Snikt.

In the X-Men series produced by Marvel Comics, the above describes the noise made when hero Wolverine extracts his razor-sharp claws. When I heard that they were making a movie version of this title, I wondered how they were going to handle this little detail. I knew how Wolvie’s claws sounded in my head, but would Hollywood be able to match my imagination? Never before has the success of a film hinged on a single sound.

Herein lies the challenge with every movie adaption of another property, be it novel, play or comic book. You’ve got a built-in fan base, but screw up the minutiae and you run the risk of alienating them. This is a group you don’t want to tick off because they’re going to see the flick again and again if they like it. Studios rarely understand this concept, especially when it comes to comic book movies. The road to Tinseltown is littered with the corpses of well-intentioned misfires like "The Phantom" and "Spawn."

Snikt!

Most of the time it’s because the powers-that-be don’t respect the source material. They think all they need is a guy in a costume and some special effects. Others just don’t want to spend the money to do the subject justice. They hire a bunch of cost-efficient wannabes and get some music video director to helm the whole thing. Such bargain basement thinking produced mind-numbing crap like "The Fantastic Four" and "The Punisher." They had "Batman" dreams on a "Captain America" budget.

So with all that said, how good is "X-Men," the latest attempt to bring comic book heroes to the screen? Did director Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects") and writer David Hayter make a movie that will excite fans and the average moviegoer alike? Is this flick a comic book come to life or just another cheap imitation? Let me explain it this way:

Snikt!

Wolverine’s claws sound they way they should. Characters look and act — for the most part — the way they do in the comic. The movie shortchanges a few heroes in favor of others, but overall, I think fans will be pleased. The most obvious difference is that the good guys are now clad in black leather instead of their traditional spandex, but I think this was a good decision. Would you really take a guy seriously if he were fighting evil in his skivvies?

"X-Men" takes place in the not too distant future when evolution has endowed certain humans with uncommon abilities. These "mutants" are naturally feared and reviled by "normal" people, which prompts a cry in the senate — led by the ignorant Senator Kelly (played by Bruce Davison of "Longtime Companion") — for a "mutant registration act." He wants the government to keep tabs on those who have skipped a few rungs on the evolutionary ladder.

This development greatly concerns two powerful mutant factions. One is led by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart from "Star Trek: The Next Generation") and they want to peacefully co-exist with humanity. The other is the Brotherhood of Mutants, led by Magneto (Ian McKellan from "Apt Pupil"). He wants to use his superior might to overthrow his detractors. While Magneto formulates a plan from his hidden lair, "Professor X" runs a school for gifted youngsters in upstate New York. The place is actually a secret haven for young mutants. Xavier trains them to harness their powers while preparing them to defend mankind from Magneto’s brood.

The story centers on Rogue and Wolverine, two newcomers to the school, and how they figure in the struggle between Xavier and Magneto. Rogue (Anna Paquin, all grown up since her Oscar-winning turn in "The Piano") is a shy and scared teenager who’s been on the run since her powers took hold. She can absorb someone’s strengths and abilities simply by touching them. If left unrestrained, Rogue can literally drain the life from a person. Unfortunately, her powers manifested during her first kiss, which put the unlucky guy in a coma.

Wolverine becomes Rogue’s guardian when they run into each other in a backwoods bar in Canada. His mutant abilities include predatory senses and amazing healing powers. His body has also been laced with adamantium — the strongest metal known — and he’s got those nasty claws. Basically, Wolverine is one bad dude. Just like in the comic, he soon takes center stage.

While there are some subtle differences between the character in the comic and the movie, it’s still a pretty faithful translation. It helps that the actor playing Wolverine is extremely good. Australian newcomer Hugh Jackman gives a star-making performance. From his first appearance, he owns this flick.

The lack of screen time is most notable in the case of Cyclops (James Marsden).

Unlike some players in less successful comic book movies — Shaquille O’Neal in "Steel" or Sylvester Stallone in "Judge Dredd," for example — Jackman can actually act. He delivers the superhero goods while also finding the conflicted humanity at this character’s center. The presence of Jackman, not to mention Paquin, Stewart and McKellan, adds depth to what could have been a shallow, popcorn movie.

While these gifted thesps are the key reasons to see the film, it would have been nice to see the other characters further developed. Since the comic has a cast larger than your average soap opera, the filmmakers streamlined the team for the sake of the story. I understand that there’s only so much room in the spotlight during a two-hour movie, but Wolverine and Rogue aren’t the only cool characters in this group. There’s also Cyclops (who shoots lasers out of his eyes), Storm (who controls the weather) and Jean Grey (a telekinetic).

The action sequences give each hero a chance to shine, but most of them get pushed aside during the film’s quieter moments. The lack of screen time is most notable in the case of Cyclops (James Marsden from "Gossip"). In the comic, he’s strong and noble, a major player as the team’s field commander. We rarely get to see that side of him in the film. The movie just portrays him as a stuffed shirt.

Marsden also seems too young for the part, which makes his leadership role and a romance with Jean Grey feel awkward. There’s also a personality conflict with Wolverine that never evolves beyond tough guy banter. These scenes are entertaining, but they make Cyclops look more like a nerd than a disciplined warrior. A romantic triangle between Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverine — which could have added even more emotional complexity to the film — is never fully explored.

Other actors seemed to have been cast more for their resemblance to the actual superheroes than for their acting. Maybe giving all the good lines to the accomplished performers was motivated more by necessity than any creative decision. Either way, it was a good choice. I mean, model-turned-actress Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and wrestler/thespian Tyler Mane certainly look the parts of evil mutants Mystique and Sabretooth, but I’d hardly called them acting powerhouses. Director Singer concentrates on his cast’s strengths, which helps you overlook the weaknesses.

Speaking of Romijn-Stamos, her role is probably the most accomplished special effect in the film. Playing a shape-shifting mutant, she is covered in blue body paint, scales and feathers. It’s amazing that they can make such a beautiful woman look so bizarre. Mystique is a brilliant combination of make-up and CGI. You can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. She is constantly morphing from one character to the next so you’re never quite sure if she’s hiding in our heroes’ ranks, waiting to strike.

The film’s effects are exceptional. Cyclops’ optic blasts and Storm’s lightning bolts seemed to have jumped straight from the comic to the screen. While the special effects are top-notch, the action scenes themselves are a tad pedestrian. Despite fight choreography by Corey Yuen (he also handled the blows for "Romeo Must Die"), there’s not much here that we haven’t seen before.

Singer has chosen to keep the framing tight on most of the fight scenes, making them feel claustrophobic. When you’ve got legs and fists flying around, it’s better to give the combatants plenty of room. This shortcoming could be attributed to Singer’s inexperience with action scenes. He’s known more for character-driven thrillers than kick-ass flicks. Tim Burton had the same problem in "Batman," but overcame it by the sequel. If Singer comes onboard for another tour of duty, he’ll probably handle these types of scenes with greater finesse.

An "X-Men" sequel is inevitable. The last ten minutes of the movie is nothing but set-up for another installment. Plus, the movie made almost $60 million in only three days. It’s the biggest opening ever for a movie in July. Usually when you break records, you make sequels. Not to mention that there are 37 years of comics history from which to draw upon for future stories.

Singer, Hayter, cast and crew get standing ovations for making the best comic book movie since 1989’s "Batman." If they make more X-Men movies, let’s hope they remember what made this first flick such great fun. I’d hate to see them resort to the silliness that killed that earlier franchise. If I ever see fake nipples on Wolverine’s costume or sets that look like they were stolen from Caesar’s Palace, I’ll have to use my own mutant powers and take care of business.