Critics’ reviews

X-Men (2000)

8 reviews from 8 publications. Critics’ score 60: 2 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative.

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60
Positive
2
Mixed
4
Negative
2

The reviews lean towards a mixed reception, with praise clustering around the cast rather than the storytelling. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine earns approval for his intensity and charisma, while Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen bring weight to the material. Even less enthusiastic critics find something human in Wolverine, particularly his bond with Rogue. The more favourable accounts also praise the humour, effects and superhero set-pieces, finding an entertaining adaptation despite the crowded story.

The spread is wide, though two of the eight reviews have no accessible verdict text, limiting the picture. Reservations centre on too much material, loose plotting and characters who need more development. Total Film sees a promising opening give way to an incomplete franchise introduction; the Evening Standard finds the provocative themes insufficient compensation for the lack of excitement. Action is another dividing point: Eye for Film finds it limp, despite admiring Jackman and McKellen.

Empire
1 January 2000 · Colin Kennedy
85*

The critic finds the film surprisingly good and an effective start to the franchise. They praise Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and the gravitas Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen bring to the story.

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Los Angeles Times
14 July 2000 · Kenneth Turan
70*

Turan finds the film an accomplished, entertaining adaptation, though it packs too much into its brisk running time. He especially praises Hugh Jackman’s intensity as Wolverine and the film’s self-aware humor, which helps its effects land.

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The New York Times
14 July 2000
64*

The page does not expose the critic’s verdict. It provides no accessible details about what the review praised or criticized.

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Time Out
· TJ
64*

The page identifies this as a film review, but its verdict cannot be determined from the available text. No praise or complaint is accessible because the review body is absent.

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Radio Times
★★★ · Andrew Collins
60

Collins presents it as a dark, effective superhero film. He particularly praises its special effects.

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Total Film
18 August 2000 · ★★★ · Total Film
60

The review finds the film promising at first but increasingly unfocused, leaving it feeling like an incomplete franchise opener. It praises the strong characters and well-executed superhero set-pieces, while criticizing the plot holes and underdeveloped supporting characters.

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Evening Standard
10 April 2012
30*

The critic finds the film intellectually overcrowded, narratively loose and short on excitement, despite its provocative themes. Wolverine and his bond with Rogue are singled out as the few elements that hold attention and provide humanity.

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Eye for Film
19 January 2001 · Symon Parsons
40*

The critic finds the film entertaining but ultimately underwhelming, with limp action and a story that never quite comes to life. McKellen’s sympathetic villain and Jackman’s charismatic Wolverine are singled out for praise.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate