SEXUALITY, GENDER ISSUES, AND BODY FUNCTIONS: Nuclear family (unaware of their childrens talents or in denial of them). Contemporary gender roles. Mystique seems to be wearing a costume made of blue paint and a few scale it leaves little to the imagination. When Bobby reveals his mutation to his parents, it sounds a lot like a coming out of the closet scene. Mystique goes through the motions of seducing a security guard in order to take him into a bathroom stall, there drug him, and inject him in the buttocks with an iron supplement.
Fantasy Adventure - 2003, PG-13. (2 hr, 13 min) WARNING: This review reveals plot surprises. With feelings running high against mutant, things come to a head when the President is almost killed by one Night Crawler. This worries Professor Charles Xavier who runs a school for mutants. With the help of his friends weather controlling Storm, telekinetic Dr. Jean Gray, laser eyed Cyclops, along with young students fire-controlling Pyro, Iceman who can freeze anything, and powerful Rogue, he traces that mutant responsible for the attack. Storm and Gray befriend Night Crawler and bring him back to the school. Meanwhile, General William Stryker, with his assistant mutant assistant Deathstrike, convinces the President to allow him to raid the school. While most escape, some are captured and forced to reveal information along with the imprisoned Magnito who has reveal how to build the Cerebro machine which can detect and kill all the mutants in the world. Stryker builds his own Cerebro. When Xavier goes to meet with Magnito his is imprisoned by Stryker who has used drugs and his own mutant son to manipulate Maginto and Night Crawler. Magneto escapes and joins with Gray, Wolverine, Storm, and Night Crawler to foil Strykers plans. They attack his lair, rescue Xavier and the students, destroy the Cerebro before Magneto can destroy all the humans with it. Gray sacrifices her life so the others can escape while Pyro escapes with Magneto and Stryker is killed. SUBSTANCES: Wolverine smokes cigars several times. Pyro plays with a cigarette lighter. Wolverine asks for, and find, a beer. The President pours himself a drink in the Oval Office; someone hands him a drink before a news conference. Beers in a bar (one of them is drugged).
COMMENTS: The multiple characters with their individual and unique mutations speak to the panoply of sources of adolescent angst best summarized by outsider. When Bobby Drakes (AKA Ice Man) mother asks him, Have you tried not being a mutant? every teen can substitute some word for mutant and instantly identify with the situation. While there is little character development or even change (reflecting its comic book origins), the point of the film is the visual spectacle, and that is supplied generously. And unless you are familiar with the comic books, there may simply be too many heroes to keep track of (including cameos by Colossus, Jubilee, Kitty Pride, and others). Strykers speech to the President demanding a restrictive policy toward the mutants seems an echo of contemporary attitudes to many foreigners. Dazzling special effects and action set pieces are the highlight along with a pace that never flags and each location having a unique sense of place. A solid comic book entertainment featuring troubled characters who exhibit determination, loyalty, and intelligence and cause a lot of destruction. (Reviewed May 2003)
4 & Under No 10-12 Yes
5-7 No 13-15 Yes
8-9 With Guidance 15-17 Yes
VIOLENCE/SCARINESS: Lots of action shooting with a moderate body count but no blood or gore, and lots of fighting including martial arts wire fighting. Many characters are in serious peril. The mutants use various powers to attack and kill (mostly) soldiers attacking them: fire, knives, being thrown through the air, etc. Various Wolverines cuts, burns, and gunshots miraculously cure themselves. When Magneto extracts the iron from a security guard, there is a fine mist of blood surrounding him and later spots of blood.
CRIMES: Attempted Genocide (U), Jail Breaking (U), Breaking and Entry (U), False Imprisonment (U), Computer Hacking (U).
MORAL ISSUES & VALUES: At the center of the film is the idea that there are a large number of mutants among us normals. These are clearly a metaphor of the self-doubt both physical and psychological rampant among adolescents. Among the mutants are adults who both cause most of the trouble and are powerless to correct it, and the younger generation who help their elders fix the world. There are personal conflicts between the mutants; two men, for instance, compete for the affections of Jane Gray. Amnesiac Wolverine desperately seeks his roots only to find that he is not a mutant, but a project of a military experiment. One of the principle ethical conflicts, however, is between Magneto who believes that humans are the enemy and must be killed, and Professor X who believes that mutants can and should be integrated into society. Xaviers goal is to teach young mutants how to deal with their power both physically and psychologically, and to deal with the prejudice against them. Strykers hatred for mutants seems to stem from Xaviers inability to cure his son. Villain Magneto joins with Professor Xs ideals when the mutants are threatened, but once that threat is gone, he pursues his own agenda to kill all humans. Night Crawler is an ironic figure, highly religious yet he sports a devils tail. Diversity Issues: Central to the film. The varied mutants work together and are reviled by the normals. When asked why, if she has the power, Mystique doesnt look like a normal human being, she answers, Because I shouldnt have to. The leader of the mutants is wheel chair bound. Language: A few scatological and anatomical references, some sexual talk, a few mild profanities, one obscene gesture.
ALTERNATES: Another film about racial tolerance Enemy Mine. Similar ethical issues are dealt with in Gattaca.
Nudity
Sex
Physical Violence
Emotional Stress
Blood
Language/Profanity
Immorality
Parental Guidance
Watchability for Adults
STARRING: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davision, Anna Paquin, Kelly Hu, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Michael Reid Mackay.
Fantasy Adventure - 2003, PG-13. (2 hr, 13 min) WARNING: This review reveals plot surprises. With feelings running high against mutant, things come to a head when the President is almost killed by one Night Crawler. This worries Professor Charles Xavier who runs a school for mutants. With the help of his friends weather controlling Storm, telekinetic Dr. Jean Gray, laser eyed Cyclops, along with young students fire-controlling Pyro, Iceman who can freeze anything, and powerful Rogue, he traces that mutant responsible for the attack. Storm and Gray befriend Night Crawler and bring him back to the school. Meanwhile, General William Stryker, with his assistant mutant assistant Deathstrike, convinces the President to allow him to raid the school. While most escape, some are captured and forced to reveal information along with the imprisoned Magnito who has reveal how to build the Cerebro machine which can detect and kill all the mutants in the world. Stryker builds his own Cerebro. When Xavier goes to meet with Magnito his is imprisoned by Stryker who has used drugs and his own mutant son to manipulate Maginto and Night Crawler. Magneto escapes and joins with Gray, Wolverine, Storm, and Night Crawler to foil Strykers plans. They attack his lair, rescue Xavier and the students, destroy the Cerebro before Magneto can destroy all the humans with it. Gray sacrifices her life so the others can escape while Pyro escapes with Magneto and Stryker is killed. SUBSTANCES: Wolverine smokes cigars several times. Pyro plays with a cigarette lighter. Wolverine asks for, and find, a beer. The President pours himself a drink in the Oval Office; someone hands him a drink before a news conference. Beers in a bar (one of them is drugged).
COMMENTS: The multiple characters with their individual and unique mutations speak to the panoply of sources of adolescent angst best summarized by outsider. When Bobby Drakes (AKA Ice Man) mother asks him, Have you tried not being a mutant? every teen can substitute some word for mutant and instantly identify with the situation. While there is little character development or even change (reflecting its comic book origins), the point of the film is the visual spectacle, and that is supplied generously. And unless you are familiar with the comic books, there may simply be too many heroes to keep track of (including cameos by Colossus, Jubilee, Kitty Pride, and others). Strykers speech to the President demanding a restrictive policy toward the mutants seems an echo of contemporary attitudes to many foreigners. Dazzling special effects and action set pieces are the highlight along with a pace that never flags and each location having a unique sense of place. A solid comic book entertainment featuring troubled characters who exhibit determination, loyalty, and intelligence and cause a lot of destruction. (Reviewed May 2003)
4 & Under No 10-12 Yes
5-7 No 13-15 Yes
8-9 With Guidance 15-17 Yes
VIOLENCE/SCARINESS: Lots of action shooting with a moderate body count but no blood or gore, and lots of fighting including martial arts wire fighting. Many characters are in serious peril. The mutants use various powers to attack and kill (mostly) soldiers attacking them: fire, knives, being thrown through the air, etc. Various Wolverines cuts, burns, and gunshots miraculously cure themselves. When Magneto extracts the iron from a security guard, there is a fine mist of blood surrounding him and later spots of blood.
CRIMES: Attempted Genocide (U), Jail Breaking (U), Breaking and Entry (U), False Imprisonment (U), Computer Hacking (U).
MORAL ISSUES & VALUES: At the center of the film is the idea that there are a large number of mutants among us normals. These are clearly a metaphor of the self-doubt both physical and psychological rampant among adolescents. Among the mutants are adults who both cause most of the trouble and are powerless to correct it, and the younger generation who help their elders fix the world. There are personal conflicts between the mutants; two men, for instance, compete for the affections of Jane Gray. Amnesiac Wolverine desperately seeks his roots only to find that he is not a mutant, but a project of a military experiment. One of the principle ethical conflicts, however, is between Magneto who believes that humans are the enemy and must be killed, and Professor X who believes that mutants can and should be integrated into society. Xaviers goal is to teach young mutants how to deal with their power both physically and psychologically, and to deal with the prejudice against them. Strykers hatred for mutants seems to stem from Xaviers inability to cure his son. Villain Magneto joins with Professor Xs ideals when the mutants are threatened, but once that threat is gone, he pursues his own agenda to kill all humans. Night Crawler is an ironic figure, highly religious yet he sports a devils tail. Diversity Issues: Central to the film. The varied mutants work together and are reviled by the normals. When asked why, if she has the power, Mystique doesnt look like a normal human being, she answers, Because I shouldnt have to. The leader of the mutants is wheel chair bound. Language: A few scatological and anatomical references, some sexual talk, a few mild profanities, one obscene gesture.
ALTERNATES: Another film about racial tolerance Enemy Mine. Similar ethical issues are dealt with in Gattaca.
Nudity
Sex
Physical Violence
Emotional Stress
Blood
Language/Profanity
Immorality
Parental Guidance
Watchability for Adults
STARRING: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davision, Anna Paquin, Kelly Hu, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Michael Reid Mackay.
