Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) Review

With Marvel Studios trimming back on its film releases in 2024 it made Deadpool & Wolverine the most anticipated film of the year. Today, I managed to watch it and here is my review for Deadpool & Wolverine. After rejecting an offer to join The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadpool must find Wolverine in order to save his timeline. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson/Deadpool and he is just born to play the role and he does give a great performance in this film. He is just really funny and does manage to deliver on the occasional emotional scenes that are required. Hugh Jackman also makes his return as Logan/Wolverine and he is just fantastic here and I love watching him in this role. The chemistry between Jackman & Reynolds is 

off the charts and easily carries this film and seeing them together is great. 

Supporting Characters

Emma Corrin plays Cassandra Nova and she is a fun addition to the film. She is clearly revelling in her role and I liked how her powers were shown. I wish she had a little more screen time and her motivations were better but I think she does enough to create a fun villain. 

Matthew Macfayden plays Paradox who is the TVA Agent in charge of the situation and it is a lot of fun to watch him on screen with these other performers as he is incredibly charming and quick witted with his dialogue. 

The film has a bunch of decently sized roles from people not announced before the film so I will not mention them here but they are good fun. Though if you are a fan of the supporting cast from the first two films then you will be disappointed because they play minimal roles here. 

Story

The story does a really good job of progressing the characters of both Deadpool & Wolverine and the relationship that they have and I very much felt satisfied by the end of the film. However, this film does really lack plot and interesting motivations for the villain. It does sometimes feel like Deadpool and Wolverine are just meeting people for comedic value and not necessarily for narrative reasons. 

Script

The script is really funny, there is so much material to work with for Deadpool to break the fourth wall and he uses it to the maximum amount and it usually nails it. The drama is also pretty well done and it manages to flesh out the two main protagonists. 

Style

When Deadpool moved to Marvel Studios there was a fear that it would be nurtured a little bit but that is not the case. The violence is huge mixed with the bad language and the action scenes are fantastic with some really creative battles on the screen. But, I actually thought the pacing of the film was a little off, it rams so much into it and the first act is a bit slow that I did find it a bit disjointed at times. 

Overall

Overall, Deadpool & Wolverine is a great film. If you are a Marvel or Deadpool fan then you will enjoy this film and I am glad that the essence of this franchise still exists and that this film does deliver in being a fun summer blockbuster. 

Rating - 8/10

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Review

Finally, I have made it the final film in my X-Men review series and it is Dark Phoenix and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees after an accident on a mission in space Jean Grey is infused with an alien force and takes on a new destructive personality. 

Main Character

Sophie Turner plays Jean Grey here like she did in Apocalypse but I found her performance much weaker here. The issue is that we never have time to spend with Jean as a character, we are introduced to her in the previous film and then she turns so quickly here that we learn so little here that it makes it hard to care about her. Turner also doesn't add that much to the performance which also doesn't help with the character, though maybe with a stronger script she would have had a better chance. James McAvoy is back as Xavier and I thought he was good here, I actually like how they treat his character, he is seen more harshly and you really see a different side to him here that we have never seen in previous films. I mean this is his weakest performance as the character but he gives enough to be satisfied. 

Supporting Characters

Michael Fassbender as Magneto has been my favourite part of these newer X-Men films and he does try here and again similar to McAvoy I give him credit for that and it is enough for some praise but his character is so dull and actually pointless here. After Apocalypse for me his character arc was finished but they have to force him in here even though it actually doesn't make any sense. Now onto the rest of the cast and just how boring they are, Jennifer Lawrence is back for a small role as Mystique and she just doesn't even try here, you can tell she wasn't interested in being in the film but signed a contract. Same could be said about Nicholas Hoult as Beast who also is performing half hearted and really his character makes some decisions that don't really make any sense for him and it just screws the character over. Tye Sheridan plays Cyclops and he should have been a really important part of this film due to his relationship with Jean but he is so wasted here. He has no charisma or charm here at all and the issue is that you don't buy into there relationship at all due to the fact that we never actually see it on screen for long enough. Also if you came here to see more of Storm and Nightcrawler from the previous film then you are out of luck as they do nothing interesting here and don't get me started on Quicksilver who is ignored completely and he might as well have not been a part of the movie at all. Jessica Chastain plays a villain here and she is so generic, this is a really boring and wooden performance for a character that has nothing memorable about them at all. 

Story

First things with the story is just pretty much ignore everything from the previous films as they are never addressed and this film actually contradicts things from those films which is just crazy. This film doesn't have a clue what it is trying to tell with its story, it doesn't give us enough time or effort to care about Jean Grey as a character making it hard to root for her in any way. It feels like there is a film missing here between Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, the characters don't get developed here and it feels like that the film rushes the characters arcs so you feel lost and confused as to exactly what you should be interested in. Also why is this film set 10 years after Apocalypse, it is unnecessary and actually makes no sense with the actors looking no different in 10 years which also takes you out of the film or at least it did with me.

Script

This script is bad, there isn't one bit of memorable dialogue at all, I literally watched the film and I cannot remember any particular lines from the film. The characters, especially Jean Grey are written so poorly that you are given no reason to care, except maybe for Xavier and Magneto because we have seen more of them as characters. 

Style

Now the one thing this film will get credit for is the action scenes, they are actually really good here. They are exciting and well filmed and do a good job of showcasing the different powers that are in screen, it also shows Jeans powers better then The Last Stand did. But this films pacing is just weird, for a nearly 2 hour film it feels like a 90 minute movie. It ignores character development and intrigue to focus on action and exciting this which really holds it back. Also what the hell happened to those awesome costumes at the end of Apocalypse, the X-Men costumes here look awful and cheap similar to First Class but even worse that they should never been seen. 

Overall

This film is just really bad, even for big X-Men fans this isn't worth a watch and I would advise that you don't put any time or effort into this film. When Disney eventually reboot the X-Men I hope they stay away from the Dark Phoenix story as it seems to not work well on the big screen. 

Rating - 3/10  

 Deadpool 2 (2018) Review

So I have almost finished the X-Men films and the next film is Deadpool 2 and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Deadpool and a team of mutants have to save a young mutant from the time traveller Cable. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds is back as the 4th wall breaking Deadpool and what more is there to say except that he was born to play this character and he is once again fantastic here. He is still hilarious here and the references are all still here mixed with the R Rated language. It is funny that he actually has a character arc here, there is an emotional journey he goes on here and I thought he did a really good job with it and it helped flesh out the character. 

Supporting Cast

There is a huge supporting cast here and that shows, Zazie Beetz plays the character of Domino and I thought she was great here. She comes into the film quite late but she is fun to watch and the way they show off her powers is really great and unique and is a real highlight. Josh Brolin is no stranger to comic book roles with Thanos and Jonah Hex and he now plays Cable here and I thought he did a good job. He is very clearly the dark and more serious contrast to Deadpool and it works here, you are given a reason to care about his character and his motivations and he adds plenty to the action scenes. The rest of the cast also do good jobs in their roles but the film lessens all of them, like Vanessa played by Morena Baccarin, we really got invested by their romance in the first film but even though it plays a part here it feels like her character gets short changed. The same could be said for characters like Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Blind Al, who have less screen time and you just wish there could have been more time with them, especially Negasonic Teenage Warhead. 

Story

The story is decent, the emotion of Deadpool's character works here and it does make you care about his character and feel like he has actually grown as a person by the end. Also the individual arcs in the film are all entertaining individually, it is just how they balance that is an issue. This film does suffer from what a lot of sequels do, that they have to raise the stakes and add much more to the film an this film does that. But there is so much going on here that elements of the film that were great in the first film fall to the wayside and aren't given the love that they deserve. 

Script

The script has the fun and laughs that the first film had with all the references and 4th wall breaks that you can muster. The drama is just as good if not better here and does a better job in telling a fully fleshed out dramatic story. Though here, I felt like the film had some lazy writing, addressing it as lazy doesn't hide the fact that it is indeed lazy writing. 

Style

The style of the film has some great action scenes in it, the violence is still here and the unique power sets of the characters allows for some fun sequences. The film flows nicely and you aren't ever bored which is a good thing considering how many plot points there are. There is one poor CGI fight but I am willing to accept it as it is a small part of the film. 

Overall

Overall, this is a good sequel. It keeps the humour and feeling of the first film which is a good thing, but it does struggle to balance the load of the sequel which hurts it but overall this is a worthy sequel.

Rating - 7/10

 Logan (2017) Review

So even though I have watched The New Mutants, I still have a few X-Men films left to watch and the next one is the film Logan and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the future and sees an older Wolverine looking after Charles Xavier when a young mutant comes into their lives and force them on the run. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman has become famous for playing the role of Logan/Wolverine and in his final appearance in the role he gives his best performance to date. The fact he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for his performance here was an injustice as he truly deserved it for a mammoth truly emotional performance. We see a Logan worn down and fed up of life, he struggles throughout the movie and it really feels like the world has caught up with him and he is actually in danger, which has been something X-Men films have struggled with. Also this film having a more mature adult feeling means we finally get to see Jackman go full berserker Wolverine and it is fabulous and absolutely brutal. 

Supporting Characters

Sir Patrick Stewart is back one last time as Charles Xavier and similar to Jackman he is brilliant here. The father figure and strong character is gone, replaced with a weak and damaged man that has gone through a lot. The dynamic between Charles and Logan is fascinating here, as it really feels like the roles have reversed and that Logan has to look after Charles which is great to see. Dafne Keen makes her film debut as X-23 and she is fantastic, she has hardly any dialogue but you can't help but care about her and I really bought into her relationship with Logan and where it grows. The dynamic between these characters is really the thing that carries the movie and you really care about these characters and it really drives this movie. Stephen Merchant, Boyd Holbrook and Richard E Grant also all do good jobs in their smaller roles here. 

Story

Now even though this film has characters from the X-Men universe, this couldn't be further away from an X-Men film. It really focuses on the characters and the damage that has occurred to them over their lives and why they need to go on living for this young girl. As I mentioned above, the relationships between the characters and the friendship is what gives this movie weight and plenty of heart. It is a tragic story but a really well told one that fits the characters perfectly. 

Script

The script is really great, this world is so gritty and there is drama galore. The more mature writing fits the film perfectly and really shows where the characters are, especially Xavier when you consider what he has been like in the previous films. There are also little drops of humour too which is nice to see and ensures Wolverine still has those moments even if they aren't always meant to be funny. 

Style

The style is brilliant, this world they created for the film fits so well, it is dark, dirty and gritty and it really feels like the end of days for the mutants. The R rating for this film was the right choice, the action is brutal and violent and it adds to this films story and the way it is presented. It is such an emotional ride that is paced really well and keeps you interested throughout. 

Overall

Overall, this is a brilliant film, whether you are an X-Men, Wolverine or just film fan then you owe it to yourself to watch this movie. It is an emotional roller coaster and by focusing on it's character give a story and journey that you won't forget. 

Rating - 10/10 

 The New Mutants (2020) Review

This film was meant to hit cinemas in 2017 but delay after delay has meant that this film has finally hit the cinema in 2020, when apart from Tenet there is nothing else out so I guess people might actually watch it. I have now watched it and here is my review for The New Mutants. The premise of the film sees a group of young mutants in a hospital, when they realise something is something sinister is going on. 

Main Character

Blu Hunt plays Danielle Moonstar and she is set up as the main character here. I thought she was fine, she does the best she can with the character, despite the fact that the writing isn't that great. She has good chemistry with the others in the film but there is just nothing particularly remarkable about her and the film doesn't give you a great reason to get invested in her story here. 

Supporting Characters

The main supporting characters are played by Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy and I thought they both did good jobs here, they are good actresses and they show it off here, especially Taylor-Joy who is the best character here for me. The rest of the mutants are fine too and the doctor played by Alice Braga does a fine job even if you know where the story is going with her. The issue is that there are some interesting things to do with the characters but the film doesn't take the time or effort to really explain these things and again it makes it hard for you to care because the film just gives you no reason to with it's lacklustre writing. 

Story

The idea of a group of mutants being stuck in a hospital is interesting, especially when it comes to their power sets and the way they are presented. It is at its best when it looks at how their powers affect them on an emotional level and how it led them to be in the hospital. The issue is that it doesn't give you enough time with the characters and really the characters have really similar backstories that it makes you think that they couldn't be bothered to come up with more then one backstory. Also the ending of the film is really abrupt, it's like the last action scene takes place and then the film ends, leaving you let down. 

Script

The script here has some moments, I mean especially with the horrors that the characters face. I mean Taylor-Joy's character has some really interesting moments here that you just want to know more about and don't. The intrigue is there and the film does a decent job of ramping the tension, but this film suffers from the obviously generic way the script is presented. You know how this film is going to go from the beginning to end and that makes it feel like a let down, with some pretty lacklustre dialogue. 

Style

The style of the film as mentioned above does a good job in ramping up tension and intrigue. I am not usually a horror film fan, but this film actually uses its horror elements well and makes it quite scary. It also doesn't rely on jump scares which is usually the reason I hate horror films so it deserves credit for that. But this film's first real 30 mins is dull and slow, which makes it a bit boring and a slog, which for a film that is 90 mins long that is quite a long time. Also there is a bit of a clash between the horror and superhero elements of the film and this does make for a clash of styles at time. 

Overall

Overall, this is an average film that will probably be forgotten about in the memory very quickly. This film had so much potential but fell short and isn't worth the time really. 

Rating - 5/10

 X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Review

So next on my list of X-Men films to watch was the end of the so called First Class trilogy Apocalypse and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the X-Men go up against the first ever mutant Apocalypse who has a group of mutants with him including Magneto. 

Main Character

This film struggles to really establish a main character here which I will talk more about in the review, but I have decided on a couple of them for the purpose of the review. Michael Fassbender plays Magneto once again and he acts rings around everybody else in this film. He has the emotion here, you really care about his character and feel sympathy for him, throughout this whole trilogy Magneto has been the most interesting character and this film he is given even more depth and it really makes him the character you attach to. James McAvoy is also back as Charles Xavier and he is good in the role, he continues his development from the previous film and it is nice to see him in the mentor role that we expect of him at this point. It is a bit of a shame though that he isn't actually in this film that much and feels like a bit of an afterthought at times. 

Supporting Characters

Evan Peters is back as Quicksilver and he is actually given more to do here. He was a real highlight from Days Of Future Past and he is just as great here and just adds a lot here and actually has a bit of a character arc which is nice to see. Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler all do good jobs in their roles. Out of the new characters here they are the best and even though the film struggles to actually develop their characters they do their best with the role. Then we get to the rest of the cast, Oscar Issac plays Apocalypse and even though he is a great actor, I just didn't care about his character at all. You can tell he is trying, but he isn't given anything to work with, he is just a generic bad guy who wants to destroy the world and when you compare him to his comic book version it feels like a missed opportunity. I have liked Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in the previous two films, but she is just annoying in this one. Her character has gone miles backwards from the previous film and it is just clear that she didn't want to sit in a make up chair which hurt her character in the end. Something similar happens with Nicholas Hoult as Beast here, I gave his character the benefit of the doubt in the previous film but here it also feels like he can't be bothered with the costume/makeup and again it hurts the character. But then there are those characters such as Storm, Angel and Psylocke who are just wasted and not given any time to shine. 

Story

Really the story isn't particularly interesting, but I am going to give it some positive thoughts due to how well it deals with Magnetos personal journey and story which is really interesting and makes you really care about him. But really the film is all over the place, it tries to introduce lots of new characters and it struggles to balance it, I mean Apocalypse doesn't do anything for over an hour which is pretty unacceptable. I mean then you get to his grand plan which is so boring and mundane that it doesn't bring you in and enough and cause you to truly get invested. Also there is a really jarring part of the film, I won't go into spoilers but it feels really out of place and literally like it is just here just to include a cameo that is good but not worth the effort. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some good dramatic dialogue and scenes here for sure, also there are a couple of nice bits of humour but not enough to make this film better. There aren't really any scenes of dialogue that stand out, and the way the film is written makes it feel like the film jumps all over the place and a bit hard to follow. 

Style

The style of the film is actually a big positive for me, the action scenes are great. They are over the top and exciting, they showcase the characters powers well and makes it feel really high scale that some of the other films don't. Also even though the story struggles, the film is actually paced quite well and the nearly 2 hours 30 mins runtime flies by quite quickly and actually makes this quite an easy watch.

Overall

Overall, I think this is a good X-Men film. It does many things right but also does many things wrong. If you want to watch a fun action film the Apocalypse might be worth a watch but if you aren't a fan of the X-Men, this isn't going to change your mind. 

Rating - 7/10

 Deadpool (2016) Review

So my next film I am reviewing is that of Deadpool, now technically this isn't an X-Men film but they are present here and if i need an excuse to watch this film then I will happily take it and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a wisecracking mercenary gain powers but ugly looks as he aims to track down the man who did it to him and the woman he loves. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds has always loved the character of Deadpool and after the poor excuse of the character in X-Men Origins Wolverine he wanted the chance to give this character the justice he deserved and boy did he do that. He is so good in this film that for every role he does after this he will always be remembered as Deadpool, he is hilarious and nails all the one liners here. His chemistry with the other actors is great and he just nails the role so well that honestly I can't imagine anybody playing this role other then Reynolds. 

Supporting Characters

Morena Baccarin plays his love interest in the film and she is great, their chemistry together is fantastic and a real highlight here. The film spends plenty of time on this romance so it had to work and it really does for me and makes them a fun couple to root for here. As I said some of the X-Men are here and Colossus is here and this is the best he has ever been, he is much more like his comic book counterpart and it really works. His dynamic with Deadpool is really fun and the fact he is totally CGI is great and makes him standout to the rest of the characters. Also shoutout to Negasonic Teenage Warhead who is a really fun character here and again I liked how her character was used in this film. Ed Skrein plays the villain Ajax and he isn't the most interesting villain but his deadpan persona works opposite Deadpool, because of everything going on his character works for this film and you do want to see Deadpool get his hands on him. Gina Carano, TJ Miller and Karan Soni are also fun in there smaller roles. 

Story

The story is surprisingly well done, it is a pretty simple revenge film but it really works for the film that is on show here. The flashback scenes also add depth to the story and the romance that we are meant to be supporting throughout. Having Deadpool breaking the 4th wall was such a great decision and allowed the story to make fun of itself while also making itself interesting and fun. 

Script

The script is really good, obviously, Deadpool makes jokes all the time and the majority really hit and add so much humour. There isn't really a character like Deadpool and this films script embraces that to its upmost which really makes the film standout. Also the drama when done is actually done well, and as I said make you cares about the relationships on display. 

Style 

The style is off the walls crazy, this film had to be Rated R, we need the vulgar language and brutal action scenes as that really helps make the film feel different to other superhero films. The action scenes are all really well filmed and brutal, with a variety of weapons and unique kills, which keeps the film engaging. But the pacing of the film has a bit of an issue, mainly in the first half of the film, we spend the majority of time in the flashback story and while it is fine, you just miss Deadpool and want to go back to that and maybe either have a few less flashbacks or spread them out a bit more. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic unique fun film. There isn't really a character or film like Deadpool and if you like more mature action comedies then this is a must see. 

Rating - 9/10

 X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014) Review

Next in my line of X-Men films to watch is the film that bought the two timelines together, X-Men: Days Of Future Past and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a future where Mutants are hunted down and destroyed by machines called Sentinels, Professor Xavier & Magneto send Wolverine back in time to 1973 where he must find there younger selves and stop Mystique from killing the creator of the machines. 

Main Character

There are a few main characters here so I am going to put them together. First of all is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and he is fantastic here, he is still the charming and charismatic guy here but it is also nice to see a more veteran version of the character that has to be a mentor to a young Xavier. In some of the previous films he has been given screen time over other characters but he is here the appropriate amount and it doesn't overshadow some other amazing performances. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are back as young Xavier and Magneto and they are amazing here. First of all McAvoy is fascinating, they really humanise Xavier here and they do a really good job of making him interesting and compelling, he feels even more human here then he did in First Class and it is a real highlight here. Then onto Fassbender who totally revels in his role as more of an antagonist but once again he is a remarkable antagonist, there is one scene on a plane that shows the strength of his performances and character. Also their chemistry together is still brilliant and really shows that Fox nailed it with this casting. 

Supporting Characters

I thought Jennifer Lawrence did a good job as Mystique in First Class but she steps it up a level here. She ups it in the action scenes and really feels closer to the Mystique that we saw in the original films, she also has a really interesting character arc and it feels like her emotions are stuck between Xavier and Magneto and it puts her in a really interesting position. Sir Ian Mckellen and Sir Patrick Stewart play the older versions of Magneto and Xavier and once again do a great job, they get less screen time here as the film mainly focus on the younger cast but they still add plenty to their roles and deliver when needed. Peter Dinklage, Nicolas Hoult and Ellen Page also give good performances in there smaller roles, also Evan Peters as Quicksilver is a show stealer, he isn't in the film much but when he is he owns every scene that he is in. 

Story

The story is really good, the characters are at the forefront of the story. We spend the majority of time with Wolverine and the younger cast and the position that the film puts them, I mean Xavier, Magneto and Mystique are really well handled and it makes them interesting characters. The contrast with the future scenes are great to, it is a dark really grim world which makes you realise why this drastic action is taken by the mutants. The last act is also fabulous and does a great job in showing how much the characters develop throughout the film. 

Script

The script is really great here, there are some fantastic dramatic moments and dialogue here. Plus the questioning of ideology is here in a great way, looking at the ideology of Xavier, Magneto and Mystique is great and that all of them are different. In this film they aren't really heroes or villains throughout but work towards their roles in the moral spectrum which is well handled. Also when needed the humour is good and it adds tot he quality of the film. 

Style

The style of the film is great, the 1970's looks great and the future scenes look really good and it fits the time periods that they are in and what has happened. The action scenes are really great, the powers are pushed to higher levels and the design choices are really unique and truly great and yes Beast looks so much better in this film. 

Overall

Overall, this is a brilliant comic book movie. It has great acting, great action scenes and a great narrative and is a must watch for anybody with an interest in The X-Men. 

Rating - 10/10

 The Wolverine (2013) Review

So next on my list for the X-Men films is the 2nd solo Wolverine film, called The Wolverine and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Wolverine invited to Japan by a man he once saved, there he aims to survive a conspiracy involving his healing. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is once again back in the legendary role and he does a great job here. He really thrives in playing the loner Wolverine and it is really good to see him away from The X-Men in this really unique journey. He still has that gruff and amusing personality but you see how especially events in X-Men: The Last Stand really affect him as a person and how this whole experience really brings him to becoming The Wolverine. 

Supporting Characters

Rila Fukushima plays Yukio here and she does a good job here, her chemistry and banter with Wolverine is a highlight of the film and is probably the best character partnership in the film. There is also a small role for a member of the X-Men, I won't say who it is but it is pretty obvious and adds quite a bit to the story and the character of Wolverine. But the rest of the cast are really bland, the villains are generic and boring with some of the worst motivation you will see, there is also this romance for Wolverine and it is really weird and actually feels wrong due to the clear age difference between the two actors and characters, plus they have very little chemistry together. 

Story

The story is interesting, seeing Wolverine for the first time really feeling vulnerable in the franchise is interesting and it allows them to have different storytelling options. I just like seeing Wolverine in this world which is different for him and it makes him feel like a more unique and deep character. But this film also has some dull storytelling, the villain motivations just do not work and the twists in the movie are easy to predict and actually feel in contradiction to other things that happen in the movie. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some okay drama and some nice bit of humour that really fits the character of Wolverine. But the drama never hits the level that it could have done, plus it does feel a bit convoluted at times with certain aspects seeming unnecessary. 

Style

The style of the film has some great action scenes, especially one on top of a bullet train that is really thrilling and exciting. Seeing Wolverine go against ninjas is a fun experience and a nice change of pace from the other films. But this film's last act goes so badly it is unreal, the reveal is terrible and the last fight scene has way too much CGI and feels like it should be in a different much worse movie. 

Overall

Overall, this is an okay film. It does some things well but also does things poorly. If you are a fan of the character then it is a fun watch but it isn't one I would exactly rush to see it.

Rating - 6/10

 X-Men: First Class (2011) Review

Next on my list of X-Men films to watch was the prequel and soft reboot of the franchise X-Men: First Class and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the 1960's and sees a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr have to unite to stop a mutant group from starting World War 3.

Main Character

For years and three films up to this point we had come use to seeing Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen in the roles of Professor X and Magneto so it was definitely a change to see James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender take on the roles and they are brilliant here. McAvoy does a great job in showing Xavier as a charismatic guy which you would imagine he would be to get this group of people together. It is also great to see Fassbender as this man set out for revenge and playing a really intense version of the character. But their chemistry together is fantastic and I love seeing the dynamic between the two and how both of their ideologies conflict but they are clearly friends which maybe the original films didn't have a chance to do as much. 

Supporting Characters

Jennifer Lawrence has received some criticism of her portrayal as Mystique but I thought she did a good job here. She is meant to be portrayed as a young woman and fills that well and her personal story arc is important about acceptance and it adds emotional depth to her character which obviously had not been seen before in the original trilogy. Nicholas Hoult plays Hank and I mean no spoilers but Beast as well, I mean it is on the poster so I don't think it is a spoiler and he is good too. His arc with Mystique's is interesting and I mean I could have done without the romance between the two but I like how there different ideologies clash and you kind of see both points of view just like our lead characters. Kevin Bacon plays the villain Sebastian Shaw and he was a great choice here, his story with Magneto is really interesting and you can just see how much fun is having in the role. The rest of the cast do a great job to, including Rose Byrne who plays Moira McTaggert and Lucas Till who plays Havok. 

Story 

The story is done really well here, by focusing on the relationship between Xavier and Magneto it looks at the interesting ideologies of the two men that would really shape the X-Men franchise and their dynamic is what makes this film really interesting. This film also does the best job of any X-Men film of making the majority of characters interesting, X-Men films have found it hard to balance the amount of characters but this film does a pretty great job of doing that. Also the last act of this movie is fantastic and is one of the best you will see in any comic book film ever. 

Script

The script here is fantastic, the dialogue all feels really natural and balances humour and drama really well. Like the other X-Men Films it looks at larger social factors and this film does a great job of that as well. Also the writing for the characters is fantastic and really makes you care about them and the situations that they get themselves into. 

Style

There are some great action scenes here, it highlights the different power sets really well to create an exhilarating experience. There is a character called Azazel here and imagine a more violent Nightcrawler and he steals every action scene that he is in and adds so much to this film. This film is also paced really well, it might be over 2 hours but it moves so quickly and entertains from start to end. But I have one criticism here and that some of the effects and costumes look a bit cheap, I mean my main one is the design of Beast here, it looks terrible and really cheap and thank god it gets better in future films. Also I am glad that this film went more comic accurate with the yellow costumes but again for me they just looked a little cheap here and not as good as they could have been. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic X-Men film. It really does a good job showing younger versions of the established characters and introducing new characters which I appreciated and I would highly recommend this film even if you aren't the biggest comic book movie fan. 

Rating - 9/10

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) Review

So next on the list for my X-Men review series is the first solo movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine and I have now watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film looks at the history of Wolverine and how exactly he got his iconic Adamantium Claws and lost his memory. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is once again back as Wolverine and I really feel sorry for him here. He really tries to give a great performance and there are a few moments where he shows it but the writing for the character is so poor and it does nothing to advance his character and provides a dull origin story that for me actually hurts the character in the long run. 

Supporting Characters

Liev Schrieber is cast as Victor Creed, who is Wolverines brother here and I thought he was great casting here. He fit his role well and he came across as a good antagonist and his relationship with Jackman is easily the highlight of the movie. Danny Huston Plays William Stryker and he is fine, he does a good job in the well and fits what we know about the character from the previous film X2 where the character is the main antagonist. But the rest of the cast as poor, Wolverine has a love interest and she was just so boring, I didn't buy into their relationship and it really took the drama away for me. There is also some weird casting like Taylor Kitch as Gambit and Will I Am which also really took me out of this movie. Plus don't get me started on how this film uses Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and thank goodness he got redeemed on a later date. 

Story

The story here has one redeemable quality which is the relationship between Logan and Victor which I thought was pretty well handled in this film. But the rest of the plot does not work at all, it is just all over the place. So the love story doesn't work at all and this film tries to force some famous characters here and it doesn't work at all and makes this story not work. Also if you want X-men continuity it is not here, this film counteracts previous films and just makes it a bit confusing. 

Script

The script here doesn't work for me, the drama comes across as forced and Wolverine really lacks any sort of charm and charisma that he at least had some of in the previous films. It becomes so convoluted that the film forgets what it is doing and rushes parts of Wolverine's origin story. 

Style

The style of the film has some okay action scenes, especially the one in the last act which is quite entertaining. But there are also some terrible action scenes and they even screw up Wolverines claws making them look completely fake and CGI which is blasphemous in a Wolverine film. 

Overall

Overall, this film just feels really pointless, I was watching it going it isn't terrible but I have no idea why anybody should watch this so I would advise not watching this film.

Rating - 4/10

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) Review

So the next film on my X-Men reviewing list is the third film in the franchise X-Men The Last Stand and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the government come up with a Mutant cure which cause a divide in the mutant community, while Jean Grey comes back with a darker more destructive personality. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is once again the lead here as Wolverine and he is okay here. He still has that charm and charisma there which is good for an action star, but the character development and the intrigue of his character is gone here. It just feels like he relies on his charisma and the actual performance just isn't as strong and honestly I think the lesser quality of the whole film does hurt his performance. 

Supporting Characters

Halle Berry as Storm was really good in X2 and I think she is just as good here. She takes a larger role here and she fits her role here. Sir Ian Mckellen is back as Magneto and once again he is a great villain here and even though I think it is the least interesting of his performances he still rises above and does a great job. Newly added to the cast is Kelsey Grammer as Beast and this was inspired casting, he is superb and such a cool character here in this film. But then to the rest of the main cast, Sir Patrick Stewart is good as Xavier it is just he is so poorly used here and it feels like he was an afterthought here and wasn't a character of importance. Now onto Famke Jenssen as Jean Grey and she is so dull here, this is a very lifeless performance and this film does nothing to make her interesting at all. Also characters like Iceman, Shadowcat and Rogue are here and really poorly used and are clearly afterthoughts here too. 

Story 

This story is an absolute mess, it literally is all over the place. It just seems filmmakers don't know how to do The Dark Phoenix saga as it really doesn't work here and we will talk about it when I review Dark Phoenix. This cure storyline and The Phoenix stuff could be interesting if told individually but trying to fit both of them in this film, means neither stands out and neither have enough intrigue to keep you interested and this really just makes this film brainless action. Also this film really lacks conviction, it makes some radical decisions but by the end of the film goes completely against them and takes the easy way out. 

Script

The script here is not good, the drama for me didn't work it was really poorly done and I just didn't find myself caring for the heroes, in fact the film does such a bad job I actually ended up rooting for Magneto which I am pretty sure I am not meant to do. The humour only works when Jackman does it, I mean Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut has some of the most absurd lines in any film ever made and it really doesn't work. 

Style

As mentioned earlier, this film tries to focus on its action and yeah there are some pretty grand and exciting action scenes here. But I mean there isn't anything that is truly amazing here at all, I would argue there are much better action scenes in X2. Also the pacing of the film is all over the place, it is really choppy and tries to focus on too much in the first hour of the film. 

Overall

Overall, this film really brings a sour note on this trilogy, and changing director really doesn't help things. I would say even if you are an X-Men fan maybe this one is one to skip as I feel like it doesn't really add anything much of worth. 

Rating - 3/10 

X-Men 2 (2003) Review

Next on my X-Men film watching comes the sequel to the original film the weirdly named X2 which later just became known as X-Men 2 and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees an army colonel attack the X-Mansion which forces The X-Men to team up with Magneto & Mystique to take him down. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman is back in his second time in the role and he maybe even better here then he was in the first film. He still has the charm and charisma, but in this film we see a more feral Wolverine and this is the first time we really get to see him in brutal and heavy action scenes. Also his character has a more personal arc here, his connection to the villain is well established and adds to the intrigue of the character of Wolverine. 

Supporting Characters

Sir Ian Mckellen is back as Magneto and he is superb here, he is brilliant in the role and seeing his dynamic with the rest of the cast is a highlight of the film. For such a legendary actor seeing him revelling in this role is truly fantastic and he is just an absolute treat to see here. Sir Patrick Stewart is also back as Charles Xavier and he is also great, his character is in the background a bit more here but he still gives a powerful performance and it works here. I gave Halle Berry some criticism as Storm in the first film, but she is so much better here and her character is really well done and she is given a chance to show more of her powers off which is great. Alan Cumming comes in as the mysterious Nightcrawler and he is the showstealer here, he delivers possibly the greatest opening scene in comic book history and has a really interesting character here. Famke Jenssen as Jean Grey is even better here then she was in the first film and Rebecca Romijn is even better as Mystique and along with Nightcrawler is a real standout here. Also Brian Cox is great as William Stryker and is a worthy antagonist here

Story

The story is really interesting, focusing on Wolverines past and a different human angle is great and provides a different experience from the first film. The individual team members get good character arcs and seeing Magneto and The X-Men team up is great to see. My few issues with the story is that Xavier & Cyclops really get pushed into the background here which is a disappointment, also the first act of the film is a bit choppy. It introduces so much that it is a little unfocused which means some characters have much more screen time then others. 

Script

The script here is great, similar to the first film there is a real great blend of humour and drama. The drama I felt was increased here and made this a much heavier movie then the first which really helped make this film better the n the first. 

Style

The film looks fantastic, the action scenes are so well done. It feels more intense and more action packed then the first film, there is a siege of The X-Mansion which is amazing and a fight scene between Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike that is better then any action scene in the previous film. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic sequel, that pretty much improves on everything from the previous film. It is a truly great comic book movie and for me is one you must watch, after you have watched the first film. 

Rating - 9/10 

X-Men (2000) Review

So with New Mutants hopefully hitting the cinemas soon I have decided to go back and watch all of the previous X-Men films and here is my review for the original film that started the franchise. The premise of the film sees two groups of super powered people called Mutants clash - the militant Brotherhood and the peaceful X-Men and how their two ideologies force opposition.

Main Character

It always amazes me that Hugh Jackman was never supposed to be Wolverine, he got the role due to Dougray Scott dropping out and the rest is history. So this is his first time as the character and he is fantastic here, he has the right mix of gruff and humour that makes him such a great character. He owns the screen with his charm and charisma and it is easy to end up rooting for him and wanting to find out more about him as he is shrouded in mystery for the majority of the movie. 

Supporting Characters

Possibly as iconic is Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian Mckellen as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. These two's relationship is one of the most fascinating that there is and I love how the film treats it, yes Magneto is the villain here but the film gives him logical motivations and you truly understand where both characters are coming from even though it is clear Magneto's is more drastic. Both actors nail there performances and it would lead to many films together in the future. Famke Janssen plays Jean Grey and I thought she did a good job here, her chemistry with Jackman is good here and is a nice addition here. Also high credit to Rebecca Romijn for her performance as Mystique, first the makeup is great here and in the action scenes she does a fantastic job. But there are some performances that don't work for me, Anna Paquin has a big role here as Rogue and honestly watching it back it is pretty weak, there is just no real character development and her southern accent felt really forced as well. James Marsden as Cyclops is just a pretty boring character and Halle Berry as Storm has this awful accent that comes across poorly which does affect her character. 

Story

The story here is really good, seeing this world where mutants exist but are discriminated against hits a lot of real world themes and it creates plenty of interesting character dynamics. As I said you understand both Xavier and Magneto's ideologies and it is handled really well. Seeing Wolverine finding out about X-Men is like he is the window for us and it is a good story device that works well here. 

Script 

The script here is really good, there is a great mix of humour and drama. Jackman has some really funny lines here and with the drama involving Xavier & Magneto it is a great script. Though it has to be mentioned this film includes possibly one of the worst lines in film history, if you have seen this film you know which line I am talking about, but it is a great script regardless.

Style

The style is good here, there is some decent action scenes, particularly one involving Wolverine and Mystique which was well handled. Also this film is paced really well, it is shorter then I remember but it fits everything it needs in it and doesn't include any pointless scenes. But this film is now 20 years old and it shows a bit, some of the wirework and CGI is really noticeable and makes it seem dated, it is a criticism but also a bit of a harsh one considering when the film was made. 

Overall

Overall, this film was really the first mainstream Marvel film and is a great film, if you are a fan of these characters then you will know how enjoyable a film this is. But if you haven't got on the X-Men train then I would say this will be a great time for you to give it a go.

Rating - 8/10