X-Men: First Class — Killing off Darwin
Disney
“X-Men First Class” is an incredible reboot for the X-Men line. After the massive fumbles of “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” the series desperately needed a new direction. Enter director Matthew Vaughn. “First Class” moves the action to the ’60s, and provides an origin for Professor X and Magneto’s friendship and eventual fallout. Hiring Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James McAvoy as Professor X was perfect casting, and the addition of Sebastian Shaw, one of the X-Men’s most powerful villains, provided a compelling new adversary. However, one nagging creative choice has haunted fans since the film debuted: the decision to kill off Darwin.
For the uninitiated, Darwin is a mutant who can evolve to live through anything. As such, it’s a bit confusing when he’s killed in his first onscreen appearance. Even actor Edi Gathegi thinks so, as he told ComicBook.com. “He adapts to survive. He cannot die,” Gathegi said. “So yeah, I thought that was a huge miss, killing Darwin, and I think Darwin does deserve redemption.” We agree. Darwin deserved better. Fans kept hoping that he’d return in the final battle or a post-credits stinger, but multiple movies later, Darwin is still nowhere to be seen.
The New Mutants — Promised horror, delivered meh
20th Century Studios
“The New Mutants” was billed as the first mainstream superhero horror film. The trailer gave off intense “A Nightmare on Elm Street” vibes, and fans were accordingly excited to see a new twist on the superhero genre. In an interview with AMC Theatres, director Josh Boone said, “I really didn’t want it to look like another comic book movie, but almost like a horror movie from the ’90s.” Then the PG-13 rating was announced, and fears that this would be a toothless horror film began to surface.
According to Forbes, the movie “went from promising YA/horror spin-off in Fox’s still-strong ‘X-Men’ series to an unwanted, orphaned installment of an already dead franchise.” Reshoots to make it scarier were planned and never transpired, resulting in a movie with an identity crisis. It wasn’t scary enough for horror fans, and it wasn’t exciting enough for superhero fans. Really, it felt more like a glossy pilot for a new Netflix series than a feature film. Sadly, even if “The New Mutants” had been a success, the Disney train was already in motion. Outside of a few cameos, Fox’s X-verse is becoming a fading memory, which is a shame because the “New Mutants” cast is fantastic. Only time will tell if the MCU will bring back these specific mutants, but fans of the “Demon Bear” comics would love a redo.
X-Men: Apocalypse — No consequences for Magneto
20th Century Studios / YouTube
On paper, “X-Men: Apocalypse” seemed destined to be a mutant showdown for the ages. With Oscar Isaac as the nigh-invincible mutant Apocalypse and the addition of Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Angel, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Psylocke to the X-Men roster, fans’ hopes were sky high. However, the final film features an overstuffed and lazy narrative that focuses on spectacle at the expense of character. One of its most infuriating moments is Magneto aiding in the deaths of millions and then just … walking away.
Magneto and Professor X have always been on opposite sides of the mutant-human debate. Still, the lack of accountability for Magneto at the end of this film is mind-boggling. After the final battle, where Magneto rips metal out of the Earth, destroying billions of dollars’ worth of property and killing countless people, does he go to jail? No. Instead, he’s offered a teaching position at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, which he politely refuses. To be clear, Apocalypse didn’t possess Magneto. He committed these atrocities on his own volition and suffered no repercussions. Fans love Magneto, but there’s a limit to what they can forgive.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine — Cartoon Claws
20th Century Studios
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” already has enough story problems to send fans into a berserker rage, but it also features laughable visual effects. A particularly goofy moment occurs when Logan admires his new adamantium claws, which look like they’ve been rendered via hand-drawn animation. In previous films, Wolvie’s signature weapons looked like genuine death-dealing blades. Here, they feel weightless, more like something from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” than the X-Men’s grittiest hero’s origin story.
In previous entries, Wolverine’s claws were realized via a mix of practical and computer effects. In “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” they’re almost exclusively CGI. This decision was made partially for safety, as Hugh Jackman told Vulture. “I can’t tell you how many people I stabbed, how I stabbed myself. They were killing machines,” he said. While we always advocate for a safe working environment, using solely computer-generated claws proved distractingly bad. We’re not alone in thinking so, either. CHUD.com counts a use of Wolverine’s CGI claws as one of “the 20 worst instances of CGI in movie history.”
X-Men Origins: Wolverine — The Merc with No Mouth
20th Century Studios
It’s easy to forget now, but the big screen debut of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool did not deliver. Yes, in the opening scene of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Reynolds is as great as you’d expect as Wade Wilson, cracking jokes and cutting bullets in half with his swords, but then he disappears for the majority of the film. When he finally returns for the climactic battle, he has no mouth and a potpourri of mutant powers, including eye blasts and the ability to unsheathe giant swords from his knuckles. It’s even sillier than it sounds.
As we all know now, casting Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is a perfect decision. So, why would anyone look at a character known as “The Merc with a Mouth” and literally take his mouth away? This woefully misguided creative choice is the most infuriating moment in the entire X-Men series. Even Ryan Reynolds thought it was a bad idea. As he told Entertainment Weekly, “I was already attached to the Deadpool movie … It was sort of like, ‘Play Deadpool in this movie, or else we’ll get someone else to.’ And I just said, ‘I’ll do it, but it’s the wrong version.’” Thankfully, fans and Reynolds got the last laugh. At the end of “Deadpool 2,” Wade time travels to clean up the X-Men film continuity and kills off this mouthless monstrosity. Classic Deadpool.
X-Men Franchise Moments That Still Make Us Angry
By Ben Begley/Aug. 10, 2022 4:16 pm EST
“X-Men” is undeniably one of the best series to ever spring from the pages of a comic book. For decades, X-fans have pored over comics full of action and epic emotional arcs, a classic animated series, and a very hit-and-miss live-action film franchise. From highs like “Logan,” “Days of Future Past,” and “X2” to lows like “Dark Phoenix,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” and “The Last Stand,” the big screen appearances of Marvel’s merry mutants have been wildly uneven, and there are plenty of specific moments in these films that still make us upset.
With the X-Men’s impending entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, hope is on the horizon, and now that mutants have officially begun to sneak into the MCU, it feels like a good time to revisit some of the moments we hope future films don’t repeat. Even the best films in the franchise aren’t flawless. Some offenses are mild, while others made long-time comic book fans want to storm out of the theater. Join us as we get our claws out and slice away at some of the franchise’s biggest missteps. Snikt!
With the X-Men’s impending entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, hope is on the horizon, and now that mutants have officially begun to sneak into the MCU, it feels like a good time to revisit some of the moments we hope future films don’t repeat. Even the best films in the franchise aren’t flawless. Some offenses are mild, while others made long-time comic book fans want to storm out of the theater. Join us as we get our claws out and slice away at some of the franchise’s biggest missteps. Snikt!
X-Men — Non-comic accurate costumes
X-Men: First Class — Killing off Darwin
Disney
“X-Men First Class” is an incredible reboot for the X-Men line. After the massive fumbles of “X-Men: The Last Stand” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” the series desperately needed a new direction. Enter director Matthew Vaughn. “First Class” moves the action to the ’60s, and provides an origin for Professor X and Magneto’s friendship and eventual fallout. Hiring Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James McAvoy as Professor X was perfect casting, and the addition of Sebastian Shaw, one of the X-Men’s most powerful villains, provided a compelling new adversary. However, one nagging creative choice has haunted fans since the film debuted: the decision to kill off Darwin.
For the uninitiated, Darwin is a mutant who can evolve to live through anything. As such, it’s a bit confusing when he’s killed in his first onscreen appearance. Even actor Edi Gathegi thinks so, as he told ComicBook.com. “He adapts to survive. He cannot die,” Gathegi said. “So yeah, I thought that was a huge miss, killing Darwin, and I think Darwin does deserve redemption.” We agree. Darwin deserved better. Fans kept hoping that he’d return in the final battle or a post-credits stinger, but multiple movies later, Darwin is still nowhere to be seen.
For the uninitiated, Darwin is a mutant who can evolve to live through anything. As such, it’s a bit confusing when he’s killed in his first onscreen appearance. Even actor Edi Gathegi thinks so, as he told ComicBook.com. “He adapts to survive. He cannot die,” Gathegi said. “So yeah, I thought that was a huge miss, killing Darwin, and I think Darwin does deserve redemption.”
We agree. Darwin deserved better. Fans kept hoping that he’d return in the final battle or a post-credits stinger, but multiple movies later, Darwin is still nowhere to be seen.
X-Men: Days of Future Past — Sidelining Wolverine
Deadpool — Where are all the X-Men?
“Deadpool” is a wild and irreverent movie that no one thought would get made. It doesn’t just break the fourth wall; it completely obliterates it. It’s funny, has heart, mocks the X-Men series’ confusing timeline, and is shockingly bloody. It stands out from the other “X-Men” movies in nearly every way possible — including only featuring a couple of X-Men. Frankly, we wanted to see more.
In the film, Deadpool jokes, “It’s funny that I only ever see two of you. It’s almost like the studio couldn’t afford another X-Man.” It’s true that the movie had a comparatively lower budget for an X-Men film, but there’s a much simpler reason why more mutants didn’t pop up. Screenwriter Paul Wernick broke it down at a screening of the film (reported by ComicBook.com): “We didn’t want to populate his world with X-Men. They’re two separate franchises, and I think had we done that, we would have been making a mistake. Even if we did have the budget.” “Deadpool” made enough money to warrant a sequel and proved that R-rated superhero films could be big business. So, even with a few missing mutants, this movie was ultimately a huge win for fans.
In the film, Deadpool jokes, “It’s funny that I only ever see two of you. It’s almost like the studio couldn’t afford another X-Man.” It’s true that the movie had a comparatively lower budget for an X-Men film, but there’s a much simpler reason why more mutants didn’t pop up. Screenwriter Paul Wernick broke it down at a screening of the film (reported by ComicBook.com): “We didn’t want to populate his world with X-Men. They’re two separate franchises, and I think had we done that, we would have been making a mistake. Even if we did have the budget.”
“Deadpool” made enough money to warrant a sequel and proved that R-rated superhero films could be big business. So, even with a few missing mutants, this movie was ultimately a huge win for fans.
The Wolverine — CGI overkill
After the much-maligned “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” its sequel, “The Wolverine,” is a step up, with a grittier and more grounded story. It also has significantly higher stakes, with Logan losing his powers. However, the moment that drove both fans and critics batty involves a fight with an overly computer-generated Silver Samurai that’s so over-the-top that it feels like it belongs in a different movie.
“The Wolverine” has some fantastic set pieces, including the fight between Logan and Yakuza leader Shingen. Unfortunately, they make the shoddy CGI-driven climax stick out like a sore thumb. It feels like the result of some studio meddling — and, as it turns out, it is. As James Mangold told Den of Geek, “The studio was really concerned that we have big, CG action to stay afloat against the other films we were up against.” Luckily, the movie hit enough high notes at the box office that James Mangold and Hugh Jackman were allowed to unleash Wolverine’s full potential in their brilliant swan song, “Logan.”
“The Wolverine” has some fantastic set pieces, including the fight between Logan and Yakuza leader Shingen. Unfortunately, they make the shoddy CGI-driven climax stick out like a sore thumb. It feels like the result of some studio meddling — and, as it turns out, it is. As James Mangold told Den of Geek, “The studio was really concerned that we have big, CG action to stay afloat against the other films we were up against.” Luckily, the movie hit enough high notes at the box office that James Mangold and Hugh Jackman were allowed to unleash Wolverine’s full potential in their brilliant swan song, “Logan.”
The New Mutants — Promised horror, delivered meh
20th Century Studios
“The New Mutants” was billed as the first mainstream superhero horror film. The trailer gave off intense “A Nightmare on Elm Street” vibes, and fans were accordingly excited to see a new twist on the superhero genre. In an interview with AMC Theatres, director Josh Boone said, “I really didn’t want it to look like another comic book movie, but almost like a horror movie from the ’90s.” Then the PG-13 rating was announced, and fears that this would be a toothless horror film began to surface.
According to Forbes, the movie “went from promising YA/horror spin-off in Fox’s still-strong ‘X-Men’ series to an unwanted, orphaned installment of an already dead franchise.” Reshoots to make it scarier were planned and never transpired, resulting in a movie with an identity crisis. It wasn’t scary enough for horror fans, and it wasn’t exciting enough for superhero fans. Really, it felt more like a glossy pilot for a new Netflix series than a feature film. Sadly, even if “The New Mutants” had been a success, the Disney train was already in motion. Outside of a few cameos, Fox’s X-verse is becoming a fading memory, which is a shame because the “New Mutants” cast is fantastic. Only time will tell if the MCU will bring back these specific mutants, but fans of the “Demon Bear” comics would love a redo.
According to Forbes, the movie “went from promising YA/horror spin-off in Fox’s still-strong ‘X-Men’ series to an unwanted, orphaned installment of an already dead franchise.” Reshoots to make it scarier were planned and never transpired, resulting in a movie with an identity crisis. It wasn’t scary enough for horror fans, and it wasn’t exciting enough for superhero fans. Really, it felt more like a glossy pilot for a new Netflix series than a feature film.
Sadly, even if “The New Mutants” had been a success, the Disney train was already in motion. Outside of a few cameos, Fox’s X-verse is becoming a fading memory, which is a shame because the “New Mutants” cast is fantastic. Only time will tell if the MCU will bring back these specific mutants, but fans of the “Demon Bear” comics would love a redo.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix — Again?
However, there may be a “Marvel-ous” reason this Phoenix was doomed to crash and burn. James McAvoy told Yahoo Movies UK, “The finale had to change. There was a lot of overlap and parallels with another superhero movie that came out … a while ago.”
That movie may have been “Captain Marvel.” Both films feature shape-shifting aliens, and the original ending of “Dark Phoenix” took place in outer space; this was changed to an Earth-based conclusion during the reshoots. Given that a “Kinberg Cut” seems unlikely, we’re stuck with what was released, which feels like a loose remake of “X-Men: The Last Stand.” The finale to a decades-long series ended with a whimper instead of a fiery bang.
X-Men: Apocalypse — No consequences for Magneto
20th Century Studios / YouTube
On paper, “X-Men: Apocalypse” seemed destined to be a mutant showdown for the ages. With Oscar Isaac as the nigh-invincible mutant Apocalypse and the addition of Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Angel, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Psylocke to the X-Men roster, fans’ hopes were sky high. However, the final film features an overstuffed and lazy narrative that focuses on spectacle at the expense of character. One of its most infuriating moments is Magneto aiding in the deaths of millions and then just … walking away.
Magneto and Professor X have always been on opposite sides of the mutant-human debate. Still, the lack of accountability for Magneto at the end of this film is mind-boggling. After the final battle, where Magneto rips metal out of the Earth, destroying billions of dollars’ worth of property and killing countless people, does he go to jail? No. Instead, he’s offered a teaching position at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, which he politely refuses. To be clear, Apocalypse didn’t possess Magneto. He committed these atrocities on his own volition and suffered no repercussions. Fans love Magneto, but there’s a limit to what they can forgive.
Magneto and Professor X have always been on opposite sides of the mutant-human debate. Still, the lack of accountability for Magneto at the end of this film is mind-boggling. After the final battle, where Magneto rips metal out of the Earth, destroying billions of dollars’ worth of property and killing countless people, does he go to jail? No. Instead, he’s offered a teaching position at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, which he politely refuses. To be clear, Apocalypse didn’t possess Magneto. He committed these atrocities on his own volition and suffered no repercussions. Fans love Magneto, but there’s a limit to what they can forgive.
X-Men: The Last Stand — Killing Cyclops
X-Men Origins: Wolverine — Cartoon Claws
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” already has enough story problems to send fans into a berserker rage, but it also features laughable visual effects. A particularly goofy moment occurs when Logan admires his new adamantium claws, which look like they’ve been rendered via hand-drawn animation. In previous films, Wolvie’s signature weapons looked like genuine death-dealing blades. Here, they feel weightless, more like something from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” than the X-Men’s grittiest hero’s origin story.
In previous entries, Wolverine’s claws were realized via a mix of practical and computer effects. In “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” they’re almost exclusively CGI. This decision was made partially for safety, as Hugh Jackman told Vulture. “I can’t tell you how many people I stabbed, how I stabbed myself. They were killing machines,” he said. While we always advocate for a safe working environment, using solely computer-generated claws proved distractingly bad. We’re not alone in thinking so, either. CHUD.com counts a use of Wolverine’s CGI claws as one of “the 20 worst instances of CGI in movie history.”
In previous entries, Wolverine’s claws were realized via a mix of practical and computer effects. In “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” they’re almost exclusively CGI. This decision was made partially for safety, as Hugh Jackman told Vulture. “I can’t tell you how many people I stabbed, how I stabbed myself. They were killing machines,” he said. While we always advocate for a safe working environment, using solely computer-generated claws proved distractingly bad. We’re not alone in thinking so, either. CHUD.com counts a use of Wolverine’s CGI claws as one of “the 20 worst instances of CGI in movie history.”
X-Men: The Last Stand — Dark Phoenix disaster
Jean begins the movie on an irredeemable note, killing Cyclops, and then plays back-up-baddie to Magneto for the rest of the film. She spends most of her screentime standing in the woods until an all-out mutant beatdown unfolds on the Golden Gate Bridge. However cool the final action set piece may look, the focus isn’t on stopping Jean as the Dark Phoenix. It’s about stopping the mutant cure. Really, “X-Men: The Last Stand” is barely a “Dark Phoenix” adaptation at all. The script ignores the operatic space adventures from the comics in favor of a half-realized Cliff’s Notes version of the source material. As you can imagine, fans were pretty upset.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine — The Merc with No Mouth
It’s easy to forget now, but the big screen debut of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool did not deliver. Yes, in the opening scene of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Reynolds is as great as you’d expect as Wade Wilson, cracking jokes and cutting bullets in half with his swords, but then he disappears for the majority of the film. When he finally returns for the climactic battle, he has no mouth and a potpourri of mutant powers, including eye blasts and the ability to unsheathe giant swords from his knuckles. It’s even sillier than it sounds.
As we all know now, casting Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is a perfect decision. So, why would anyone look at a character known as “The Merc with a Mouth” and literally take his mouth away? This woefully misguided creative choice is the most infuriating moment in the entire X-Men series. Even Ryan Reynolds thought it was a bad idea. As he told Entertainment Weekly, “I was already attached to the Deadpool movie … It was sort of like, ‘Play Deadpool in this movie, or else we’ll get someone else to.’ And I just said, ‘I’ll do it, but it’s the wrong version.’” Thankfully, fans and Reynolds got the last laugh. At the end of “Deadpool 2,” Wade time travels to clean up the X-Men film continuity and kills off this mouthless monstrosity. Classic Deadpool.
As we all know now, casting Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool is a perfect decision. So, why would anyone look at a character known as “The Merc with a Mouth” and literally take his mouth away? This woefully misguided creative choice is the most infuriating moment in the entire X-Men series. Even Ryan Reynolds thought it was a bad idea. As he told Entertainment Weekly, “I was already attached to the Deadpool movie … It was sort of like, ‘Play Deadpool in this movie, or else we’ll get someone else to.’ And I just said, ‘I’ll do it, but it’s the wrong version.’” Thankfully, fans and Reynolds got the last laugh. At the end of “Deadpool 2,” Wade time travels to clean up the X-Men film continuity and kills off this mouthless monstrosity. Classic Deadpool.
