David Hayter
When a failed assassination attempt occurs on the President's (Cotter Smith) life by the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), it's Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his School for Gifted Youngsters who are targeted for the crime. While Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and Storm (Halle Berry) try and locate the assassin, Cyclops (James Marsden) and Xavier (also known as 'Professor X') seek answers from their old foe Magneto (Ian McKellan) in his glass cell...Little do they know they're walking into a trap set by the villainous William Stryker (Brian Cox), a mysterious governmental figure that figures into Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) secretive past, along with information about the X-Men's operation, supplied by Magneto through a mind-controlling agent. Meanwhile Wolverine, just home from a failed mission to regain his memory, is in charge of the students when a crack-commando team led by Stryker infiltrates the school by order of the President. With a mansion full of young, powerful mutants and the ferocious Wolverine in babysitter mode, can he defend the school against the one man who can answer his questions? What roles do the sinister Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) and Lady Deathstrike (Kelly Hu) have in all of this? Why does Stryker want Professor X and his Cerebro machine? With the war between humanity and mutants escalating to extremes, can the rest of the X-Men trust their old foes to help them? Director Bryan Singer returns and raises the stakes in this sequel to the highly lauded 2000 adaptation of Marvel Comics' X-Men. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, (more)
The Rock has his first starring role in this prequel to The Mummy films, which was developed while The Mummy Returns was still in production. The film takes place in ancient times, when a mighty swordsman, Memnon (Steven Brand, making his film debut) ruled over nearly all the known world. Memnon, a brutal tyrant, defeats his enemies in battle with the help of a beautiful sorceress, Cassandra (Kelly Hu), who can predict the future. The last of the "free tribes" form a fragile alliance to fight Memnon, and hire a trio of Akkadian assassins, led by Mathayus (pro wrestler The Rock, who made his big-screen debut as this character in The Mummy Returns), to kill the sorceress and thus remove Memnon's advantage. Balthazar (Michael Clarke Duncan of The Green Mile), the powerful leader of the Nubians, objects to hiring mercenaries, but the plan goes forward. The assassins are betrayed by Takmet (Peter Facinelli), the son of one of the tribal leaders, and Mathayus finds himself unable to kill Cassandra. Thanks to the unlikely machinations of Cassandra, and the aid of a horse thief, Arpid (Grant Heslov of True Lies), Mathayus escapes to the desert. He eventually abducts Cassandra, who explains that Memnon was holding her against her will. Mathayus thwarts Memnon's efforts to re-capture Cassandra, then uses his newfound sense of justice to convince the surviving tribal leaders to join forces again to defeat Memnon. The Scorpion King was directed by Chuck Russell. Jonathan Hales (Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) was credited with the story, and WWF owner Vince McMahon has an executive producer credit. The film, which was shot in the U.S. (very unusual for a big action film), reportedly underwent extensive re-shoots when the first cut came in with a running time of 70 minutes. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- The Rock, Steven Brand, (more)
- 2000
- PG13
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One of the most popular superhero teams in comic book history finally comes to the screen in this big-budget adaptation of the long-running Marvel Comics series. Psychic Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) leads a school of skilled mutants called X-Men, a peacekeeping force to safeguard the world against a race of genetically mutated humans known as Homo Sapiens Superior. However, Magneto (Ian McKellen), a mutant with a powerful magnetic charge, has also begun to organize a team to strike first against what he believes to be a threat from humanity. When he kidnaps Rogue (Anna Paquin) from the X-Men's compound, Xavier and his forces must rescue her, even as they continue to vie with Magneto for the fearsomely strong mutant battler Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). Both Xavier and Magneto also have to contend with Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison), a heartless political leader who wants a final solution against mutants on both sides. Fighting for the forces of virtue with the X-Men are Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, Halle Berry as Storm, and James Marsden as Cyclops; Rebecca Romjin-Stamos as Mystique, Ray Park as the Toad, and Tyler Mane as Sabretooth are the minions of Magneto. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, (more)
- 1998
Scott Storm made his directorial debut with this intense psychological thriller. Screenwriter Ben Sharpe (Randall Slavin), is attempting to conquer a writer's block when former friend Tom Rice turns up with a completed manuscript and solid publisher connections. Ben pretends to be pleased for his one-time pal, but in truth he harbors much envy and resentment, a situation that worsens when he eavesdrops on Tom's lovemaking with publisher's daughter Amanda (Andrea Roth). At the typewriter, he pecks out a fiendish plot to gain the upper hand on Tom -- with Amanda becoming a pawn in the game. Synthesized music score by Joe Kraemer. Shown at the 1998 Slamdance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randall Slavin, David Hayter, (more)
This action-packed sequel to the live-action adaptation of Toshiki Takaya's popular comic-book series stars David Hayter as Sean Barker, the young hero capable of summoning the powers of the Guyver, an alien technology that armors his body with a powerful bio-mechanical exoskeleton. Sean/Guyver's battle against the reptilian creatures known as "Zoanoids" continues when an archaeological dig uncovers the ancient alien vessel which originally carried the Zoanoids to Earth. As in the previous installment, both government agents and the minions of the Chronos Corporation continue their secret dalliances with the Zoanoids' biomechanical technology, with both sides planning to abscond with any alien artifacts recovered from the site. Eventually the dig's security chief, Crane (Bruno Giannetta), is revealed as a Chronos plant and takes the other team members hostage, surrounding them with Zoanoid soldiers. Sean summons up his powers to combat Crane, who then reveals his wild card -- a second Guyver module found aboard the ship, which transforms Crane into a powerful and malevolent super-Guyver. With somewhat higher production values than its predecessor, this entire film still plays like an extended episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (which in turn owes a debt to Ultraman), flavored with many familiar ingredients from such Hong Kong action-fantasy epics as A Chinese Ghost Story. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Hayter, Kathy Christopherson, (more)
