X-Men
2000, Marvel Entertainment
I was on the fence about tackling this franchise for years after its debut; what eventually led me to bite was merely my curiosity about Captain Jean Luc Picard's appearance in the comic/superhero genre. I can't say as I was blown away by Patrick Stewart's Prof. Charles Xavier, or anything else about the film for that matter; the glut of super-powered characters left little room for much in the way of a story. It all came across as service to the comic's fans, with nothing to engage innocent bystanders. Based on its success, there must be quite a few fans out there...
DKS 12/17/17
Rev 12/23/22
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
Bonus Material: Decent director commentary and making-of docs; no gag reel.
X2
2003, Marvel Entertainment
The first sequel was very nearly a step backwards, with a confusing, muddled story filled with way too many twists and turns that made little sense. What saved it from being a complete waste of popcorn was Ian McKellen (Magneto) going toe-to-toe with Patrick Stewart with some "adult" drama.
DKS 12/17/17
Rev 12/23/22
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
Bonus Material: Decent director commentary and making-of docs; no gag reel.
X-Men: The Last Stand
2006, Marvel Entertainment et al
Alas, the franchise continues to stagnate, with too many characters to keep track of, and too many over-the-top set pieces. I will say, though, that Hugh Jackman is developing some considerable acting chops—when he's given decent material, that is. Also, it's probably to the film's advantage that Bryan Singer—director of I and II—didn't direct this one.
DKS 12/17/17
Rev 12/23/22
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
Bonus Material: Somewhat juvenile director commentary, few docs; no gag reel.
X-Men: First Class
2011, Marvel Entertainment et al
Yes, I skipped past X-Men Origins: Wolverine as he was one of the least-interesting characters to me. Just as well; this quasi-reboot origin story was vast improvement for the franchise. James McAvoy as Patrick Stewart's younger counterpart, and Michael Fassbender as Ian McKellen's alter-ego provided great onscreen dynamics. While we still had to contend with no end of mutants, director Matthew Vaughn did a decent job of keeping things from getting overwhelming, and he had some great help from composer Henry Jackman.
DKS 12/17/17
Rev 12/23/22
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
Bonus Material: No director commentary but good making-of docs; no gag reel.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
2014, Marvel Entertainment et al
Again, I skipped the Wolverine story and landed squarely on the best film in the franchise (save for one huge surprise: Logan). The time-travel premise allowed James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender to reprise their roles to great effect. But the single best reason to see this film had to be Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver: the scene wherein he whizzes around a kitchen tweaking the trajectories of various small moving objects for maximum potential chaos is a genuine treasure. Also interesting to compare the theatrical and "Rogue Cut" versions.
DKS 12/17/17
Rev 10/12/23
GRUMPY OLD FART-O-METER® Rating:
Bonus Material: Theatrical and "Rogue Cut" versions; multiple commentary tracks and making-of docs; no gag reel.