Who do the writers of Bam Smack Pow think are the best X-Men to appear in a movie? Find out right here.
In September of 1963, Marvel Comics debuted the X-Men. Jean Grey, Cyclops, Beast, Iceman, Angel, and Charles Xavier came onto the scene and nothing was the same. As time went on, dozens of mutants joined the main mutant roster. Despite the roster change, one thing remains consistent. They’ve always been detested.
No matter how many times they saved the world or universe, they were feared and hated. Sixty years later, mutants are still despised in comics. However, they’re beloved by real-life fans. They’re so popular that the X-Men movies grossed billions of dollars and helped pave the way for comic book projects.
In celebration of the X-Men’s sixty-year anniversary, the writers of Bam Smack Pow voted on the best characters of the 20th Century Fox movies. It was a close vote. Nevertheless, there were five clear winners. Here are the top five X-Men characters from the 20th Century Fox movies.
Tied with 33%: Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), X23/Laura (Dafne Keen), Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy)
5. Quicksilver
Actor: Evan Peters
It’s not shocking that Quicksilver was voted into the top five. He may not have been around or as good as James McAvoy or Patrick Stewart (who both played Charles Xavier), but he was crucial to two of the last four X-Men projects. His personality in X-Men: Days of Future Past and Apocalypse added much-needed entertainment.
On top of his character, Quicksilver’s super-speed scenes were unforgettable. It showed a different side of super-speed. Sure, that kind of visual had been used before. But none of them were as good as his.
4 Magneto
Actor: Michael Fassbender
"“You think because you can see into my head you know how it feels? You’re looking in the wrong place, Charles.”-Magneto"
Michael Fassbender is one of the reasons the reboot of the X-Men franchise was successful. He carried the torch of Sir Ian McKellen perfectly. He may not have had the flair of the award-winning actor, but he didn’t have to be. Fassbender was different. He was younger, physically tougher, and hadn’t been fighting for mutants as long.
One thing he and Ian McKellen had in common was how they showed emotion. The look on his face as he slowly moved the coin in Sebastian Shaw’s head in X-Men: First Class proved that. In X-Men: Apocalypse, the people who murdered Erik’s family got off light. Their deaths wouldn’t have been over quickly.
Then there’s his smoothness. Magneto found a way to connect with people better than Xavier ever could. It’s why some of the mutants left with him at the end of First Class. If you need more proof, the scene where he told Raven she was perfect in her blue skin was beautiful. It was the first time someone told her this. What’s more important is that he wasn’t playing with her mind. He was uplifting her. Only Magneto could do that. It makes sense that the next person on the list did this as well.
3. Magneto
Actor: Sir Ian McKellen
"“We are the future, Charles, not them! They no longer matter!”-Magneto"
There aren’t many people who were perfect in their comic book roles. Sir Ian McKellen was one of the few. He masterfully orchestrated the way he moved metal. He waved his hands and objects danced however he wanted them to. The CGI team may have done the hard work, but Ian McKellen had to do his part as well.
Using mutant powers is something bad performers have done. It’s McKellen’s speeches that set him over the top. In Marvel Comics, the Master of Magnetism uses his words better than he uses his powers. He could motivate a mutant with the lowest of power levels to fight and die for him. In fact, he did the latter in X-Men: The Last Stand.
Magneto watched as dozens, maybe hundreds of mutants charged into Alcatraz. Before the more powerful mutants could help, Erik said, “In chess, the pawns go first.” He let the “weaker” take the hit as the stronger ones waited for their opportunity.
This wasn’t just a show of motivation, it was also manipulation. That’s another big difference between Fassbender and McKellen’s characters. Years of death and losses hardened his heart. McKellen’s Magento was ready to let a few die or lose powers so future mutants could prosper.
2. Deadpool
Actor: Ryan Reynolds
"“You don’t need to be a superhero to get the girl. The right girl will bring out the hero in you.”-Deadpool"
A common misconception about Deadpool is that he’s all jokes and no substance. That theory is thrown out of the window fifteen minutes into the movie. Instead of taking “babysitting money”, he helps a teenage girl get free from her stalker for free. Later, during the holiday-themed sex and ugly sweater scene, Wade and Vanessa fall in love.
As Wade put it, “Your crazy matches my crazy.” It was a sweet moment that accurately shows how Wade reacts to being in love. Even more so how he feels like he doesn’t deserve it. He left Vanessa alone rather than allow her to help him through his cancer diagnosis.
The depth of Wade Wilson is what kept both Deadpool movies from being just another action flick. Nevertheless, the violence and jokes kept people returning to the theaters and streaming the movie.
First, in Deadpool, there’s the highway fight between Wade and Ajax’s goons. He perfectly lands inside a speeding vehicle, breaks a guy’s neck with his feet, and shoves a cigarette lighter in someone’s mouth. This may have been the action fight of that year. Next, in Deadpool 2, Wade and Cable have one of the most brutal fights in comic book movie history. While both of these fights are going on, he breaks the fourth, calls himself Batman, and defends dubstep.
Only Ryan Reynolds could pull off the combination of deep emotions, comedy, and action needed to be Deadpool.
1. Wolverine
Actor: Hugh Jackman
"“What they did to me, what I am, can’t be undone.”-Logan"
Hugh Jackman is one of three actors who helped make comic book movies profitable (Wesley Snipes and Tobey Maguire being the other two). To add more to what he does, Jackman had the difficult task of playing one of the most popular X-Men of all time. Not only did he succeed, he played Wolverine in nine different projects and nailed them all. Even if the movie was bad, he still knocked his performance out of the park.
The most impressive thing is how Hugh Jackman improved Wolverine after every movie. Jackman did more than transform his body to look like a comic book character. He had the Logan faces down to a science. Viewers could tell he genuinely loved his students, they felt bad when he was confused, and knew that was going to happen when he had a look of rage in his eyes. All of this is close to what X-Men fans know about Logan.
It’s unfortunate that Logan was the first time Jackman was given a chance to cut loose (17 years after his first appearance). Thankfully, Deadpool 3 will give him more than just another opportunity. This will show Wolverine like fans have never seen him before. He’ll be annoyed, vicious in ways that he hasn’t been, and possibly funny. Well, funny for Wolverine at least. It will also further the point that Jackman is the best thing to come out of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movies.
Who would you vote as the best X-Men in the 20th Century Fox movies? Let us know in the comments below.