Whether it be the fluctuating quality of their films or disjointed timeline, there is no better way of describing this franchise than it is inconsistent. To start off, the first 2 Xmen directed by Bryan Singer love em or hate em were well received by critics and audiences. Things were going smoothly until Singer decided to ditch production on the third for Superman Returns. Fox was forced to look elsewhere, and hired the unqualified Brett Ratner on to the project. And thus we got X3, which derailed the franchise. Singer on the other end would muck up Superman Returns. So effectively, he ruined 2 films by leaving Xmen.
Superman Returns aside, since X3 the franchise has been in a state of flux both quality wise and continuity wise. We would get a film like Origins Wolverine that critics and fans deplored, then a critical hit with First Class. There seems to be no foresight or thought put into making these films, made even more obvious with its most glaring issue, plot holes and contradictions. By the time X3 ended, we would see many continuity flubs. This all speaks for itself.
Taking notice of this, Singer and Fox worked on trying to correct these timeline issues which plague the series with the Deux Ex Machina film, Xmen Days Of Future Past, which was essentially meant to reboot the franchise without rebooting it. The film is considered a critical and financial success and bringing back a franchise which derailed. However now with Apocalypse and Wolverine 3 marking the end for many key cast members, where to take this new rebooted timeline? There are rumors going around that Apocalypse and Wolverine would mark the end of the Singer began X-series, but reboot after you essentially rebooted not too long ago? What about Deadpool, Gambit and New Mutants, are they part of this franchise or another rebooted one?
2) A product of it’s time
The Xmen films as they are don’t belong in the current crop of Superhero films. When first launch, the series came about a time where comicbook movies were poison, thanks to gems such as these.
#Thanks DC
Playful jabs aside, the first film downplayed its comicbook roots to find success in the mainstream. In turn it adopted looks and aesthetics akin to The Matrix, which was at the peak of it’s popularity. The film prove to be both a critical and commercial success, and opening the floodgates for more comicbook adaptations. However, as the comicbook movie genre grew in popularity, the more the material evolved. Over the past 15 years the genre was graced with successes such as Ironman, The Dark Knight, and Guardians of The Galaxy. While the Xmen films continued during that period, it would seem they failed to catch up with the ever growing industry in how these films were approached. While DOFP and FC were well received in their own right, they failed to hit the heights other films reached, both in acknowledgment and even notoriety. Days of Future Past is considered a mature, but fun comicbook flick, but it fails to be quite as sophisticated as say the Dark Knight, or as immersive and fun as GOTG. The films are still made with early 2000s ticks, relying on the novelty wonder of seeing these characters in live action.
3) My OTP: Xmen x Homogeny
As time has went on, I’ve notice another thing these movies have always lacked, variety in the aesthetic presentation. What I mean by that is everything blends in together. I never manage to discern these movies from eachother. Down to the costumes, to even the promotional materials of the film. The infamous black leather that has plagued the movies have manage to make the Xmen, the comicbook team hailed for it’s diversity in members look the same.
Every member, like em or not has an internal Meanwhile, unless you've seen the movie, can you
and external appeal to them. And they stick out discern who's friend or foe?
Back to the Matrix motif, that works for a singular narrative, such as Matrix with dealt with Neo’s story. The visual style also compliments Matrix, and it serves as memorable. The Xmen films, however, fail to be as memorable or popping, due to the style they’ve went with clashing with the approach and feel of the classic comics. The biggest issue I have with this is also in the way most characters come off, particularly the Xmen members beyond Wolverine, and Xavier generically act all the same, and have no real discernable characters. Picking out a favorite from the films is less of an interesting venture, as the usual suspects will boil down to either Wolverine, Prof X and Magneto most of the time.
4) Wrap Up
With of all that said, despite my gripes, the film series is in a supposedly successful period. An upwards momentum? Yes, but hardly anything that I’d like to call successful. Days of Future Past was the second least profitable comic film behind The Amazing Spiderman in 2014. Apocalypse comes out in just little less than a year from now, and frankly has failed to keep my interest. It would seem Singer is continuing with the elements that have hurt audience interest over the years.
If the rumors of the current franchise ending are true, I would like Fox or hopefully Marvel Studios to reboot the franchise and correct many of the gripes this current franchise has caused.