Evangelicals Now
Christian news worldwide
magnifying glass Search archives
home Home check the archives Archives Subscribe Subscriptions Advertising Information & booking of classifieds Adverts Find a local evangelical Church Find a church for the search engines and extremely curious! About us Contact us Site Map
Printable
Version

X-Men

Friendly mutants?

X-Men
20th Century Fox
Cert. 12, 104 minutes
Director: Bryan Singer

If you dreamed of having super-powers when you were a child, then this film will leave you full of excitement, imagining what amazing powers you would like to have. Seeing the likes of Storm with her power to cook up the same, Cyclops with his laser emitting eyes and Professor X with his powers of telepathy, empathy and mind reading, I felt the desire to take on some strange name and invent even stranger powers so as to join the gang. Overall this is a feel-good film that provides much in the way of entertainment, special effects in the context of the good triumphing over evil.

The film begins with the statement that every few thousand millennia evolution takes a great leap forward. Enter then mutants, whose genetic make-up means that in their teenage years they encounter in themselves frighteningly powerful and supernatural abilities: levitation, telekinetic ability, power over specific elements or natural phenomena and the list goes on. Such powers may, if unchecked, be used to threaten the lives of those who do not possess them. Governments must act. Humanity suspects the worst: these freaks must be identified and controlled.

Mutants such as Professor Charles Francis Xavier seek peaceful co-existence with non-mutant humans. Despite the repeated misunderstandings and discrimination, his response is a patient working for mutual understanding and tolerance. Others such as Erik Magnus Lehnsherr (also known in the film as Magneto) have given up hope in non-mutants. His plan, that unfolds during the film, is to speed evolution on its way rendering everyone mutant and therefore equal.

The battle between the tolerant mutants, led by Xavier and those who would seize power, led by Magneto, is played out during the film in a comic-book style, with heaps of effects and an exploration of the personal stories of significant mutants. The X-men themselves are specially selected and trained mutants who give their powers for the preservation of all human beings - mutant and non-mutant. Together they eventually win out over the raw individual power of Magneto's allies.

There are many themes worthy of discussion, and points of contact which may be used with non-Christians in discussion about Christ. Although evolution is a strong theme in this film, its moral poverty is highlighted in the defeat of Magneto, who sought to use it to philosophically justify his will to power. Xavier himself is enigmatic, ruling, guiding and teaching his band of powerful but 'freak' mutants from his wheelchair. Gathering them together, he helps them to develop control over their powers and guides them into the service of others. Could such a person who combines great power, moral goodness and tender empathy with those who have lost their way really exist? Check out the film, consider and enjoy. Channel that excited energy to do exploits in the service of Him who is faithful and true.

Hugh Griffin,
Guildford