Last week many of you voted and ranked all the X-Men films from best to worst. Now it's time to see as a community how the X-Men hold up.
Remember, the higher the overall score, the lower it ranks. Here we go!
10. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Highest Ranking (by a user): 6th
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 10th
Overall Score (all users): 243
To no one's surpise, the spot for dead last goes to the blunder that is
X-Men Origins: Wolverine. From the dodgy CGI to its sacreligious take on Deadpool, this entry is widely regarded not only as the worst X-Men film, but one of the worst superhero movies of all time. Not even Hugh Jackman's performance could save this one.
9. X-Men: The Last Stand
Highest Ranking (by a user): 7th
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 10th
Overall Score (all users): 235
Trailing close behind
Origins comes the Brett Ratner directed
X-Men: The Last Stand. Adapting Joss Whedon's
Astonishing X-Men cure storyline and Claremont's classic
Dark Phoenix Saga is a very good idea...just so long as they are in two seperate films. Unfortunately, the X-Men threequel's attempt at throwing it all together left a sour taste in the mouths of critics and fans alike.
8. X-Men: Apocalypse
Highest Ranking (by a user): 3rd
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 10th
Overall Score (all users): 197
Just as faith was being restored to the X-Men franchise, Bryan Singer comes along and muddles it up once again. Fans are quick to point out the film's inconsistant tone and shallow character arcs. While there are highlights like the younger versions of Cyclops, Jean, Storm, and Nightcrawler, along with the return of Mcavoy and Fassbender, they just weren't enough to save this disaster from a bland villain and a redundant doomsday plot.
7. The Wolverine
Highest Ranking (by a user): 3rd
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 9th
Overall Score (all users): 169
Next up comes Mangold's first attempt at a solo Wolverine outing. While not bad by any means, it's disapointing third act left a negative impression on fans. There is some great charazterization of Wolverine and some well-shot action to admire though. There is also the ever-popular R-rated director's cut that gave us a taste of what was to come in 2017's
Logan.
6. X-Men
Highest Ranking (by a user): 4th
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 10th
Overall Score (all users): 165
By only 4 points ahead comes the 6th entry; the one that started it all. Despite the fact that some parts of the film haven't aged well with time, ("What happens to a toad when it gets struck by lightening?") it has a soft-spot in the hearts of many comic book fans as Marvel's first successful film. It's attempt to take the source material and world of the X-Men mythos seriously was influential in creating some of the best comic book franchises, including Nolan's
Dark Knight Trilogy. While the plot may be generic,
X-Men's attempt at exploring the depths of characters like Wolverine and Rogue is something to be admired and commended.
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
Highest Ranking (by a user): 1st
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 8th
Overall Score (all users): 92
At the point in the list, the remaining 5 films tend to shuffle in ranking depending on who you ask. While the votes were close, coming it at number 5 is
X-Men: Days of Future Past. This marked Singer's triumphant return to the franchise. By combining his
X2 cast with Vaughn's
First Class cast, viewers were treated to a truly special experience. While by no means a perfect adaptation, it did manage to add depth to its characters and even bring in a few other mutants like the standout Quiksilver. While some of the mechanics of time travel and the depictions of certain characters displeased many hardcore fans, it cannot be denied that
DOFP told a heart-felt story about one man's journey to, "hope again."
3/4. X2 (Tie)
Highest Ranking (by a user): 1st
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 6th
Overall Score (all users): 90
Our 3rd and 4th entries were a tie. Next up is the beloved
X2: X-Men United.
X2 set the standards of what a superhero sequel could be: higher stakes, deeper characters, complex motivations, and more intense action. Adapting the infamous
God Loves, Man Kills graphic novel, it further explored the world introduced in the first movie and gives a well-rounded, satisfying experience that still holds up today. Highlights include the well-directed Nightcrawler opening sequence, Iceman's conflict with his family, and the final fight between Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike. And let's not forget that iconic theme that later became standard for most X-Men films that followed.
3/4. Deadpool (Tie)
Highest Ranking (by a user): 1st
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 7th
Overall Score (all users): 90
Tied with
X2 is
Deadpool, the breakout hit of 2016 that went on to becoming the most successful R-rated movie of all time. Bringing a different flavor to the franchise,
Deadpool managed to be a breath of fresh air for the superhero genre. It acts as an incredibly faithful adaptation not just of a beloved character, but of the X-Men world itself, giving us a great story from the X-Men universe while poking fun at familar comic book tropes. It was also aided by perhaps the greatest marketing for any superhero film ever. Though an origin story, it sets the stage for what could go on in future films to be one of the most successful adaptations of a character in a trilogy ever. Bring on
Deadpool 2 next year!
2. X-Men: First Class
Highest Ranking (by a user): 1st
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 6th
Overall Score (all users): 85
It might come as a shock to see this so high on the list; but it really seems like this film has only aged better with time. Though it is made up of a "second string" roster, the X-Men feel more like a team than in any other movie. You actually get to see them bond and have fun with their powers, train and develop. But what really gives the film its weight is the remarkable character study between Professor X and Magneto. Their relationship is developed beautifully and Mcavoy and Fassbender are truly a testament to the power of good casting. Another quality that really draws people to this film is its self-containmet. And given its troubled production history, it truly is a miracle that we got the
First Class we got. This comes from the strength of its director Matthew Vaugn, who in my opinion should've taken the reigns of the franchise from here. Vaughn masterfully blends the X-Men mythos with our world, real history in the 1960's, giving the human-mutant conflict that much more depth. And plus, we finally got colorful costumes, how about that!
1. Logan
Highest Ranking (by a user): 1st
Lowest Ranking (by a user): 5th
Overall Score (all users): 54
Coming at number 1 is James Mangold's 2017 masterpiece
Logan. Hugh Jackman gives his last and best performance in this gritty character drama about the power of family. Mangold managed to create a dynamic between Logan, Charles, and Laura that felt more familial than any incarnation of the X-Men team in film. The action is intense, the drama is well-realized, and even the little bits of comedy work to give the film a more grounded, realistic feeling.
Logan is also accompanied by beautiful cinematography and a mesmorizing score that together give the film a more Western-vibe. Mangold told the story he wanted to tell, and it shows. It truly is a work of art, one with a clear vision, uncompromised by any corporate executives. If Fox can take note of everything that made this film good, if they can allow their directors to execute their visions of how to tell a good story with these characters, then we might be in for something truly special for years to come.
So what you will about the X-Men franchise as a whole, (it's not perfect by any means and can certainly use some improvement) it has brought us some incredible comic book movies over the years. The difficulty in people ranking the top 5 is a testament to the strength of the X-Men when in the hands of someone with a clear vision.
What are your thoughts on this ranking? Which new X-Men film are you most looking forward? Thank you for reading and for all those who voted!