youngsters. Opposition to them
includes United States Senator Robert
Kelly (Bruce Davison), a McCarthyesque
politician trying to pass legislation crafted to expose the dangers of mutants and Erik
Lehnsherr (also known as Magneto), a mutant who blames humanity for the death of his family during the Holocaust. Believing that humans and mutants can never co-exist peacefully, he builds and tests
a machine that develops humans into mutants.
The movie was directed by Bryan Singer and explores the ideas of prejudice and
discrimination in the United States. The screenplay
was written by David Hayter (who has a cameo appearance in the film as a police officer in
the Statue of Liberty area). A sequel, X2, was released in 2003 and a third film, X-Men: The Last Stand, was released in
2006. The film franchise also brought up interest in a solo Wolverine movie and a Magneto-centered film.
Plot
In a German Concentration camp in occupied Poland during 1944, a young Magneto is separated from his parents as they are
herded into the camp. In a moment of panic and horror, the boy reaches out and begins to bend the metal gates of the camp with
the power of magnetism before being knocked unconscious. Many years later, in Meridian, Mississippi, a young girl named Marie
kisses a boy and sends him into a coma. In Congress, Senator Robert Kelly
attempts to pass a "Mutant Registration Act", which would force mutants to
publicly reveal their identities and abilities. Dr. Jean Grey speaks against the act, but is
balked by Kelly. Magneto begins his plans to level the playing field between mutants and humans. Marie, now calling herself
Rogue, is on the run from her home and heads to a small town in Canada, where she meets a
cage fighter calling himself Wolverine. As the two head off down the road, they are
attacked by a mutant called Sabertooth, an associate of Magneto. Cyclops and Storm arrive and save Wolverine and Rogue.
When Wolverine regains consciousness, Professor Xavier explains that Cyclops and Storm are
part of a group of mutants who are trying to seek peace with the human race, educate young mutants in the responsible use of
their powers, and stop Magneto from starting a war with humanity. Professor X promises to help Wolverine discover his lost past,
as well as determine why Magneto is after him. Rogue, in the meantime, has begun to make friends at school and a boy named
Bobby shows a romantic interest in her.
Meanwhile, Senator Kelly is abducted by Mystique and Toad, and brought to Magneto, who tests a machine on Kelly that artificially induces mutation. Kelly,
thanks to his new abilities, manages to escape imprisonment, and he eventually washes up on a beach. After an accident causes her
to use her powers on Wolverine, Rogue is convinced by Mystique (disguised as Bobby) that Xavier is angry with her and that she
should leave the school. Professor Xavier, using his mutant locating device called Cerebro,
locates her at a train station and sends Cyclops and Storm after her. Mystique, still disguised as Bobby, infiltrates Cerebro and
sabotages the machine. Wolverine arrives at the station ahead of the other two and convinces Rogue to stay with Professor Xavier.
While Sabertooth and Toad attack Cyclops and Storm inside the train station, Magneto reveals who he was truly after by kidnapping
Rogue. Xavier confronts Magneto during his escape, but allows him to leave after Magneto threatens to kill the police that have
surrounded the building with their own guns. Senator Kelly arrives at the school, in a rapidly deteriorating condition--his body
is rejecting the forced mutation and now disintegrating at the cellular level. Professor Xavier reads his mind and learns of
Magneto's mutation machine, which draws power from Magneto himself, severely weakening him in the process. Xavier realizes that
Magneto plans to use Rogue's ability to absorb other mutant's abilities on himself, this way Rogue can power his machine. Kelly's
body is rejecting the mutation and he soon dies. Knowing he must prevent this from happening to anyone else, Xavier attempts to
use Cerebro to locate Rogue. Mystique's sabotage causes Professor X to fall into a coma. Jean fixes Cerebro and then uses it
herself. She discovers that the machine is on Liberty Island, leading the X-Men to the
conclusion that Magneto intends to mutate the world leaders who are meeting for a summit on nearby Ellis Island.
The X-Men arrive to stop Magneto as he sets up his machine atop the torch of the Statue of
Liberty. They are immediately confronted by Mystique and Toad. Mystique and Wolverine become separated from the others, as
Toad takes on Storm, Cyclops and Jean. In the end, Mystique attempts to ambush Wolverine by disguising herself as Storm, but
Wolverine recognizes her scent and stabs her. Storm eventually overcomes Toad and electrocutes him with a bolt of lightning. Just
as the group arrives at the top of the statue, Magneto and Sabertooth incapacitate the group and continue with their plans.
Magneto transfers his powers to Rogue who is forced to use them to start the machine. Wolverine breaks free and initiates a fight
with Sabertooth. Wolverine is thrown over the side of the statue and Sabertooth redirects himself to the group to finish them
off. Wolverine returns, and Cyclops, with Jean's help, blasts Sabertooth out of the statue. With Jean stabilizing him, Storm uses
her abilities to send Wolverine to the top of Magneto's machine. With time running out, Wolverine attempts to stop the machine
and save Rogue, but Magneto, now having regained some of his strength, halts Wolverine's claws. Cyclops manages to find a clean
shot, wounding Magneto and allowing Wolverine to destroy the machine. Placing her hand to his face, Wolverine succeeds in
transferring his regenerative abilities to a dying Rogue. Professor Xavier recovers from his coma, and the group learns that
Mystique is still alive when they see her impersonating Senator Kelly on a news broadcast. Xavier visits Magneto in his plastic
prison cell, and the two play chess. Magneto warns his friend that he will continue his fight, to which Xavier promises to always
be there to stop him. Xavier checkmates Magneto and leaves.
Cast
- Hugh Jackman as Logan /
Wolverine: A tough, rugged, belligerent loner who makes a living in cage fights. He has lived for fifteen years
without memory of who he is, apart from his dog tags marked "Wolverine" and an adamantium skeleton. He has the ability to heal
from numerous injuries, including the surgery that bonded the metal to his skeleton, which makes his age impossible to
determine.
- Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles
Xavier: Founder of the X-Men and the Xavier School for
Gifted Youngsters, Xavier hopes for peaceful coexistence between mutantkind and mankind and is regarded as an authority on
genetic mutation. Although he is restricted to a wheelchair, he is a powerful mutant with vast telepathic abilities. Along with
Magneto, he is the inventor of the Cerebro
supercomputer, which further amplifies his abilities.
- Anna Paquin as Marie D'Ancanto /
Rogue: A seventeen-year-old girl, forced to leave her family in Mississippi after
putting her boyfriend in a coma by kissing him. If she touches anyone, she absorbs their strength,
memories and abilities, potentially killing them. During her travels, she meets Wolverine, who becomes fatherly to her.
- Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr /
Magneto: A Holocaust survivor, he and Xavier were allies once — he even helped
build Cerebro — however, his belief that humans and mutants could never co-exist lead to their separation. He has powerful
magnetic abilities and a sophisticated knowledge in matters of genetic manipulation, which he uses to plan a mutation of the
world leaders, allowing mutant prosperity.
- Bruce Davison as Senator
Kelly: An anti-mutant politician who supports a Mutant Registration Act, and wishes to bar mutant children from
schools. He is kidnapped by Magneto in a test of his mutation machine, which causes his body to turn into a liquid-like
substance.
- James Marsden as Scott Summers /
Cyclops: He rescues Wolverine and Rogue from a truck explosion, taking them to safety to the X-Mansion where they live. He is the second
leader of the X-Men behind Xavier, and is the team's field leader when they are out on missions as well as an instructor at the
Institute. He is in love with Jean Grey and has a relationship with her. He produces a strong red beam of force from his eyes,
which is only held in check by specialized ruby-quartz goggles.
- Famke Janssen as Dr. Jean Grey: In a
relationship with Cyclops and works as the doctor of X-Mansion. She has powers of
telekinesis and limited telepathy.
- Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe /
Storm: She works as a teacher at the X-Mansion, and has the ability to manipulate the weather. Ororo has become bitter
with other people's despise for mutants, and while comforting a dying Senator
Kelly says that she sometimes hates humans.
- Rebecca Romijn as Mystique:
Magneto's loyal second-in-command, she is an agile fighter and expert with technology. She is a shapeshifter, with a default form
of blue, scaly skin.
- Ray Park as Toad: A very agile
fighter, with a menacing streak and a long, prehensile tongue.
- Tyler Mane as Sabretooth: A
ferious, feline-like fighter who attacks Wolverine and Rogue in Canada before being stopped by Storm and
Cyclops. He is a brutal and sadistic henchman of Magneto, and wields claws extending
past each finger.
- Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake /
Iceman: A student at Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, who takes a liking to Rogue. He can change temperatures to
subzero degrees and use the moisture in the air to create ice.
Development
Carolco Pictures purchased the film rights from Marvel Comics in the late 1980s with Academy Award winning filmmaker James Cameron in line to
produce. Cameron's production company Lightstorm
Entertainment was to help finance the film alongside Carolco Pictures, who was
also to distribute. Acclaimed X-Men comic book
writer Chris Claremont was involved in meetings with Stan Lee, James Cameron,
and various executives from Carolco about the project.[1]
James Cameron jumped ship from the project to work on Spider-Man and Carolco Pictures went bankrupt. The rights to the film property then reverted back to Marvel. Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad put together X-Men: The Animated Series on Fox Kids, which created a
phenomenal success. 20th Century Fox looked at the success of their Saturday Morning Cartoon and decided to purchase the film rights. They were joined alongside with
Lauren Shuler Donner.[1]
Andrew Kevin Walker was hired to write the script sometime in 1994.[2] Walker's draft included
Professor Xavier hiring Wolverine into
the X-Men, which consists of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast and
Angel. The Brotherhood of
Mutants, consisting of Magneto, Sabretooth, Toad and the Blob, try to conquer New York City, while Henry Peter Gyrich and Bolivar Trask attack the X-Men with
three eight-feet tall Sentinels. The script focused on Wolverine and Cyclops' rivalry,
as well as Cyclops' self-doubt as field leader, and Magneto's backstory was that he caused the Chernobyl disaster. The script also featured the X-Copter and the Danger Room, this being Walker's second draft turned in on June of
1994.[3]
Two time Academy Award nominee John Logan was hired
to replace Andrew Kevin Walker on the script, though
it isn't known whether he rewrote the script, or simply started from scratch.[4] According to Tom
DeSanto, a director was attached to the John Logan script, though it isn’t said whom.[1] Robert Rodriguez claims that he
turned down the chance to direct.[5]
Impressed with the way Bryan Singer handled the characters in The Usual Suspects, the producers felt he was perfect to direct. Singer, was looking to do a
science fiction film, though turned down the opportunity of an X-Men motion picture at first. His reactions to comic books were that they
were low-level literature. DeSanto brought Singer in a meeting with producers Lauren
Shuler Donner, Avi Arad, and Stan Lee. After watching
all the episodes from the X-Men animated series on tape, as well as reading
many comics, Singer took back his words and signed on.[1]
In 1996, Michael Chabon was approached by a
20th Century Fox exec who wanted to know if Chabon would be interested in trying his
hand at the script. Chabon's six-page proposal was summarily rejected due to creative differences
with the filmmakers. Chabon was to focus heavily on character development, particularly of Wolverine and Jubilee. It was to also include
Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Beast, Iceman, and Storm. The villains wouldn't have been introduced until the second film.[6]
Ed Solomon was hired to write a different script while Singer was busy filming Apt
Pupil.[7] Joss Whedon was brought to rewrite the Statue of Liberty climax,
but he disliked the script, thus he completely started from scratch. Whedon claims his changes were ignored because his
"quick-witted pop culture-referencing tone" didn't please Singer's serious vision for the film,[4] and only two dialog exchanges from his draft were featured in the final
cut.[8]
Singer and DeSanto brought in Christopher McQuarrie from The Usual Suspects and together revised Solomon's script.[9] David Hayter then rewrote the final
shooting script, cutting out Beast, and the Danger
Room. 20th Century Fox cut the budget forcing these changes as well as even more
special effects sequences.[1] The final writing
credits include the story by Bryan Singer and Tom
DeSanto with the screenplay by David Hayter. Walker, Logan, Solomon, and Whedon all
remain uncredited.
Casting
Patrick Stewart was always the chosen choice for the role of Professor Charles Xavier, as well as dating back as the primary fan favorite since his days in
Star Trek: The Next Generation. For the role of Wolverine: Russell Crowe, Mel
Gibson, Gary Sinise, Harvey Keitel,
Robert De Niro, Glen Danzig, Edward Norton and Jean-Claude Van Damme were all reported
to be under consideration.[7] In March
1999, Keanu Reeves, who’s a lifelong comic book fan, offered his services to portray
Wolverine.[10]
Crowe, Norton,[11] and Gibson were all reported to have
turned down the role. Danzig did confirm that he turned down the role due to commitments with his band and the upcoming tour in
Europe. Other reasons included commitments for sequels and a future Wolverine spin-off, which Danzig found impossible to do.[12] Eventually, in May of 1999, Dougray Scott was cast as Wolverine.[13] However, barely at the start of filming Scott backed out due to scheduling
conflicts with Mission: Impossible 2. Just days later, unknown
Australian actor Hugh Jackman was cast.[12] The casting of Jackman created a full-blown internet
backlash, claiming the actor to be too tall. When the film was released many fans took back their words as Jackman surprised
mostly everyone. In order to gain the muscular physique for the role, Jackman worked out non stop, as he was cast while the film
was literally filming. In some scenes, you can notice his muscular tone is relatively bigger than other scenes.[14]
Aint It Cool News was the first to report that Ian McKellen was in contention to
portray Magneto, alongside Terrence Stamp who
was reported to be another contender.[15] In
April of 1999, Tyler Mane was
cast as Sabretooth. That same month, Keanu
Reeves claimed that he has met with Bryan Singer on discussing any role in the
movie. In the same interview, Reeves admits that he himself may not be right for the movie and other actors would work out
better.[13] Filming was delayed, but Fox decided
to push the release date forward to July 2000.[16]
In May of 1999, both Ian
McKellen and Patrick Stewart were cast in their respective roles.[13] McKellen had previously worked with Singer on
Apt Pupil. For the role of Storm,
Angela Basset was a strong fan favorite, and according to Singer, had even expressed
interest.[7] For unknown reasons, Basset
couldn't be involved in the film and Halle Berry was eventually cast in June of 1999.[13]
For the role of Cyclops: Edward Norton,
Vince Vaughn,[15] Loren Dean,[13] James Caviezel, Luke Wilson, Ed Burns, Johnny Lee
Miller, Thomas Jane, Jude Law, Paul Rudd, and Jason Lee[17] were all reported to be under consideration. It must be noted that
Keanu Reeves and Eric Mabius both expressed in any
role, with one of them most likely being Cyclops.[15] Caviezel was reported to have been going as far as to accepting the role,
though backing out weeks later.[17] Unknown actor
Sterling Wolfe told Harry Knowles of Aint It Cool News that he had read for the
role, but hasn't heard back for over a month. In September of 1999, Dark Horizons reported that James
Marsden had been cast as Cyclops.[13]
Julianne Moore,[15] Ashley Judd, Alicia
Witt, Charlize Theron, Selma Blair,
Minnie Driver, Jeri Ryan,[17] and Maria Bello were all reported
to be considered for the role of Jean Grey before Famke Janssen was cast in
August of 1999.[13]
Filming
Filming took place from September 22 1999 to
March 3 2000 in Toronto.[18] Wolverine's claws required a full silicone cast of Hugh
Jackman's arm, and 700 versions for Jackman and his stunt doubles.[19]
Music
Bryan Singer originally approached John Williams
to compose the score, but Williams was too busy composing for Saving Private
Ryan.[20]
Reactions and box office
The film went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2000, taking in more than $296 million worldwide and becoming the 8th
highest grossing film, domestically, of that year. MSN movies ranks X-Men as the greatest superhero movie to date.
References
- ^ a b c d e (2003). The
Secret Origin of X-Men (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ Steve Daly. "Deadly Done Right", Entertainment Weekly,
1995-09-29. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
- ^ Andrew Kevin Walker. "X-Men First Draft",
Simplyscripts, 1994-06-07. Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
- ^ a b Craig Seymour. "X-Man Out", Entertainment Weekly, 2000-05-10. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
- ^ "The Total
Film Interview-Robert Rodriguez", Total Film, 2003-10-01.
Retrieved on 2007-10-07.
- ^ Kim Voynar. "X-Men and Fantastic Four: What Would Chabon Have Written?", Cinematical, 2006-07-09.
Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
- ^ a b c "X-Men News Archive", Comics2Film. Retrieved on
2007-09-23.
- ^ Nazzaro, Joe (2002). Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Television. Titan Books. ISBN 1840233834.
- ^ Ed Solomon, Chris McQuarrie, Tom DeSanto, and Bryan Singer. "February 1999 X-Men script", Sci-Fi
Scripts, 1999-02-24. Retrieved on 2007-07-01.
- ^ Liane Bornin. "Comic Relief", Entertainment Weekly,
1999-03-25. Retrieved on 2007-09-23.
- ^ Jeff Jensen. "X-tra Effort", Entertainment Weekly,
1999-08-20. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ a b "X-Men News Archives (Page 6)", Comics2Film. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g "X-Men News Archives (Page 7)", Comics2Film.
Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ (2002). X-Men Commentary by Bryan
Singer (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
- ^ a b c d "X-Men News Archives (Page 9)", Comics2Film. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ Josh Walk. "Getting the 'Shaft'", Entertainment Weekly,
1999-08-19. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
- ^ a b c "X-Men News Archives (Page 8)", Comics2Film.
Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
- ^ Greg Dean Schmitz. Greg's Preview - X-Men.
Yahoo!. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.
- ^ Abel, Kris (2006-10-26). Making Wolverine's
Claws. CTV. Retrieved on 2006-10-26.
- ^ Bill Ramey. "Superman-on-Film", Batman-on-Film, 2006-02-12. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
