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X-Men 1.5

Movies that are derived from a past source or work tend to dwindle in terms of faithfulness. Characters can be sacrificed for the greater good of special effects and running time, while plot can be augmented, changed, even rearranged or rewritten in order to compensate for bigger box office totals. If you don't trust me enough to take my word for it, just rent a copy of last summer's "The Haunting." ***

Thankfully, Bryan Singer's "X-Men" doesn't lower itself to such attention-grabbing trickery. In fact, I'm pleased to report that the movie version of the long-beloved comic series is everything one could ask for in a film adaptation, possessing a well-rendered integration of grandiose special effects, intricate character development, and a story that doesn't cheat fans and devotees out of the ideals and morals they have come to associate the comic with. ***

Singer's story is one of quasi-racial fervor, taking place in an America in which mutants, beings who possess strange, inexplicable abilities, are discriminated against by certain circles, including the United States government. One such mutant, Magneto (Ian McKellan), harvests a hatred for such people that is a result of events from his past experiences in Poland during World War II; his life now revolves around a never-ending quest to put an end to this discrimination, even if it means the use of amoral tactics. ***

In opposition of this is Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), whose school for mutants welcomes children and young adults with extraordinary abilities in an attempt to help them master their powers under the guise of regular education. It is here that we meet many of the old-school characters from the comic: Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who possesses telekinetic and telepathic abilities; Scott Summmers (James Marsden), a.k.a. Cyclops, whose explosive eyes must be controlled with special visors and glasses; and Ororo Munroe (Halle Berry), a.k.a. Storm, named for her ability to control the weather and its elements. ***

First of all, I must commend the film for its authentic portrayal of these characters. Not only does the entire cast fit the roles perfectly in looks, but they inject a candor and demeanor befitting of the X-Men that, until now, could only be found within the pages of the comic itself. Stewart, especially, is able to master the calm yet futile emotions of the psychic Xavier, while McKellan's portrayal of the vengeful Magneto is disarmingly potent. The film even devotes attention to Magneto's cohorts, Sabertooth, Toad, and Mystique, who, through exquisite special effects, can be seen changing form. ***

The basis for the forthcoming action centers around new arrivals Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Rogue (Anna Paquin), saved from the clutches of Magneto's thugs. Wolverine, it is learned, possesses the ability to heal rapidly from wounds; the metal knives that eject from his knuckles are the result of human experimentation, an event that left him without memory of his life beforehand. Rogue, on the other hand, is a much more delicate case: she drains the life force from those who touch her skin, and her emotions are equally fragile. Xavier worries that his nemisis wants Wolverine to play a part in a sinister plan to revert the human concensus of mutants, but Magneto has other plans. ***

All of this culminates in a breathless series of action sequences and special effects that are astounding in their reflection of the various battles and fights that adorned the pages of many an issue of the comic. The visuals work well with the live-action footage, and never once do they give off the impression of overpowering the story. Most importantly, they capture the essence of the good-versus-evil message incorporated into the source material flawlessly and with great care. ***

The best part about Singer's film is that it leaves the canvas wide open for a sequel. Behind the story at hand, there is Wolverine's quest for answers from his past, and an underlying love interest between he and Rogue that will have fans screaming, "When does Gambit come into play?" I'm happy to say that this is one film that welcomes a second chapter, and even if we don't receive one, "X-Men" packs a hefty, character-driven punch that does justice to its source better than any film of its kind. Look at the film, look back at the memories of the original comic, and enjoy the ride all over again.

The transfer for this new edition of "X-Men" is no different than the previous single-disc version released in 2000. The good news here is that the previous image was splendid in all respects. The bad news... are you kidding? Everything about the picture is just great: colors are once again very vivid and lifelike, well-saturated for an absolutely stunning effect, with no bleeding or noise. There are some noticeable edge enhancement artifacts present, but nothing that hinders the spectacular small object detail and brilliant clarity. Contrast remains some of the best I've seen on a DVD presentation to date, with strikingly solid blacks and excellent light-to-dark transitions. There's no real difference between the two editions of the film on DVD, but hey, why question perfection? ***

The sound, once again, remains the same in almost every respect, save for the inclusion of a DTS 5.1 track that has the upper hand in terms of expansiveness and utilization of the lower end. The Dolby track, however, works just fine, and both options make for a very impressive sound experience. The surrounds are used explicitly throughout, especially during the more intense action sequences, and also for Michael Kamen's score, which achieves a terrific ambiance throughout. The mixers obviously had a lot of fun playing with the available options of tickling our sense of hearing: you'll know what I'm talking about when you hear the voice of Patrick Stewart's Professor X coming at you from all directions in the soundfield. Dialogue sounds excellent, even when coming from different channels other than the center. And deep bass, for those who love to watch their pets bounce off the furniture, is deep, powerful, and sure to please.

Now this is what I call a special edition, even if there are a few things missing in the mix. The somewhat befuddling thing about this new release of "X-Men" on special edition DVD is its title: "X-Men 1.5." Rumor has it that there were plans to include some deleted scenes that were shot during the making of the sequel due out in summer 2003, but alas, all that has been included in terms of additional scenes are those that garnished the previous release. So, while the title may not exactly reflect the movie itself, the rest of the DVD is very impressive. ***

In addition to the commentary, Disc One also offers an Enhanced Viewing Mode, which gives the viewer the opportunity to access no less than 17 vignettes during the movie. These cover a wide variety of elements involved in the production, though I must say that the more interesting tidbits come with the featurettes on Disc Two. Still, it's an admirable effort. Less involving, however, is the fact that by choosing the option, you're forced to sit through the ten minutes of deleted scenes that have been grafted to the film. There is noticeable difference in the quality of these scenes and those in the final cut, bu

Disc Two kicks off with a series of newly-produced featurettes, available for playback as one continuous feature, or in segments on the menu. Each of these featurettes comes with the capability to transport to different sections of the special material directly related to that featurette; or, you can just watch everything by itself. One of the more interesting segments is the production diary feature, running nearly 60 minutes, and featuring home-video footage of the entire production team during their various meetings to discuss the most minor nuances of the creation of "X-Men." It's surprisingly exactly how much thought and pondering went into the smallest of objects, such as Magneto's helmet. This segment branches off to the two multi-angle sequences, and a short piece on the prime minister of Canada visiting the set during production. ***

The standard pieces begin with "The Uncanny Suspects," composed of interviews with the major cast members as well as Singer, producer Lauren Shuler Donner, and others. This is basically the point at which everyone talks about how they approached their characters, what the underlying conflicts of the film were, and how things played out on and off the set. I especially found it particularly fascinating that much of the cast was not familiar with the comic until their participation in the film; with the overall excellence of the final product, you'd think they were bona fide X-Men thesps. From here, you can branch off to a Hugh Jackman screen test (carried over from the previous DVD), and a gallery of stills for the various characters. ***

Up next is "X-Factor: The Look of X-Men," in which makeup artist Gordon Smith takes us into the creations of the looks for Wolverine, Sabertooth, Mystique, and Toad. Be sure to stick around for the portion devoted to Mystique, for which actress Rebecca Romijn-Stamos had to sit through eight to nine hours of prosthetic applications. This branches off to costume tests, a Toad makeup test, and another image gallery. Following this is "The Visual Effects of X-Men," which details the many effects sequences and visual ooh-aahs through interviews with the filmmakers and behind-the-scenes photos, animatics, and footage. Here you can access more multi-angle animatics-to-final shot comparisons and breakdowns. ***

Closing out the featurettes is "Reflections of the X-Men," in which the cast and crew look back on the success of the movie, which was a surprise, considering that because of rushed scheduling, the film was never screened before being completed. This branches off into two segments of footage from the premieres of the film. Then there is a marketing gallery with 3 theatrical trailers, 9 TV spots, and 12 web interstitials, one for each character.