X-men: The Movies so far...

X-men: The Movies so far...

A look back on the X-men film franchise and my opinion of them.

Editorial Opinion
By Millim - Sep 19, 2012 09:09 AM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

The X-men films have helped the Super-hero genre become what it is today. It is one of the three main elements into this new generation of Super-hero movies, and while for the most part, these films have been entreating and fun to watch (Iron Man, Spider-man) there have been a few films which were just forgettable (Elektra).

But the X-men movies have had films with a mixed reception. Without a doubt, the first two are the exceptions as this was a new trend. A group of Super-heroes take on Magneto and his brotherhood of steel. Both teams which first saw the light of day back in the brightly coloured sixties. It’s an easy concept to put to film, with the main topic being about prejudice and what it could do to people. The first film had done that very well. With the story being about how these mutants save the world and not get any thanks at the end of it. Instead they are treated like scum, with people being afraid of them. The end results into a fight in the statue of Liberty. While I may not remember that much about the film itself, I do recollect some very good fights scenes which emerged from the film. This led to a sequel entitled “X2- United.” A fitting title as there was a threat so big, it led the X-men to team up with their rival Magneto. This Movie was based off an 80’s X-men comic called “God Loves, man kills” which took the X-men to Weapon X (for those who don’t know, Weapon X is the place where Wolverine got his adamantium bones). The film has since been called one of the best Comic book adaptations because of its story and characters. The film was a success and a few years later, X-men the Last Stand was released.

Now this is where people started to say the series went downhill. I will admit, looking at the film with the others, it sticks out like a sore thumb. But this was the film where a war broke out, people were getting killed. Even the Mutants being bad storyline was turned up a notch. This film was once again based off another story from the eighties, the dark Phoenix saga. This has been said to be “the” X-men comic to read. It’s like what The Watchmen is to DC, this is to marvel. But the comic eventually ends with the death of Jean Grey, something which happens in the movie as well. The film also had another storyline adapted from the comics, the Mutant Cure. This was first shown in “Astonishing X-men” and put the mutant world into a dilemma. They could either stick with their powers or cure them. This results into an all-out war between the X-men and the Brotherhood. But even through it got mixed opinions from fans, the films brought the X-men saga to its rightful close.

A few years later, the next film was announced; Wolverine Origins. This was given even more stick than the last stand. While I can see why this was, it was still a good movie. The origin of Wolverine revealed on the big screen, it was perfect. But the fact of the matter is, it’s a far from perfect film. So, this film adapts the “Weapon X” story from the eighties with influences from the “origin” story back in the early century. I have two major problems with this film, first of all, Bullets? All it took was one Bullet in the head to make Wolverine forget. And why was Deadpool’s mouth stitched. It seemed both stupid and horrifying. This film was given the worst reception out of all the other movies. People didn’t like it for the reasons I pointed out above, and more. But honestly, I didn’t care about any of the other stupid points. I thought the whole story was stupid. But we at least got some good action scenes and the fight with Wolverine, Sabertooth and Deadpool was pretty awesome.

Now, the final film, a prequel to the whole series. X-men: First class is the latest instalment and shows the back story to Xavier and Magneto at a time when they were both friends. The story follows the revenge of Magneto as he tries to find the person who killed his mother in World War 2. While I don’t want to give too much detail for those who haven’t seen it, but the films ends with everything leading into a sequel. While I do enjoy this film for both action and story, I do fell there are a few continuity problems I want to address. Xavier and Mystique start out as friends, yet their friendship is never addressed in the new movies. Magneto meets Xavier from what appears to be in their twenties, but Xavier mentions in the first X-men film that they have known each other since they were seventeen. These are just a few minor errors, the rest I will let you figure out for yourself.

So now my opinion on these movies, I love them all. Yes, besides the stupid plots, the continuity errors and the endless count of characters. Even if you don’t like them, you can still find something you enjoy. Wolverine Origins is the film that nearly everyone hates, yet I look at it and see so many things it did right. It had him talk to normal humans. It had him socialise for a while to see what he is really like. When do you see that in an X-men film? How long have you wanted to see what Wolverine does in his spare time or when he finds comfort in a normal family? Hardly ever. So that’s that wrapped up. Now all we have to do is wait for X-men: Days of Future Past and The Wolverine.

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Bane2099
Bane2099 - 9/19/2012, 11:27 AM
I think someone should do, as the MCU has, is build a timeline of the X-Men films and try to point out and/or make sense on the continuity errors and such...
GOTG
GOTG - 9/19/2012, 11:50 AM
use paragraphs and put this in editorials
Bane2099
Bane2099 - 9/19/2012, 5:48 PM
sosthetruth

Im more curious how the Days of Future Past concept is gonna play out in the sequel
golden123
golden123 - 9/20/2012, 3:00 PM
You used the word "entreating" wrong.
fullmetal
fullmetal - 9/20/2012, 4:27 PM
X-men first class is the worst comic book movies of all time! Here is a film that is suppose to tell the origin of the whole x-men IDEOLOGY, the struggle between magneto and Xavier, the struggle between violence versus non violence, and they completely fail at conveying any true depth in the emotional aspects of the storytelling. The movie completely sleep walks through the emotional aspects with no exploration of the psychological dynamics behind those emotions. A perfect example is when Mystique crosses over to Magneto's side. This was such a pathetic scene, done just for the sake of betrayal, but what was the emotional motivation behind that betrayal? Because Magneto puckered lips with her? Because he told her she looked better blue? That's why she betrays Xavier? YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!! Mystique is suppose to be a mentally unstable shape shifter with an identity crisis, like in the comic! What is this Xavier's sister crap? She's just an insecure weakling who wants to fit in! Whoever thought it was a good idea to make Mystique Xavier's sister should be shot.

Moving on, this film totally misses the ball when it comes to Xavier. Who is this guy? He's just some Richie Rich womanizer who lives it up and for no reason is non violent. There's no reason at all!!! I can't believe they didn't explore the psychological dynamics for why Xavier has chosen a life of non-violence! That's where the story is suppose to be! They left out his whole story! The struggles with his brother, Cain Marko. Cain abused Xavier and there are a lot of psychological constructs that are formed in Xavier due to these events with Cain. Also Xavier's experience as a medic in the Korean War(?) and the whole ordeal with Moira; all this was cut out for nonsense or just to focus on Magneto. This story is almost as bad as X3. How can you not focus on Xavier!! And you "X-men fans" like this film?!

Then there's the stupidest scene in the history of comic book films; the scene when the team first sees Hank as Beast and Mystique says "This is who you were meant to be." It's enough to make me barf. i like to rewind and put that scene on repeat just so I can laugh hilariously!! You people really think that line in screenplay is logical? This guy experimented on himself!!!! How in God's name is that suppose to be "who he's meant to be" if it was attained unnaturally?! What a joke!
That line right there, completely reveals the ignorance of the writers and film makers on their understanding of the X-men ideology.

Don't even get me started on the feet! Why it was so hard to get this guy a body cast to make him look big? We'll never know!

And what the hell is with Havoc's hoola hoops? This guy is suppose to raise hell when he bursts, not this corny crap!

This movie is so stupid. One moment you got Xavier talking about how mutation is an evolutionary process, referring to the Neanderthal and genetics, then the next moment you got the dumb ass villain talking about how radiation gave birth to mutants. What?! It's like an 8th grader wrote this film.

The villain's plot is ridiculous. He want's to start nuclear war because the radiation will cause mutation. He even goes as far as literally saying, "radiation gave birth to mutants." This is complete crap. If you read the comics or have seen any of Bryan Singer's films, you will know that mutation was all about EVOLUTION!!!! This is X-Men, not the Incredible Hulk! Can mutation be a result of radiation? Yes. But the type of mutation that creates the mutants in X-Men is due to evolution; a slow process. Just listen to Xavier's opening statement in X1. And Bryan Singer supposedly wrote this? Moron can't even remember the continuity/content of his own films! I lost all respect for him now and it's evident "the Usual Suspects" and X1 was just luck. X2 was good but what he did to Rogue's character was not right and was just a hint of his stupidity ...don't eve get me started on Superman Returns.

Another horrible thing about this film is the directing. i miss Singer's direction. It was very sophisticated and i feel like he took the material seriously. here, it goes back and forth from being serious to being wacky and lame..lamer than spiderman 3 dancing on the bar lame. The lamest thing was when Angel shows magneto and X her wings. It's suppose to be a secret... BUT SHE SHOWS THEM IN A ROOM FULL OF WINDOWS WITH A WHOLE STRIP CLUB IN THE BACK!!! No thought went into this at all!! This loses all credibility for the realism. Get with the program Vaugn!!!

Here are two more continuity/illogical errors: Xavier says before the team puts on the yellow suits that they were bulletproof, then what happens? HE GETS SHOT IN THE BACK!!!! Then at the end of the movie the CIA, i repeat again, THE CIA can't find xavier simply because he mind wiped Moira. THIS IS SO STUPID!! XAVIER IS A FILTHY RICH FAT CAT WHO OPENLY USED HIS NAME WHEN HE WAS WITH THE CIA..HIS FAMILY IS RICH, I'M PRETTY SURE PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY KNOW WHO THE XAVIER'S ARE, YET THE CIA CAN'T FIND THEM!!!These guys can kill kennedy but can't find a rich bastard named charles xavier!! ha ha ha!! this movie is so pathetic it's hilarious and what's even funnier is how people close their eyes to these errors.

Another problem is when Emma Frost uses her diamond form to cut a whole in the screening room for the CIA and tells them some idiotic crap about war. Look, IF SHE CAN CONTROL PEOPLE'S MINDS, WHY IN THE HELL DIDN'T SHE DO IT, RIGHT THERE?!!! It makes no sense!! This film is far from brilliant.

another stupid moment is when the CIA are resistant to letting Mag and X work in the field with Stryker Sr. saying something along the lines of "don't authorize these freaks," to which the CIA agent speaking on Mag and X's behalf says "These freaks are hardworking and dedicated people!" Then the next scene is them in the field, inferring that if you ever want to convince the CIA just tell them "I'm hardworking!!" WHAT!? That's how you convinced them with that lame line?! LOL!

Then there's the continuity errors, which are a disgrace to storytelling. People who say that this film is only in continuity with Singer's films are full of crap. Xavier says in X1, "When I was 17, I met a man named Erick Leinsherr." Wrong! Then the whole story from X-men 1 about Magneto helping Xavier to build cerebro is crap because in fact it was Hank who built it with the CIA!!! Another continuity error! And the whole dialogue from X-men 1 about how Magneto's helmet is able to block X's telepathy because Magneto helped him built it is another continuity error because Magneto got the helmet from Shaw!! Then you got people saying this is a reboot. Oh, Really? Is that why Hugh Jackman was in the thing? Is that why the original first class weren't in it? Is that why they decided to copy the opening scene from the original film? If this is a reboot, then the producers, along with Singer are degenerate morons who should be lynched because they excluded the classic first class just to put in "mutants we haven't seen," which is completely stupid because it disrespects the source material. At least if this was a prequel it gives them an excuse not to put the original first class in it because of their twisted chronology.

People only like this film because of the violence and because of Magneto. Granted. Magneto was great but so what. The movie is called X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, not Magneto. This is an epic failure in storytelling, so epic you could teach a college course on it.

Enough is enough. The X-Men film franchise is officially dead to me. Thank God!
lokibane2012
lokibane2012 - 9/20/2012, 4:53 PM
@fullmetal

You obviously didn't watch the same film I did. I though it set up everything pretty well, from the conflicting ideologies to the character relationships.

It's one of the best superhero films of all time in my opinion, up there with Avengers, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2, and Iron Man. Certainly on the same level as Captain America-TFA, Amazing Spider Man, and the original Batman (1989).

---

As for the X-Men films. The first was meh, the second was meh, the third was shite, and Wolverine was even worse.

I don't understand the praise for the first two X-Men films outside of a few casting choices. They were dull, soulless movies. And I would forget that if they were intelligent features, but they weren't. They took ethical dilemmas and pretty much did nothing with them. Lame films.
Tainted87
Tainted87 - 9/20/2012, 6:30 PM
How were the X-Men movies soulless? They used mutants as a metaphor for minority groups. The second one, particularly, has so many facets.

Magneto is the living proof of man's inhumanity to man - having survived the Holocaust, ironically, thanks to his mutation. He will never believe humans and mutants can co-exist, and believes mutants should stand tall.

Mystique is a confident lieutenant who has the ability to blend in, to live a normal life as a human being, but chooses not to because Magneto has helped her see that her mutation is a blessing.

Nightcrawler cannot alter his demonic appearance and is the victim of intense prejudice. In truth, he is a devout Catholic who, despite the world's hatred towards him, believes God has a plan.

Rogue is a girl whose mutation is treated like a sexually-transmitted disease. She doesn't want to control her abilities, doesn't want to live with them - just wants them gone regardless.

Why does Jean sacrifice herself to save the Blackbird? As Xavier says: "because she made a choice." It was her Spock moment that came completely out of left-field, but damn if wasn't heart-wrenching. She used her powers to save the X-Men, demonstrating that there is a purpose to their mutation if they only look for it.
fullmetal
fullmetal - 9/26/2012, 12:43 PM
@lokibane2012

and you obviously didn't listen to one damn word I wrote. All those plot holes and illogical film making errors and you simply ignore them. I can assess from your comment that you don't read the comics. That's the saddest thing about this cursed x-men film franchise. to the average movie goer they are good but to the actual comic book reader/film lover they are insulting and a complete disgrace in continuity and story telling.
PeterParker1991
PeterParker1991 - 9/29/2012, 2:02 PM
Good article. Loved all the X-men films. Bring on the next two
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