> 2) At the viewing I went to, the moment that got the biggest laugh was, oddly, when Wolverine went flying through the windscreen. Everyone in the cinema was laughing uncontrollably when that happened.
> Did this happen to anyone else?
>

actually, no... horrified silence was the response my particular group of movie patrons gave, followed by a hushed "oooohhhh" when that huge gash on his forehead healed up.

My thoughts (not that you've asked, but hey, what is a message-board for?):

Opinion seems to be pretty divided as to X-men's success as a movie. You get the two opposing views: either "pieces of a soggy jigsaw puzzle" or "no way! It totally rocked!"

I definitely belong to the latter group. Sure, there were a few plot weaknesses - notably, as has been said, the lack of interaction between Rogue and Magneto. But look at it as a whole, and what it COULD have been. I thought the plot was phenomenal. The whole basis of what it hangs on is people with strange new gifts, who don't even know how to use those gifts, interacting. This isn't some big who's-the-strongest duke-it-out battle... this is a very strategic war-game type thing... similar to chess (nice metaphor, huh?). That's why it was so brilliant when Magneto stuck them all in the Statue of Liberty. He set up the situation exactly so that no one could use their gifts against him (although in fairness, I have to point out that Jean Gray must be really stupid not to use her telekinesis to bend the bars back).

My point is that this was emphatically NOT "just a movie." It's not just another superhero action flick. There are some real themes of racism, discrimination, and the nature of evil. The development of the relationship between Wolverine and Rogue is superbly written, and the famed love triangle is intriguing.

Anyone care to disagree? I'd love you to; debating is one of my main joys in life. :-)

~Jessica