Summary
- X-Men trilogy started the Marvel movie boom but now reveals outdated moments due to changes in special effects and audience expectations.
- Scenes like Wolverine’s introduction & Storm’s infamous line have not aged well, highlighting early growing pains in superhero cinema.
- Plot holes, awkward dialogue, and missed opportunities in X-Men movies show struggle to adapt comic elements well.
The original X-Men trilogy may have been seminal Marvel movies in their day, but rewatching them in hindsight reveals some less favorable moments. The original X-Men trilogy is celebrated for its groundbreaking achievements, kickstarting the future Marvel movie boom of the early 2000s. However, with advancements in special effects, changes in audience expectations, and the evolution of comic book adaptations, certain moments that once resonated now feel out of place.
Fox’s X-Men movies began in 2000 with X-Men. It introduced audiences to the world of superpowered mutants and their struggle for acceptance in a society that hates and fears them. X2: X-Men United was particularly praised for its mature tone and complex exploration of prejudice and identity. Though X-Men: The Last Stand was largely considered a flop, it still produced some thrilling sequences that advanced the genre. Nevertheless, each of these X-Men movies produced scenes that have not aged well.
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10 “What Would You Prefer, Yellow Spandex?”
X-Men (2000)
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In the first X-Men film, Cyclops sarcastically quips, “What would you prefer, yellow spandex?” when Wolverine comments on the black leather uniforms worn by the X-Men. This was a playful nod to how the movie dropped the colorful costumes from the comics to foster a more “realistic” aesthetic. The filmmakers opted for black leather suits to make the characters appear more grounded in the real world, believing that the vibrant costumes from the comics would not translate well to the screen.
However, as comic book movies evolved, so did audience expectations – including a desire for fidelity. Hugh Jackman finally donned a comic-accurate Wolverine costume in Deadpool & Wolverine, and the movie was lauded for it. This X-Men scene in retrospect is even more conspicuous, as it’s now been proven that many viewers would have absolutely preferred the yellow spandex.
9 Wolverine Meets The X-Men
X-Men (2000)
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When Wolverine is introduced to the main cast in X-Men (2000), Charles Xavier names them by their codenames. Then, warning him of the dangers ahead, Xavier discloses the codenames of Magneto and the Brotherhood as well. The delivery of these introductions is clunky and unconvincing, making the scene feel forced. At the time, it was a challenge to balance the seriousness of the narrative with the more fantastical elements of the comics, but the result was a moment that felt out of place.
The scene’s execution makes it difficult for the audience to suspend disbelief, as the names come across as cheesy. Though Wolverine’s response, “This is the stupidest thing I ever heard,” initially made it more palatable, in the modern era of superhero cinema, the scene feels clunky. Modern superhero films have learned how to integrate such elements more naturally, making this moment in X-Men stand out as an example of early growing pains in the genre.
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8 The Mystique Plot Hole
X-Men (2000)
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In the first X-Men, Mystique infiltrates Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, leading to significant consequences for the team. Precisely how she manages to do this without being detected by Charles Xavier, the world’s most powerful telepath, has become a notorious plot hole. Given Xavier’s abilities, it seems implausible that Mystique could slip past his defenses so easily.
This plot hole becomes even more noticeable after the release of the prequel X-Men films, which establish a deep, complex relationship between Xavier and Mystique. The shared history and emotional connection between the two characters, as explored in X-Men: First Class and subsequent prequels, make it even harder to believe that Xavier wouldn’t sense her presence. The inconsistency creates a noticeable disconnect between the original trilogy and the prequels, diminishing the credibility of the original.
7 Storm Vs Toad
X-Men (2000)
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One of the most infamous lines in the original X-Men trilogy occurs during the climactic battle in the first movie. As Storm faces off against Toad, she delivers the line: “Do you know what happens to a toad when it’s struck by lightning? The same thing that happens to everything else.” The line was intended to be a dramatic and witty remark, but it falls flat, coming across as awkward and nonsensical.
This X-Men line is a stark contrast to Storm’s character in the comics and X-Men: The Animated Series, where she is known for her powerful, grandiose speeches. The movie failed to recreate this, resulting in a moment that is more cringe-worthy than captivating. Over time, this line has become a infamous example of how dialogue can go wrong in superhero films, especially when it fails to match the tone and character of the source material.
6 Jean Grey’s Sacrifice
X2: X-Men United
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In X2: X-Men United, Jean Grey sacrifices herself to save the team, lifting the Blackbird into the air before she is crushed under the waters of Alkali Lake. This serves to set up her transformation into the Dark Phoenix for X-Men: The Last Stand. Though X2 did proffer some insight that Jean was struggling with her powers, the scene lacks sufficient explanation for why she saw her death was “the only way.”
X2: X-Men United does not explain why Jean’s sacrifice is necessary for the team’s escape. This undermines the movie’s emotional impact somewhat, particularly considering how poorly executed the Dark Phoenix adaptation would ultimately be. Jean’s sacrifice should have been a pivotal moment, but instead, it seems like an obvious plot device to set up the sequel rather than a fully realized emotional crescendo. In hindsight, the scene is emblematic of how the original trilogy sometimes struggled to adapt elements from the comics satisfactorily.
5 De-Aged Opening
X-Men: The Last Stand
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X-Men: The Last Stand opens with a flashback scene where Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Ian McKellen’s Magneto visit a young Jean Grey, 20 years earlier. To portray the younger versions of themselves, X-Men: The Last Stand digitally de-aged Stewart and McKellen. At the time, the de-aging technology was cutting-edge, but looking back, the scene now is eerie and unnatural.
Xavier and Magneto’s faces appear uncanny, lacking the subtlety of real human expressions. Both characters look slightly alien, making the scene more distracting rather than immersive. This marks the first time a character was de-aged in a Marvel movie, with numerous instances later occurring in the MCU – with far better results. As a result, X-Men: The Last Stand has become a particularly conspicuous example. What was once a technological achievement is now an unsettling reminder of early CGI’s limitations.
4 Phoenix Kills Cyclops
X-Men: The Last Stand
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One of the most controversial moments in X-Men: The Last Stand is the death of Cyclops at the hands of Jean Grey. Cyclops, a key character in the X-Men comics and the leader of the X-Men team, is killed off early in the film. This decision wasted a great character and undermined the emotional stakes of the story. Given his importance to both Jean and the team, it would have been more effective if Cyclops had been killed later in the movie.
By eliminating Cyclops so early in The Last Stand, the narrative loses one of its most compelling dynamics – that of Scott and Jean. In hindsight, this scene feels like a rushed and poorly thought-out plot point, robbing the character of a more meaningful role in the trilogy’s conclusion. This is particularly galling considering how sidelined Cyclops was throughout the original trilogy, where he was often overshadowed by Wolverine.
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3 Beast Meets Leach
X-Men: The Last Stand
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In X-Men: The Last Stand, Beast meets Leech, a young mutant whose power is to nullify other mutants’ abilities. Reaching out to the boy, Beast is staggered when his hand is stripped of his blue fur and claws, reverting to his human form. However, this initially poignant scene has since been tainted by the prequels, where Beast had already concocted his own cure.
Hank McCoy had developed a serum to hide his beastly appearance some time before X-Men: Days of Future Past. This was before the timeline was reset, so logically it should precede him meeting Leech years later. While this contradiction arises from the fact that the prequels were made after The Last Stand, the scene is still jarring and has undermined Grammer’s compelling performance. Moreover, it is emblematic of the repeated discrepancies in the X-Men timeline.
2 Kitty Pryde Vs Juggernaut
X-Men: The Last Stand
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The battle between Kitty Pryde and Juggernaut in X-Men: The Last Stand is a scene that has aged poorly for several reasons. First, the film changes Juggernaut’s origin, making him a mutant rather than a magical being empowered by the mystical Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, as he is in the comics. This alteration simplifies and diminishes the character, turning him into a more generic mutant villain.
Second, the fight itself is played for laughs, with Juggernaut chasing Kitty through walls in a scene that is more like a cartoon than a climactic battle. Juggernaut, who is supposed to be one of the X-Men’s most formidable foes, is reduced to a joke, wasting the potential of the character. In hindsight, this scene is a missed opportunity to showcase a truly epic confrontation, and it stands out as a low point in the film.
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1 Xavier’s Resurrection
X-Men: The Last Stand
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In X-Men: The Last Stand, Professor X is seemingly killed by the Phoenix, only to be resurrected in a post-credits scene where his consciousness is transferred to another body. This twist is confusing and raises more questions than it answers. Namely, how does Xavier’s new body look exactly like his old one by the time X-Men: Days of Future Past rolls around?
The lack of explanation makes the resurrection feel like a cheap cop-out rather than a meaningful continuation of the character’s story. This scene is a prime example of how the original trilogy struggled with its own continuity. The resurrection undermines the emotional impact of Xavier’s death and creates a plot hole that is never satisfactorily addressed. Though killing off Xavier was undoubtedly a bad idea, as evidenced by his subsequent appearances, the execution of his resurrection in the X-Men trilogy feels hollow.
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X-Men Where to Watch
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X-Men is the first film in the long-running superhero franchise centering on the iconic Marvel team. Wolverine and Professor X take center stage as they and the other X-Men attempt to stop Erik Lehnsherr (aka Magneto) after he has a violent response to the proposed Mutant Registration Act. Hugh Jackman stars as Wolverine, alongside Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, and Anna Paquin.
- X2: X-Men United Where to Watch
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X2: X-Men United is the follow-up film to Fox’s 2000 X-Men starring Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, and Patrick Stewart. The film features the introduction of Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox) as he kidnaps Charles Xavier, which leads the X-Men to team up with Magneto. Most of the cast from the original film returned for the sequel, along with the introduction of Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler.
- X-Men: The Last Stand Where to Watch
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X-Men: The Last Stand is the third and final installment in Bryan Singer’s original X-Men trilogy. It adapts Marvel’s famous “Dark Phoenix” storyline, with Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey embracing her supernatural power to unleash chaos on mutantkind. Fox’s 2006 superhero movie brings back franchise mainstays such as Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, and Ian McKellen’s Magneto, and it introduces major mutant characters such as Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, Ben Foster’s Angel, and Vinnie Jones’ Juggernaut.
X-Men Where to Watch
X2: X-Men United Where to Watch
X-Men: The Last Stand Where to Watch
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