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All 13 X-Men movies ranked from worst to best

They're all a blend of high-octane action, complex characters, and, let's be honest, a timeline more tangled than the headphones in your pocket, but which X-Men movie takes the number 1 spot?

By Camila Domingues

087_ad_3690_v3099_left.1073_2 – Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the original and most powerful mutant, embarks on a path of global destruction. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.
087_ad_3690_v3099_left.1073_2 – Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the original and most powerful mutant, embarks on a path of global destruction. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox. /
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12. Dark Phoenix (2019)

Dark Phoenix (2019) is the movie that promised us a spectacular fireworks show but ended up being more of a wet sparkler.

This was a movie that was supposed to be the grand finale of the X-Men saga, a series that's taken us on a wild ride full of mutant mayhem, an epic send-off. Instead, what we got with Dark Phoenix was a bit like expecting a gourmet meal and getting served reheated leftovers. It's not that it was totally unenjoyable, but it sure didn't meet the high expectations set by its predecessors. Critics and fans alike were left scratching their heads, wondering where the magic of the earlier movies had vanished. The plot tried to soar into the cosmos but ended up getting lost in space, and the character development was as thin as a piece of paper in a rainstorm. It's like the movie couldn't decide if it wanted to be a profound exploration of power and identity or a high-octane space adventure, and it stumbled trying to be both.

Now, why does Dark Phoenix sit at the bottom of the X-Men cinematic universe? Well, it's a classic case of fumbling the ball at the finish line. After a series of hits and misses, fans were hoping for a comeback that would do justice to the beloved characters and story arcs they'd followed for years. Instead, Dark Phoenix turned out to be a disappointing conclusion to the main X-Men saga, feeling more like a whimper than a bang. The movie had all the ingredients for success: a powerful storyline from the comics, a talented cast, and a universe rich with lore, yet it somehow managed to undercook every aspect from its lukewarm plot to its underdeveloped characters, leaving audiences feeling like they'd just witnessed a missed opportunity rather than a fitting finale.

In the grand banquet of X-Men films, Dark Phoenix ended up being the dish that everyone tried to politely swallow, wishing for the flavors of the earlier courses.

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