X-Men

As overwrought, over-buzzed, F/X-driven, pure-popcorn summer escapist flicks go, X-Men delivers the goods better than most. You want supernatural baddies bent on world domination? You got it. Explosions? Check. Super-charged, fly-wire kung-fu fights? They're in ample supply. Highfalutin credibility-lending Shakespearean actors hired to chew scenery? Two! Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart. Visual effects that wow the audience more with their obvious expense than the impression they leave on the retinas? And how! Plot, you ask? Dialogue? As simplistic as possible, please, and only when absolutely necessary. But director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil) focuses part-time on the protective relationship between blade-knuckled rebel hero Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and tactilely toxic, teenage tenderfoot heroine Rogue (Anna Paquin), lending a modicum of depth to what is otherwise a pretty standard post-MTV superhero pic. (R. Blackwelder) X-Men 1.5 DVD Review [Note: DVD extras in this double disc upgrade version include: Disc one-- audio commentary by director Bryan Singer and Brian Peck, an enhanced viewing mode option that provides access to six deleted scenes, and 17 behind-the-scenes segments during the film. Disc two: a welcome introduction from Singer on the set of X-Men 2, an “Evolution X” interactive documentary that includes branching pop-up icons that take viewers to additional material, including the impressive 63-minute production documentary scrapbook, two multi-angle function scenes, a 20-second “Prime Minister of Canada” segment, the 24-minute “The Uncanny Suspects” (on characters, readings and screen tests for costar Hugh Jackman), a character art gallery,  an eight-minute sneak preview of X-Men 2, a 23-minute “X-Factor” featurette (on production design, costume and makeup tests), a four-section stills image gallery, a 17-minute featurette on special effects, brief multi-angle effects breakdowns for five scenes with options of animatic film or composite angle viewing, an eight-minute “Reflections of the X-Men” on the set of X-Men 2, the Ellis Island premiere (4 min.) and a featurette combining several world premieres (19 min.), trailers, TV spots and Internet interstitials. Bottom line: featuring scads more material than was available on the original X-Men DVD release (though not unfortunately, the Charlie Rose interview with Singer, this is sure to be popular as fans gear up for the sequel.]