The superhero franchise is and has been king of the blockbuster box office for some time now, and while we’re inundated with new superhero movies ever year,X-Menis something of a minor miracle of a franchise. The first film redefined what a superhero movie could be 20 years ago, and and the franchise remained alive and going (though not alwayswell) for nearly two decades. The longevity of this franchise is wildly impressive, and while it’s almost certainly come to an end now that Disney has acquired Fox and will likely reboot the franchise at some point in the future, it remains a tremendously impressive achievement.
So with that said, now feels like an appropriate time to go back and revisit the franchise thus far, fromX-Menall the way up through the likely swan songDark Phoenix. Below, I present to you my ranking of everyX-Menmovie from worst to best.
[Editor’s note:X-MendirectorsBryan SingerandBrett Ratnerare, by most accounts, troubling individuals. This list is in no way an endorsement of their behavior, but instead a reflection on films that were made by many, many people.]
12.) X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Let’s get this out of the way:X-Men Origins: Wolverineis an unmitigated disaster. It wasn’tsupposedto be a disaster, mind you—directorGavin Hoodhad just won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film when he signed on to direct—but disputes with the studio during production and an overall lack of vision led to the garbage fire that we have today. The film is intended to be an origin story, but pretty much drops that aspect after the first act in favor of sprinkling in as many mutants as possible before finally melding together a hodgepodge of comics characters—both figuratively and literally—into the embarrassment that isthis movie’s Weapon XI/Deadpool. It makes no sense, but little of this movie does.
The emotional throughline of the film (ie.Lynn Collins’ Kayla) is also dropped at the end of the first act before magically reappearing at the end for no good reason, and then there’sLiev Schreiber’s Victor Creed—Wolverine’s brother. There’s a fascinating brother story in here somewhere, butX-Men Originsfails to find it, instead opting to use Victor as a plot device serving another plot device, which would beDanny Huston’s Major William Stryker.
The film’s action is embarrassingly lackluster, the visual effects are sloppy and roughshod, and the storytelling is an absolute disaster. Pretty much the only non-terrible thing about the movie isHugh Jackman, but even he has trouble selling some of the silliness this script calls dialogue. Oh yeah, this is also theX-Menmovie where they letwill.i.am.from theBlack Eyed Peasplay a mutant for… reasons?Days of Future Pasterased this film from the official canon, andDeadpool 2went one further, and it’s best to just continue pretending like it never existed at all.
11.) X-Men: Apocalypse
FilmmakerBryan Singermade his return to theX-Menfranchise with the pretty goodX-Men: Days of Future Past, but his follow-up film fell way short of expectations.X-Men: Apocalypsesuffers from many of the same problems that plague today’s blockbusters—an uninteresting villain, bloated runtime, over-reliance on set pieces, too-complicated-for-its-own-good narrative. And whileDays of Future Pasthad a lot of characters, the fractured time periods served as a great way to focus the narrative. The future-set stuff was really just an excuse to show off some really cool action with serious stakes, while the 70s-set scenes were where the emotion and payoff came through. WithApocalypse, the film is juggling too much. It wants to have the grounded reality of the firstX-Menby showing Erik with a family and literally returning to the concentration camp where his parents were killed. It also wants to introduce a new younger subset of famous mutants, likeFirst Class. And it wants to showcase worldwide destruction via a two-dimensional villain/complete waste ofOscar Isaac’s time. It’s trying to do too many things at once, and all things we’ve seen before. And it fails on almost every level.
Evan Petersis actually kind of the best thing about this movie, as the Quicksilver sequence is once again downright thrilling, and the balance of comedy and drama with which he plays his search for his father is spot-on. It’s a shame he doesn’t have much screentime, whereas characters like Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) and even Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) fall mostly flat as they feel like they’re in a different movie entirely. And don’t get me started on that dreadfully dumb Wolverine cameo.
Apocalypsemay have been better if Singer and Co. had just focused on one set of mutants instead ofalsotrying to introduce a new generation. There’s a lack of cohesion that prevents any sense of satisfaction from the story, and as the tone shifts wildly from deep emotional drama to disaster epic, nothing really sticks. To be blunt,X-Men: Apocalypseis a forgettable waste of everyone’s time.
10.) Dark Phoenix
As a longtime fan of theX-Menfranchise (for better and worse), it is a supreme bummer to discover that the series' likely final proper installment is as limp and mediocre asDark Phoenix.Longtime franchise writer/producerSimon Kinbergmade his directorial debut with theApocalypsefollow-up, intending to finally make good on theDark Phoenixstoryline after botching it inX-Men: The LastStand, but the film fails as both aDark Phoenixadaptation and as anX-Menmovie. UnlikeThe Last Stand, we barely knowSophie Turner’s Jean Grey so the film sloppily tries to tie in some emotional investment via a tragic backstory, and we also aren’t familiar enough with Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) to empathize with his pain at watching Jean go kaboom. But even the characters wedoknow and love have little to do here, with Magneto (Michael Fassbender) boiled down to a mere plot device andJennifer Lawrence’s Mystique unceremoniously jettisoned before the end of the first act—although Fassbender, unsurprisingly, manages to still be the best thing about this movie.
There’s an interesting angle with regards to Xavier’s (James McAvoy) plotline and digging into the character’s ego-centrism, but again the film isn’t elegant enough to ever really pay it off in a satisfying way. Ironically,Dark Phoenixsuffers many of the same issues that plaguedThe Last Stand, as the befuddling villain plot not only wastesJessica Chastain’s talent but detracts from the main story at hand whilealsomanaging to go absolutely nowhere.
Dark Phoenixisn’t a complete disaster. It’s competently made and Turner delivers a solid performance given what she has to work with. But it’s not compelling or satisfying enough to ever really click, and as an “ending” to theFirst Classcharacters, it’s an utter disappointment. So this is how theX-Menfranchise ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.
9.) X-Men: The Last Stand
After two successfulX-Menmovies, 2006 is where things started to go south.X-Men: The Last Standbegins well enough, once again showing the team working together while introducing a new outside threat, but signs of the glut and monotony of the picture start seeping in just as Magneto begins forming his Brotherhood of Mutants.The Last Standhas two plot devices too many, as the film simultaneously tries to jugglethe Dark Phoenix storyline, the prospect of a mutant cure, and the formation of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Had the filmmakers settled on just one of these and focused on fleshing that out from a character perspective, we could’ve been in for something more in line with the previous two features. But as it stands—and underBrett Ratner’s stale direction—the film is overstuffed and, frankly, pretty boring.
Granted, this is a movie that was racing towards a release date without a director. After Bryan Singer left the director’s chair, eventualFirst ClasshelmerMatthew Vaughnstepped in. But afterdeveloping the picture for a few months, Vaughn departed to attend to personal matters, and Ratner hopped into the driver’s seat of a fast-moving train. There was little time to hone the film to Ratner’s sensibilities, but that didn’t seem to matter as the filmmaker’s lack of sophistication is nevertheless plenty prevalent throughout the movie—each new mutant seems to be crafted with an air of silliness rather than the grounded nature of Singer’s previous films.
The picture culminates in a forgettable and very expensive-looking finale, but the real drag is that from a story point of view,The Last Standis one of the most significant films in the franchise—it kills off Cyclops, Professor X, and Jean Grey, three of the key characters of the series. That it does so with such flippancy is all the more frustrating, and luckily screenwriterSimon Kinbergwould undo his own mistakes with the ending ofDays of Future Past. Still,The Last Standmarks the moment where this series started gettingreallyshaky, and it took a few movies until the ship could be righted.
8.) Deadpool 2
Deadpool 2is fine. It’s a sequel that improves upon its predecessor in some ways, like offering up more dynamic action and a more complex story, but it also lags behind in other key areas—like lacking the first film’s razor sharp focus. You definitely can’t sayDeadpool 2isn’t true to its source material, but your mileage may vary depending on whether you find the Merc with a Mouth’s motormouth charming or grating.
DirectorDavid Leitchups the ante visually, and the prison break set piece in particular is one of the best action set pieces in theX-Menfranchise thus far. The inclusion of some other key X-Men characters is also pretty delightful, and indeedDeadpool 2’s strongest aspect may be its supporting cast.Zazie Beetsis effortlessly winning as Domino, a character you’re dying to see more of by the film’s end, andJosh Brolinbrings a gravitas to Cable that serves as a vital foil to Deadpool’s silliness. The film’s emotional centerpiece is also admirable, grounding Wade Wilson’s journey in his desire to be reunited with Vanessa while teaching him the value of Family with a capital F along the way.
And yet, despite all the visual flourishes and shiny new toys, it can’t help but feel like something’s missing in contrast to the first film. Perhaps it’s the shagginess of the originalDeadpoolthat was part of its charm, as the tiny budget forced the filmmakers to essentially stretch a single set piece over the course of a single movie. Or maybe more obviously, putting “the girlfriend in the refrigerator” robbed the sequel of the first film’s romanticism, which was one of its more pleasant surprises. Keeping Wade’s emotional stakes with Vanessa was smart, but her absence from a lot of the sequel was definitely felt in the end.
Deadpool 2isn’t a bad movie, and it’s certainly in the mid-upper tier as far asX-Menmovies go, but it’s not quite as good as the first film and with some distance, feels pretty forgettable.
The effect of 2000’sX-Menon the blockbuster landscape cannot be understated. The approach ofBryan Singerand Co.literally defined what a superhero movie could doby grounding the film with real emotions and real characters rather than approaching the whole thing as a disposable popcorn movie. I mean, the movie opens with Auschwitz during World War II—that takes guts. And while in retrospect the scale ofX-Menfeels quaint, its impact is still felt to this day, and as a standalone film it actually holds up pretty well.
X-Men’s greatest asset isHugh Jackman’s Wolverine, and it was a stroke of genius for the filmmakers to hinge the whole movie on this character whose entire lack of familiarity with the mutant world mimics the vast majority of audiences. He’s our “in”, and Jackman plays it perfectly while also setting up a tremendous dynamic withAnna Paquin’s Rogue, the emotional center of the film. Rogue epitomizes the fear and self-loathing that comes with being categorized as “different” and/or “dangerous,” and the film doesn’t shy away from the real-world parallels of the marginalization of this particular group of individuals.
Even nearly 20 years later, the themes ofX-Menare just as prescient. The action sequences are admittedly dated, but the rapport between the characters is the foundation of the movie, and this ensemble works terrifically off of one another—well, aside fromHalle Berry’s Storm, who maybe speaks 10 words in the entire movie. And the dynamic betweenPatrick StewartandIan McKellenas a parallel of the Martin Luther King Jr./Malcolm X relationship is yet another one of the unique touches that made this film such a landmark achievement in its day.
While pretty much all involved would improve upon the foundation that was built withX-Menin future installments, it remains an effective and refreshingly (in hindsight) intimate superhero tale all the same.
6.) Deadpool
The movie that Fox was so hesitant to greenlight turned out to be the highest grossingX-Menmovie so far (though it was eventually usurped by its sequel). Granted,Deadpoolis leagues different than anyX-Menfilm thus far, and the first to be R-rated, but directorTim Miller’s foul-mouthed adaptationstruck a major chord with audiences. And it’s a fun movie!Ryan Reynoldswas pretty much born to play this character, and he injects Wade Wilson with the humanity necessary to emotionally ground the film.Deadpool’s strongest aspect is its progressive romantic relationship, asMorena Baccarinnot only plays a fine foil for Wilson, but the depiction of their relationship is refreshingly confident and rejects the traditional gender dynamics found in most Hollywood blockbusters. And while getting Vanessa back ultimately serves as the driving plot point of the film, the character reacts to Wilson’s selfish actions appropriately.
Miller does a solid jobof crafting a genuine superhero movieon a very tight budget, and while the scale of the film does indeed feel small, Miller excels with action—especially in the final set piece. But the juvenile nature of the humor tends to get a little monotonous, and the comedic dynamic between Deadpool and his blind roommate is one heavily relied-upon gag that simply doesn’t land. Nevertheless, the movie works more often than it doesn’t, and the violent and humorously antiheroic nature of Wilson provides a delightful change of pace for theX-Menuniverse.
5.) X-Men: Days of Future Past
In many ways,X-Men: Days of Future Pastis the ultimateX-Menmovie. It marked directorBryan Singer’sreturn to the seriesafter departing followingX2, and it finally melded togetherthe old and new castinto one massive, All Star ensemble. And for the most part,Days of Future Pastreally works. The future-set sequences are wonderfully dynamic, and showcase various new mutant powers with the added bonus of killing characters over and over again thanks to the introduction of time travel. And the scorched earth setting is a terrifically unique touch that brings new shades toX-Menlore, giving fans a glimpse into a more sci-fi-leaningX-Menmovie.
But the bulk of the film takes place in the 70s, and that’s where it shines thanks once again to tremendous performances fromMichael Fassbender,Jennifer Lawrence,James McAvoy, andNicholas Hoult. McAvoy in particular gets the chance to stretch here as we’re introduced to a barely recognizable Charles Xavier, one riddled with guilt, shame, and exhaustion. ThrowingHugh Jackman’s Wolverine into the mix was a stroke of genius, and he serves as a perfect go-between for the young and new cast. And then there’sEvan Peters’ Quicksilver, who steals the entire film with one jaw-dropping sequence and proves thatjudgment based on marketing materialscan sometimes be way, way off base.
The film does start to drag a bit towards the end andPeter Dinklageis wasted as Bolivar Trask, and it’s not as visually arresting as its predecessorFirst Class. But for the most partDays of Future Pastis a compelling and entertaining watch, with the slightly lengthier but more cohesiveRogue Cutactually turning out to be a smidge better than the theatrical version.
4.) The Wolverine
The scale ofThe Wolverineis one of the smallest of theX-Menuniverse films, and yet the stakes of the movie feel so much bigger than the majority of the films in this particular franchise. By zeroing in on one character and anchoring the entire film with the emotional existential crisis ofHugh Jackman’s titular mutant,The Wolverineilluminated new shades of the most prolific character in theX-Menuniverse, and it did sowith refreshing grace and sensitivity. Wolverine’s past hangs heavy over all of his actions in this particular film, even though he’s surrounded by strangers. And that only makes his actions and motivations that much more empathetic, as Jackman turns in his (second) bestX-Menperformance to date as a lonely, wounded, and world weary Wolverine.
DirectorJames Mangoldtakes advantage of the Japanese setting fully, never hinging the film on tropes or stereotypes but instead finding new ways to flesh out the film’s “stranger in a strange land” themes.The Wolverineis one of the most visually impressive and dynamicX-Menfilms to date, andthe bullet train sequencealone stands as one of the franchise’s best action sequence so far. Intimacy is key with this particular film, and it informs everything from the fight scenes to the villain choices. And while the film disappointingly devolves into a more traditional superhero movie in its third act, the majority of its runtime is devoted to revealing new shades of Jackman’s iconic character through dialogue and character interactions, withRila Fukushima’s fellow mutant Yukio in particular providing a fantastic companion to The Wolverine.
Brief but key appearances byFamke Janssen’s Jean Grey haunt the film and its hero, and indeed upon releaseThe Wolverinein many ways felt like a culmination for the franchise given that Jackman’s character was our first introduction to the world of theX-Men. In a less ambitious filmmaker’s hands one can imagine the rote and opportunistic version of the Japan-setThe Wolverine, which makes Mangold’s iteration of the film all the more impressive.
And yet, this is a strange instance of a follow-up film somewhat diminishing the merits of its predecessor, as you get the feeling watchingLoganthat you’re seeing all the things Jackman and Mangold wanted to do withThe Wolverine, but weren’t allowed to attempt. This film’s issues become a bit more glaring in hindsight, but still,The Wolverinelaid the ground that madeLoganpossible, and it still remains top-tierX-Menmaterial.
Upon release,X2was heralded as a superior sequel and potentially genre-defining superhero film. And indeed, the film is really, really good, still holding up as incredibly solid all these years later. There’s a little sluggishness to the middle of the film, and its 133-minute runtime is surely felt as movie drones on, but it builds to a terrifically bittersweet finale, with directorBryan Singerteeing up the Dark Phoenix saga and also wrapping up the film’s political themes quite nicely.
The filmmaking team proves adept at juggling even more mutants this time around without the film ever feeling overcrowded, and indeedHugh Jackman’s Wolverine andFamke Janssen’s Jean Grey in particular get the most TLC, whileHalle Berryactually gets a story arc this time around as she’s closely tied withAlan Cumming’s impressive turn as Nightcrawler. Jackman is the backbone of this franchise, and as Wolverine anchored the firstX-Men, it’s only fitting that he continues to drive the story inX2. But what’s impressive about the sequel is that the film manages to continue this thread while also fleshing out the supporting characters around him, withBrian Cox’s William Stryker serving as the franchise’s best non-mutant villain ever.
In terms of action,X2doubles down from the get-go with the tremendous Nightcrawler White House sequence. It’s a terrifically thrilling set piece that’s then followed up by another visually arresting scene in the form of the museum sequence, which may not be an “action set piece” per se but is wonderfully engaging nonetheless. And the film also continues to flesh out the social parallels between theX-Menfranchise and the real world, with Bobby’s “coming out” scene remaining a pinnacle scene of the series.
As darker and even more grounded spins on the superhero genre followed, building on the ground thatX-Menbroke,X2still remains a fun and engaging watch by any measure and certainly one of the more thematically ambitious films of theX-Menfranchise.
