Summary
The originalX-Mentrilogy may have been seminalMarvelmovies in their day, but rewatching them in hindsight reveals some less favorable moments. The originalX-Mentrilogy is celebrated for its groundbreaking achievements, kickstarting thefuture Marvel movieboom 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’sX-Menmoviesbegan in 2000 withX-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 Unitedwas particularly praised for its mature tone and complex exploration of prejudice and identity. ThoughX-Men: The Last Standwas largely considered a flop, it still produced some thrilling sequences that advanced the genre. Nevertheless, each of theseX-Menmovies produced scenes that have not aged well.
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10"What Would You Prefer, Yellow Spandex?"
X-Men (2000)
In the firstX-Menfilm,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-accurateWolverine costume inDeadpool & Wolverine, and the movie was lauded for it. ThisX-Menscene in retrospect is even more conspicuous, as it’s now been proven that many viewerswould have absolutely preferred the yellow spandex.
9Wolverine Meets The X-Men
When Wolverine is introduced to themain cast inX-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 inX-Menstand out asan example of early growing pains in the genre.
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8The Mystique Plot Hole
In the firstX-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, hasbecome 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 prequelX-Menfilms, which establish a deep, complex relationship between Xavier and Mystique. The shared history and emotional connection between the two characters, as explored inX-Men: First Classand subsequent prequels, make iteven 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.
7Storm Vs Toad
One of the most infamous lines in the originalX-Mentrilogy 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-Menline is a stark contrast to Storm’s character in the comics andX-Men: The Animated Series, where she is known for her powerful, grandiose speeches. The movie failed to recreate this, resulting in a moment that ismore 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.
6Jean Grey’s Sacrifice
X2: X-Men United
InX2: 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 toset up her transformation into the Dark PhoenixforX-Men: The Last Stand.ThoughX2did 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 Uniteddoes 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 likean obvious plot device to set up the sequelrather 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.
5De-Aged Opening
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Standopens 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 Standdigitally 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 scenemore 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 Standhas become a particularly conspicuous example. What was once a technological achievement is now an unsettling reminder of early CGI’s limitations.
4Phoenix Kills Cyclops
One of the most controversial moments inX-Men: The Last Standis the death of Cyclops at the hands of Jean Grey. Cyclops, a key character in theX-Mencomics and the leader of theX-Menteam, 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 beenmore effective if Cyclops had been killed laterin the movie.
By eliminating Cyclops so early inThe Last Stand, the narrative loses one of its most compelling dynamics - that of Scott and Jean. In hindsight, this scenefeels 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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3Beast Meets Leach
InX-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, thisinitially poignant scene has since been taintedby the prequels, where Beast had already concocted his own cure.
Hank McCoy had developed a serum to hide his beastly appearance some time beforeX-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 afterThe Last Stand, the scene is still jarring and hasundermined Grammer’s compelling performance. Moreover, it is emblematic of the repeated discrepancies in theX-Mentimeline.
2Kitty Pryde Vs Juggernaut
The battle between Kitty Pryde and Juggernaut inX-Men: The Last Standis 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 alterationsimplifies 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 ismore 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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1Xavier’s Resurrection
InX-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 isconfusing and raises more questions than it answers. Namely, how does Xavier’s new body look exactly like his old one by the timeX-Men: Days of Future Pastrolls 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 andcreates 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 theX-Mentrilogy feels hollow.
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 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: The Last Stand is the third film in the X-Men series, featuring the conflict between mutants over a newly discovered cure for mutations. The film showcases the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier, opposing the Brotherhood, led by Magneto, as tensions escalate within the mutant community.
