The two giants in the comic book world are Marvel and DC. For quite some time, DC has had pretty good luck in bringing their high profile comics to life on the big screen -- think Superman and Batman. Marvel's cinematic efforts, on the other hand, have failed miserably and they've only managed marginal success on television. They just can't seem to get it right. Or, perhaps more accurately, they kept allowing the film licenses to slip into the hands of people who couldn't get it right.

This changed a few years ago with the very successful release of Blade. While it wasn't exactly one of Marvel's high profile books, it did show that it was possible to make a decent flick using one of their characters.

What does this have to do with X-Men? Well, if you have ever been a comic book fan, then you probably already know that the X-Men is Marvel's largest series of comics. Furthermore, X-Men fans tend to be, well, fanatical. Plans for an X-Men movie have been in the works for years and years (I remember hearing the rumors way back when I was a kid), but one of the major setbacks has always been the level of special effects that would be required for just such a film. Not only that, but casting was also an issue. Casting something like Superman or Batman was hard enough, where you have to match one well-known character. Imagine trying to cast a superhero movie where there are literally dozens of main characters. This plays into the fanatical fanbase I mentioned -- if they don't buy the actors playing their favorite characters then the film is sunk. Since Blade was such a success for Marvel, and by featuring a big name star (Wesley Snipes), it opened a few doors for the X-Men production. Also, the level of special effects in the industry finally made it possible to get the mutant powers to look right.

X-Men was finally realized with a stellar cast, a decent story and killer special effects. Those who've never read the comic book might be surprised by some of the intense themes of the film. Seeing a "superhero" movie that tackles racial prejudices in the guise of humans versus mutants may not seem like normal comic book fare, but then again, the X-Men never made for normal comic books.

In the world of the X-Men, the human race is undergoing a change. Mutations have sprung up (generically referred to as an "x-factor" in a person's genetic makeup) that go far beyond simple physical deformations. Some humans are born with incredible powers that they can barely control. Most "normal" humans fear these mutants with some going so far as to want these mutants registered, similar to the manner in which we register and regulate firearms. The mutants fear (perhaps rightly so) that this registration will eventually lead to mutant extermination.

The mutants find themselves represented by either Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who promotes the notion that humans and mutants can get along, and Magneto (Ian McKellen), who believes the only way for mutants to survive is to dominate humans. These opposite viewpoints set the two groups of mutants against each other with the human race caught in the crossfire.

We are introduced to these two factions through Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Rogue is a teenager who is new to her powers (the movie hints that, while different for every mutant, many powers tend to manifest themselves during puberty). She has the ability to absorb energy from anyone she touches, which can send the person into a coma or even kill them. The first hint of her power has very unfortunate timing -- during her first kiss.

Wolverine is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He appears to be in his thirties, but he may very well be one of the oldest living mutants. This is due to his power of ultra-fast healing. We learn later that someone decided to capitalize on this healing power and perform experiments on Wolverine. An ultra strong metal was grafted to his skeleton and he was given metal claws that spring out of his knuckles. Wolverine has shunned society and now spends his time earning money in underground bar fights. It should be noted that this was, perhaps, the most controversial role to cast. Wolverine in the comics is a character that is very well defined both in personality and appearance. Maybe more so than for any other character, the actor chosen to play him had to be perfect. I had heard rumors bantered about that some high-profile actors had been considered (names ranging from Robert DeNiro to Mel Gibson), but in the end, Jackman, a virtual unknown, was chosen. He fills the role admirably.

Through circumstances that only make sense in the comic book world, Rogue and Wolverine meet each other and are subsequently brought to Xavier's School for the Gifted (read "gifted" as "mutants"), where they (and we) learn of the power struggles between mutants.

Perhaps the only complaint about the movie is that the action is a little tame for what one might expect for a superhero movie. This is understandable, however, considering the shear number of characters that have to be introduced in a very limited amount of time. The movie does a good job of giving most of the major characters enough screen time to establish their personalities. Those new to the X-men will pick up on the world fairly easily, while the fans should be happy to see expected character traits and interactions. This film serves as a good introduction and will hopefully lead to a very entertaining franchise.