Herald rating: * * *
Running time: 96 mins
Rental: Tomorrow
Review: Ewan Mcdonald
Sorry, Prime Minister, but we have to begin with the H-word. The latest comic-book-inspired movie opens with Jews being forced into death camps in Poland in 1944.
One is Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen), a child with mental powers to twist
iron gates out of shape, who will grow up to have an understandably pessimistic view of human nature.
However, Xavier (Patrick Stewart), an elderly mindreader who runs a school for the genetically superpowered in upstate New York, hopes these new folk can be a force for good.
So we are introduced to a revolving door of brilliantly garbed and madeup characters, each displaying a different power, who may be "gifted" to Xavier, "tools for world domination" to Magneto, or a "public threat" to a McCarthy-like Senator (Bruce Davidson), who wants to register 'em all.
Xavier's tag team is Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who has fists that sprout deadly blades; Cyclops (James Marsden) wears a wraparound visor to control his laser eyes; Dr Grey (Famke Janssen) can move objects with her mind; Storm (Halle Berry) can control the weather, and Rogue (Anna Paquin), a teenager who is new to this stuff.
Magneto's lot features Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), who can change her shape (well, her costume), and Toad (Ray Park), who has a tongue that can whip out to great distances.
Yes, kids, it's showdown time at World Mutating Federation as global leaders gather in New York ... and it looks like there's a new franchise on the way to a multiplex near you.
