Harry's Second Trip To the Secret Fox Vaults To Spy On X-MEN

Hey folks, Harry here.

I've been working on getting back into that FOX room so I could take a longer and better look at the X-MEN material again, because... Well... I want to as accurately as possible describe this stuff for ya.

CYCLOPS - If you take a look at the design that Coming Attractions put online (Click here to view) there are some inaccuracies in the depiction of the costume. First off is the color. It isn't a greyish-black-silver sort of thing. It's actually a deep rich blue. On the collar and the gloves is a lighter blue circle with an 'X' in it. The visor is also blue. In this latest shot I held, Marsden looked pretty good in the costume, the only complaint I would have is the 'perfect hair'. Personally, I would like that hair more un-moosed looking... messed up... as if he had seen action. But of course this was a publicity shot.

JEAN GREY - Her costume is a femme version of the Cyclops costume, but far darker in blue. It's still blue, but a midnight blue... Her hair isn't RED red, as much as it was a bit auburn. Frankly... Famke, as adorable as she is, at just a plain surface level... just doesn't look or feel like Jean Grey. Of course... that's just a PICTURE talking at me, and not a voice or a performance. If she acts like Jean Grey, then she'll be Jean Grey... right?

STORM - This is the first time I've seen a real picture of her. Before, I was looking at a preproduction sketch. But here in this publicity shot.. Well, first off... her hair is pure white and long... about mid-back long. The problem with this shot was the pupils of her eyes. They were there. I hope to God they digitally remove those pupils for the film. With them big ol pupils... she just looks like a white haired lady with puppydog eyes. I really really reaaaaally hope they are getting rid of them pupils. Her costume looks good... it is a black costume with a silver trim. It does not have the quilted padding look of the CYCLOPS costume, but rather a slick and streamlined look. In this image, I couldn't tell if she had a cape or not.

ROGUE - was just wearing regular clothes and did not... I repeat DID NOT have a White Streak in her hair. With every other character in these materials having their costumes on, and Rogue not... I just was massively underwhelmed by the plainness of the character. Of course, they are playing Rogue as if she has just become aware of her powers (sort of like the introduction of Kitty Pryde in the books). This isn't what Rogue fans want to see.

WOLVERINE - of the X-MEN... I'd have to say Hugh Jackman as Wolverine looks the best... BY FAR. His costume is again in the style of the Cyclops costume, a dark dark blue... with yellow trim. The circle 'X's are yellow and stand out quite nicely. His hair is in the Wolverine style, though not as exaggerated as in the comics. But it is there. Wolverine looks very good in my opinion. In the shot, Jackman had a fierce look on his face like he was getting ready to open up a can of whup ass on ya. Very cool.

PROFESSOR X - Well... this is Professor X. Just hands down. Patrick Stewart will most likely be voted sexiest bald man in a wheelchair. In the shot I saw, he's wearing a very nice suit... just as Professor X should be wearing. His wheelchair had a small little joystick-type of thing that I guess he uses to move around. No problems here.

Now onto the bad guys and gal

THE TOAD - P.U. First impressions? Well... Remember the first shot of Eddie Murphy in TRADING PLACES? Well imagine if he was getting ready to Break Dance, was bleached white and had some shit on his face... and that'd be a fairly accurate description of this terrible publicity shot of THE TOAD. Real bad shot. Now this could be just a bad publicity shot... we've all seen those in the past. But... whew...

SABRETOOTH - Well, finally I see a good shot of this guy. He's got the exagerrated canine teeth... the big eyebrows, lots of hair, an animal snarl quality to him. Those claws of his are mean and nasty looking. He looks pretty damn convincing here. Not as bad as the earlier shots I saw last trip to FOX.

MYSTIQUE - She is the coolest. This'll be the alien sex dream of fanboys the world over. Yeah... she's got some of them scales... her eyes are yellow... the hair slicked back red, skin - Mystique blue. No dress... no clothes. If her character gets alot of screen time looking the way she does here... it'll conjure memories of Matilda May. Very sharp looking. Undeniably foreign fuck fantasy.

MAGNETO - This was a medium shot (chest up) and without the helmet. Ian looked pissed off something fierce here. He's going to work wonderfully if that picture was any indication. He's older... but menacing and powerful looking. He doesn't look tired or fragile at all. You do not want to screw with the guy in that picture. The costume was grey... had a cape and a 'Tarkin' collar.

Hopefully the next time I break in, I'll find some shots from the film with effects added. Please remove Storm's pupils. And God I hope Rogue is more interesting than the publicity shot. And the Toad... whew... But the rest was pretty damn strong. The latest word I've been hearing about dailies and the footage that FOX has seen is that it is looking very good. I'm not hearing "DOoooooom!" I'm praying that this project kicks ass. We need a badass successful superhero film... if only to show it can be done. I hope this is the one. Now I must pack for Ebert trip to Chicago. Only 2 hours till I leave. Talk atcha later, Harry