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 ong before the X-Men made a splash on the big
screen, Marvel Comics tried things on a smaller scale with a television film
based on a spin-off of the X titles. They made a very wise decision, and the
result signals the beginning of Marvel's rise as a theatrical force to be
reckoned with. Breezy and entertaining, audiences will be surprised how
effective the low budget entry "Generation X" is.
"Generation X" takes us
to a world where children are born with genetic anomalies. These children
are labeled mutants, and are endowed with superior abilities that make them
feared by the general (re: non-mutant) populace. Several of these children
are taken to the Xavier Institute and trained by Emma Frost aka the White
Queen (Finola Hughes) and Sean Cassidy aka Banshee (Jeremy Rachford) to be a
force for good. But not everyone has the children's best interests at heart.
An insane scientist named Russel Tresh (Matt Frewer) schemes to capture the
young mutants to use in his questionable dream experiments.
Eric Blakeney's script, based on the Marvel Comics series, is actually quite
good. There's plenty of sly humor to complement an engaging storyline and
it's fun to see the White Queen, Banshee, Jubilee, and a primitive version
of Cerebro, as live-action characters. In a way it all makes for a nice
taste of things to come with the feature length X movies. The only flaw is
the concept of the "dream realm" and Tresh's experiments into the
subconscious. It sounds too derivative of "Batman
Forever" and the Freddy Krueger films, and only ends up detracting
from the originality of the work. The exclusion of Chamber and Penance is
also a disappointment, but understandable since the budget wasn't there to
fully realize them.
The cast approaches their roles with enthusiasm, and their energy helps
propel the film above its budgetary constraints. And while Finola Hughes
looks awkward in her light blonde wig as the White Queen, she still manages
to project a steely resolve tempered by moral ambiguity. Matt Frewer is
delightfully over the top as Tresh, whose wardrobe is as loud and eccentric
as his personality. As Banshee, Jeremy Ratchford looks comfortable and
self-assured, and is a warm presence to balance out the icy White Queen in
the leadership department. Meanwhile, Heather McComb is adequate as Jubilee,
but simply fails to capture the character's daring side as depicted in the
comic books.
Veteran helmer Jack Sholder ("Arachnid")
handles the film with ease, allowing the pace to briskly proceed with nary a
slow stretch. He also works wonders with the limited budget, managing to
make the movie look more expensive and elaborate than a television film
ought to. His use of bright colors and attractive scenery also helps to add
visual flair to the film's world. This was essentially filmdom's first
exposure to Marvel's mutants, and Sholder ensures that they make a memorable
impression.
"Generation X" may not have had the big budget of "X-Men",
or even the more recognizable characters, but it does have some great
acting, a good script, and expert direction. For a television film,
"Generation X" overachieves in many respects and heralds the
beginning of a golden age for Marvel in film. If only the script was a bit
more original and the budget bigger, this could have been a truly
spectacular movie experience. |
