With the cinematic history of theX-Menstretching back well over two decades, it’s unsurprising that some quotes from their movie appearances have aged poorly. From the very beginning ofFox’s X-Men movie timeline, there have been marked highs and lows for the franchise. Iconic though the Marvel characters may be, and as much impact as their movies had on the superhero genre in the early ‘00s, the franchise has always been a victim of its own inconsistency.
For all the merits ofFox’s X-Men movies, there are also many other aspects that haven’t aged particularly well. Over the course of the franchise, there have been many quotes that stand out in hindsight as particularly poor or otherwise ridiculous. For a variety of reasons, there are many examples of lines that simply haven’t fared well over time, leading to these 10 X-Men movie quotes that have aged poorly.
10“Because He Was One Of Us.”
Magneto, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
2014’sX-Men: Days of Future Pastcontinues to stand out as one of the best movies in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, with many strong qualities that mark it as a solid adaptation of its beloved source material. However, that isn’t to say that the movie doesn’t have weaker points, particularly in terms of moments that make little sense or serve as unexplored plot threads. One such moment comes when Magneto is explaining why he tried to save John F. Kennedy from assassination, explaining to Charles Xavier that JFK was “one of us”.
Asserting that a former US president was a mutant with superhuman abilities was a bold choice, to say the least. However, asthe idea was never further exploredand ultimately amounted to a bizarre reference to an important historical figure, it seems different in hindsight. Looking back overDays of Future Past, the quote simply seems an odd and entirely pointless inclusion.
9“Learning…”
Apocalypse, X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Of all the actors that make upX-Men: Apocalypse’s cast, Oscar Isaac is among the most respected. Unfortunately, his turn as the eponymous villain was far below his usual high standard, and instead was criticized as one of the worst missteps of the movie. Shortly after being introduced to the modern world, Apocalypse is asked what he is doing as he approaches a TV. He replies with a single word - “learning…” - which turned out to be one of the movie’s most ridiculous quotes.
The delivery of the line, combined with the context of the scene itself, makes it an especially silly moment.It’s so ridiculous that it simply becomes funnier upon each revisit, with Apocalypse’s slow and raspy explanation now seeming especially hilarious in hindsight. As such, it’s a quote that has aged poorly, if only because it seems even more unintentionally funny years later than it did upon release.
8“That Looks Like The Creature That Ate Fred Dukes.”
Wolverine, X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
X-Men Origins: Wolverinehas long been considered one of the worst X-Men movies, not least due to its handling of beloved characters such as Deadpool and Gambit. One of the film’s worst-aged quotes, however, concerns its approach to another poorly handled character, Fred Dukes – A.K.A. The Blob. Years after having worked with Dukes, Wolverine reconnects with him, only to be shocked at his weight gain, and announce: “That looks like the creature that ate Fred Dukes.”
The line is inherently mean-spirited, as it shames a character whose mutation has traditionally been directly connected to his weight. It’s not lighthearted joking between old friends, but ratherit’s Logan deliberately mocking Dukes’ weight immediately after being told that his former colleague was sensitive about his appearance. In that sense, the quote simply feels like a targeted attack on Dukes, and has aged incredibly poorly as a result.
7“Berto! Nut Up!”
Sam Guthrie, The New Mutants (2020)
2020’sThe New Mutantsis the most overlooked movie in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, despite boasting a talented young cast of rising stars. Taking a different approach to a Marvel mutant movie and exploring a different set of characters didn’t pay off forThe New Mutants, which was met with critical panning and box office failure. There’s also a point at which one male mutant tells another to “nut up”, which is a quote that instantly aged poorly.
With the phrase comes an air of toxic masculinity that the movie does nothing to dispel.The implication that masculinity and courage are directly connected in some way is a decidedly outdated notion, and seems out of place in a movie released in 2020 about a group of young people. Considering the phrase has long since left common parlance and it comes with negative connotations, it hasn’t aged well at all.
6“Charles Always Wanted To Build Bridges.”
Magneto, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
When it comes to memorablescenes in the originalX-Mentrilogy, the Omega’s assault on Alcatraz ranks highly. AlthoughX-Men: The Last Standis not widely well-loved, the scene itself features some solid action and entertaining set pieces. It also contains a quote that seems more nonsensical as the years pass: when lifting the Golden Gate Bridge, Magneto states that “Charles always wanted to build bridges.”
The fact that Magneto says the line immediately after destroying one of the world’s most famous bridges is fairly ridiculous.As he’s moving the bridge to allow the mutants to access Alcatraz, he could be described as recycling the bridge at best, but he’s certainly not building it. What’s more, the delivery of the line at such an awe-inspiring moment only hurtsThe Last Stand, and simply makes it seem much a less serious narrative than it otherwise seems to imply.
5“What Do They Call You? Wheels?”
Wolverine, X-Men (2000)
Fox’s firstX-Menmovie was released in 2000, which means that social consciousness looked very different at the time. Though certain topics are considered off-limits for lighthearted comedy today, such jokes were acceptable at the time. A prime example comes when Wolverine first meets Professor Xavier, and responds to the X-Men’s code names by asking “what do they call you? Wheels?” before scoffing in derision at the wheelchair-using telepath.
Though the line itself is more an examination of the ridiculousness of some superhero names, the delivery makes it seem decidedly more malicious.There’s very little sensitivity in the quote, which instead makes it seem an unnecessary attack on wheelchair users. Were the scene put into a more recent movie, it would seemingly have been handled very differently, demonstrating how poorly it has aged since it was originally released.
4“At Least We Can All Agree, The Third One Is The Worst.”
Jean Grey, X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
X-Men: Apocalypse, for all its ‘80s charm, has a wealth of issues. Chief among them is its script, which is wildly inconsistent and decidedly uninspired. As well as Apocalypse’s “learning…”, there’s a brief exchange aboutStar Warsbetween young X-Men after exiting a movie theater, which sees Jean Grey utter the words: “at least we can all agree, the third one is the worst”.
The line is a fairly transparent nod to the poor reception of the thirdX-Menmovie,The Last Stand. However,asX-Men: Apocalypseserved as the third – and worst - movie of the prequel trilogy, the knowing line seems to be an all too self-aware acknowledgment of its own issues. What’s more, the quote aged even worse after the release of the sequel,Dark Phoenix, which received even worse reviews, negating the quote by making the fourth movie even worse than the third.
3“What Would You Prefer, Yellow Spandex?”
Cyclops, X-Men (2000)
2000’sX-Menwas a landmark title in superhero cinema, marking the genre’s rise to box office glory. Its adaptation of the comic book characters wasn’t entirely faithful, however, especially when it came to their costumes. Thecast of 2000’sX-Menwere all clad in black leather uniforms in the movie, rather than the more colorful garb they traditionally donned in the comics andThe Animated Series. After Logan comments on the uniform, Cyclops replies: “What would you prefer, yellow spandex?”, referencing Wolverine’s traditional costume.
24 years afterX-Men’s release, Hugh Jackman reprized the role as part ofDeadpool & Wolverine’s cast, finally donning a more comic-accurate costume.The response to Wolverine’s yellow suit was overwhelmingly positive, and though it wasn’t spandex, it was far more faithful to the comics than X-Men’s black leather. As it turned out that audiences did indeed prefer comic accuracy over simple uniformity, the quote hasn’t aged well.
2“I’m The Juggernaut, B***h!”
Juggernaut, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Fox’s initial trilogy ofX-Menmovies saw a great many mutants brought to life in live-action, albeit with mixed results. Though some were better received than others, there are a select few who stand out as especially poor. Vinnie Jones’ Juggernaut ranks highly among them, as the execution of the character left much to be desired. His most well-known quote - “I’m the Juggernaut, b***h!” - has since come to embody the movie’s poor handling of the character.
The fact that the line has become infamous in the years sinceThe Last Stand’s release is a good indicator of how bad a quote it is. Thanks to Jones’ hammy acting,The Last Stand’s waste of an important X-Men character, and the ridiculous context the scene establishes for the line being uttered,it’s essentially synonymous with the movie’s failings. As a result, the Juggernaut’s most famous movie quote has aged even more poorly than the film itself.
Storm, X-Men (2000)
For all the many things the firstX-Menmovie did right, it also got a number of things wrong. Its handling of the character of Storm was divisive, particularly as she wasn’t written to be a particularly strong or interesting character in her first appearance. One line, spoken by Halle Berry during the film’s final act, appears to have become the legacy of her time in the role of Storm. While fighting Toad, Storm asks: “Do you know what happens to a toad when it’s struck by lightning?” in an unintentionally hilarious and now infamous exchange.
The answer - “the same thing that happens to everything else” - only makes the quote seem even worse. Over the years that followed, the line has come to be considered as one of the worst quotes in superhero movie history. As a result, it’s probably the worst-aged quote across all of Fox’sX-Menmovies.
X-Men
Cast
X-Men, released in 2000, introduces Wolverine and Rogue as they join Professor Xavier’s private academy for mutants. The resident superhero team, the X-Men, led by Xavier, confronts a terrorist organization of mutants with similar abilities, highlighting the ongoing conflict between humans and mutants.
X2: X-Men United
X2 is the second installment in the X-Men film series, where Professor Charles Xavier’s team faces growing anti-mutant forces led by Col. William Stryker. In response, mutants Storm, Wolverine, and Jean Grey form an uneasy alliance with adversaries Magneto and Mystique to counter Stryker’s plans to eradicate mutants.
X-Men 3: The Last Stand
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 Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine explores the backstory of the iconic mutant Wolverine, portrayed by Hugh Jackman. Released in 2009, the film delves into Logan’s journey through the Weapon X program as he seeks revenge for his girlfriend’s death while uncovering complex relationships with other mutants.
The Wolverine
The Wolverine: This film follows Logan, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, as he undertakes a transformative journey in Japan. Confronted by his most formidable adversaries, Wolverine is pushed to his physical, emotional, and mortal limits while navigating challenges that alter his life and identity forever.
Logan
Logan is set in a near future where an aging Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, takes care of a frail Professor Xavier, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, at a secluded location near the Mexican border. Their secluded existence is disrupted by the arrival of a young mutant, pursued by malevolent forces.
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class explores the origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, who later become Professor X and Magneto. Set during the early days of their friendship, the film depicts their collaborative efforts with other mutants to avert a significant global threat.
X-Men Days of Future Past
Based on the epic Marvel comic event and following up after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand and The Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past is an action superhero film that sees Logan sent back into the past to attempt to avert a cataclysmic disaster. In the future, the last surviving members of the human and mutant races are facing the end of days as the Sentinel menace has nearly wiped everything out of existence. Out of options and out of time, Professor Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr (aka Magneto) agree to send Logan back into the past to prevent the assassination of a man that leads to the end of the world.
X-Men Apocalypse
The third installment of the X-Men prequel films, and the ninth film in the overall X-Men movie franchise, X-Men: Apocalypse once again sees Professor Xavier and Magneto on opposite sides of a catastrophic conflict. Having been raised from the dead, the ancient mutant Apocalypse wishes to wipe out all of humanity, and recruits four mutants including Magneto to help him in his quest, leading Xavier and his young team of X-Men to try and stop them. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender reprise their roles as Professor Xavier and Magneto, with a larger ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Olivia Munn, and Oscar Isaac.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
The team faces internal and external challenges in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, as Jean Grey transforms after absorbing a cosmic force during a space rescue mission. This newfound power tests her stability, prompting the X-Men to confront both Jean’s volatile state and alien forces seeking to exploit her abilities.
New Mutants
This X-Men spinoff marked the final installment before the franchise’s moved to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.
