X-Men Film Versus

[Doctor Know]

The X-Men films gave us some of the biggest highs and some of the crushing lows. The earlier movies and the solo films did well because they respected the material and tried to adapt it the best way on screen. The latter films attempted to outsmart the material, and we saw the results of that with a series of diminishing returns.

That's what this thread is for. One thread for two polls. Search for the worst and better than the rest.


X-Men 3 The Last Stand vs Dark Phoenix

13 years between these movies, and Simon Kinberg failed to stick the landing both times as the writer. It's crazy to think that X3 is now "the good phoenix movie", but I've seen a lot of online love for Dark Phoenix. Vote for your favorite below.



X-Men Origins vs X-Men Apocalypse - Scott and Logan's beginnings

Both films showcase a different version of Scott and Logan's origins. XMO following the opening scene of X3, with a young Patrick Stewart Xavier rescuing Scott and the kids from Stryker. Apocalypse has Scott brought to Xavier by his brother Alex Summers. Neither young Scotts are good, but which do you prefer?

Singer got his own stab at telling Logan's origins with Apocalypse. With a throwaway scene that has nothing to do with the movie. This after XMO delivered a thud of an origin. It could always be worse, but which works for you?

The Poll is multiple choice. So be sure to leave votes for both questions.

Feel free to make you own versus submission.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I thought Dark Phoniex was a better Phoniex story than The Last Stand. Upon rewatch I usually skip the phoniex stuff. It feels like an extraneous subplot if you didn't watch the others first. Dark Phoniex feels more purposeful in comparison.

That doesn't mean Dark Phoniex is free of problems. It just handled that aspect better.

[WebLurker]

I think Last Stand worked a lot better than Dark Phoenix (cleaner story, fewer lulls). I never got the hate for Apocalypse; it was perfectly fine for what it was. Origins, IMHO, is a guilty pleasure that it's worth the effort to hate. While I don't dislike either, Apocalypse is easily the better one.

[Doctor Know]

Close poll so far.

I’m still curious who are these people who liked Dark Phoenix. Apocalypse was so vacuous that I can’t abide it. This from someone who sees major faults with X3 and XMO, but I can’t get into Apocalypse and I’ve tried.

[WebLurker]

Close poll so far.Apocalypse was so vacuous that I can’t abide it. This from someone who sees major faults with X3 and XMO, but I can’t get into Apocalypse and I’ve tried.

I think the thing for me is that the story itself is less messy than the others; everything flows pretty well. It's also got some good set pieces (the prologue, Quicksilver's slo-mo rescue, etc.). I think the main fault is that the Weapon X detour was unneeded and slowed the pacing down (it's fun, so I can forgive a little indulgence, but still). I guess the way I see it is that it's nothing spectacular, just a run of the mill genre film, but I don't think it made any egregious mistakes, either.

[Jokerz79]

Ranking these 4 I'd go.

Apocalypse 1st but the Weapon-X/Wolverine cameo was unneeded and served no purpose. Would Would had preferred losing the whole thing with Stryker and Wolverine and kept the extended mall scenes. Also as a kid who watched In Search Off the In Search of style promo was great.

Last Stand: Oh my Stars and Garters was Kelsey Grammar great as Beast. The tattoo scene with Magneto was good also.

X-Men Origins Wolverine had some wonky CGI but so some of the MCU films. The 1st 10 minutes are great and felt until 3 mile Island it was a fine Wolverine origin story.

Dark Phoenix last while I like the focus on Jean for a Dark Phoenix story it was still a bad telling of it and Last Stand again at least had KG's Beast.