X-Men (Full Reaction)

As a fan of the x-men comics, I would say the casting here was hit or miss. The movies, especially the first two were good, but when it comes to the characters I would say only Wolverine, Magneto and Professor X were really done justice, everybody else were either really important characters who just got relegated to side characters or lacked most of what made them the iconic characters they should be. Some bad casting, but the writing is more to blame as I think a lot of the actors who did not do their characters justice would have been capable of it if the writing allowed it.

DracoMint

Wolverine would be cool powerwise not his life lol I can do all these cool life threatening adventures and be fine and never get sick I mean you'll definitely feel getting hurt but you heal! Professor X no thank you lol I'd hate to find out what people think of me lol and all those voices ugh

Armando Castillo

I will definitely be continuing the X-Men series after Deadpool #1. I'd love to get caught up so when the next Deadpool comes out, I'm ready for it!

Jacqueline

When Jax reacted to Mystique as the Statue of Liberty and accusingly asked Lamby if they were who they claimed they were, I desperately wanted Lamby's eyes to briefly glow yellow. lol Maybe in the YouTube edit. :D

Michael Kemmet

LOL after cerebro messed up Professor X and he falls, you said "See, what I mean about the railing? What if he fell?" I blurted out, without thinking "Then he'd be paralyzed."

Mister Lou

It's the least noticeable of his cameos, though. I watched this movie like four times before I spotted him. All of his other cameos I can think of are centered on him, he's in full focus, and often he has lines. This one, he's just a face in the background crowd.

BubblyRainbows

"Woof! Woof! Woof!" Rogue, have you been petting the dog again? 😂 I guess Jax will not be applying for Rogue's powers: Jax, what did you think of the movie? "Baaaa!" 😂

Happy Hanukkah

Dougray Scott was the initial casting for Logan (the MI2 actor mentioned above). Glen Danzig also lobbied for the role based on the fact that he's 5'3" and huge Wolverine fan. (In the comics Logan is 5'2", short and broad like a real wolverine.)

BRANDON OAKLEY

Really enjoyed watching your reaction here. Bryan Singer did a good job in this first installment. The X-Men are a morality tale about bigotry. I think its very telling that the movie opens in Poland 1944 and really sets up why Erik has this us-or-them mentality. He's already seen what happens (in the extreme) to people who are different. It wasn't until this movie came out that I heard the analogy of Charles is to Erik what Martin Luther King was to Malcom X. Erik really believes "by any means necessary". I don't think that there's any subtext in this film but Bryan Singer (who is gay and jewish and adopted) also saw The X-Men as a metaphor for acceptance of sexual orientation. I don't know that any of that was intended by Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) or Jack Kirby (born Jakob Kurtzberg) when they created the X-Men in 1963 when The X-men debuted. Same month Avengers #1 was published I think. One thing that gets overlooked is Erik intended to make more mutants with his device for the coming war with humanity by converting the population of NYC. If his plot had been successful he would have been one of the most prolific mass murderers in history despite having been a witness/victim of the Holocaust. It would be interesting for them to have acknowledged that in Ian McKellans performance. Having said that the Deadpool movies have a totally different tone from these movies. They are not as gloomy as some of these X-Men movies can be. They are a relentless stream of in jokes, pop culture references, and comic call backs. It will be worth the wait and give you a deeper appreciation for some for the references they drop through out those films. Looking forward to X2 which is a better movie than X-Men (2000).

BRANDON OAKLEY

I completely missed his cameo! I thought he only made cameos in the MCU!

Jacqueline

That's really cool!

Jacqueline

I'm glad you're getting into the X-Men franchise. It's pretty hit or miss for me, but the good ones are REALLY good. My biggest gripe with them is they eventually just give up on trying to keep the continuity straight, which as Deadpool would say "is just lazy writing". But between these and the MCU I hope you don't end up with superhero fatigue. There are a couple of the post-Endgame MCU shows on Disney+ that I'm really looking forward to rewatching with you, I don't want you to get burned out before you get to them :)

Patrick Egan

😴

Phil Stubblefield

I think teleporting would be my mutation of choice. No more paying for gas or car insurance or tires or brakes or oil or any of that garbage! This was Hugh Jackman's breakout and it was an accident. Another actor was supposed to play Wolverine, but he was filming Mission: Impossible 2 and that movie went over production and when he had to drop out, Jackman had to be quickly cast and truthfully, it's next to impossible to imagine anyone else as that character. The production of this movie is also very interesting. They were under a big time crunch because they filmed at the end of 1999 and by January 2000, Ian McKellen had to be in New Zealand to film the Lord of the Rings so they had to make sure everything with him was wrapped before that. Then Bryan Singer was told that the Chritsmas 2000 release was being moved to Summer 2000 and he sudenly had 6 months less to make sure the post production was finished and all things considered, they did an amazing job. I haven't seen this movie in a while, but I was amazed at how well the effects held up. Only janky looking ones I thought were some for Senetor Kelly's mutation, but they're forgivable under the circumstances!

Ed Scoglio

I was kinda hoping you would catch the Stan Lee cameo. He can be seen at around the 43:30 minute mark when the senator is walking on the beach.

Doug Watson

these jokes are kind of a miss. it implies that being younger or looking younger is preferred. society needs to stop acting like aging is bad and that you look worse as you age.

Snax

I was just about to post this lol. Stan Lee's first cameo in a marvel movie https://youtu.be/4QTEsu51ZeI?si=cgsGIBrkNmkna1X4

BigBullyBusick

Rogue can pet a dog - just needs to put on some gloves!

The Dingo

Are you serious? Literal call backs in days of future past cuz of X2

Alex Gonzalez

I think what power I would want to have would depend on very circumstantial issues. If I had Wolverine's powers, would the healing fix permanent injuries I suffered as a child that are now almost 15 years old? If yes, then I'd take that in a heartbeat. If not, it's a lot less appealing. Similarly, if I had Mystique's power, could I turn into a person who is free of injury and live life without those problems? I assume not, since she doesn't become paraplegic when impersonating the Professor, and that's why her power is a lot less appealing to me than it might be to others. Assuming neither of those powers would change my personal circumstances, I'd probably take Jean Grey's powers. Having some amount of telepathy plus telekinetic ability would be pretty useful. Either that or Magneto's power, since magnetic powers in the modern world would be extremely versatile and almost always useful.

BubblyRainbows

Sigh. 😔 You missed the point. I was teasingly suggesting that Jax is younger than she has already revealed herself to be.

Phil Stubblefield

"Can talk about X-Men for hours" What an extraordinary mutant ability! (Note that I did not specify whether positive or negative.) :-) :-) :-)

Happy Hanukkah

‘Apocalypse’ is entirely missable, as well.

Lamar Smith

Gee, it's almost as if not all mutations are benevolent, or even beneficial! Facile analogies aside, one might even surmise that at least some mutants would or should want to be "cured." Hmm, that could make for an interesting story-line, this idea of a possible cure for "mutancy"... (And in seriousness, Chris Claremont deserves credit for coming up with the darker Morlocks concept.)

Happy Hanukkah

I don’t think X2 is really worth watching either. I might do ‘First Class,’ ‘Origins: Wolverine,’ and ‘Days of Future Past’ then do ‘Deadpool 1 & 2’

Lamar Smith

Why not? It's really pretty tame in terms of mature content. There's very little adult language or suggestive content. The fighting is extremely mild compared to the blood and gore in a lot of other movies. If I was old enough to have kids that age, I'd definitely be okay with them watching the X-Men and MCU franchises. I'm pretty sure I was 6 or 7 when I watched the first three X-Men movies and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" for the first time. I don't think the rest were out yet at the time. But my dad was permissive. I saw "Alien," "Aliens," "Predator," and "The Terminator" when I was 7 and "The Exorcist" when I was 9. I think what movie is "appropriate" for a child depends entirely on said child's level of maturity and intelligence and their lived experience. I was fine with a lot of the violent and gory content when I was 7. But I've known other distant family members who would have been traumatized at 7 for watching the same things I did.

BubblyRainbows

Oh yeah being a mutant isn't always the best. In the comics there's actually a community of Mutants called The Morlocks who live beneath New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut within the cities underground tunnels. The Morlocks tend to be made up of mutants who cannot hide their mutations with many of them being labelled as hideous and deformed. Mutants who cannot pass as a "normal person" like most of the characters you'll see in these films. A character like Wolverine can hide his abilities, his Mutation isn't worn on his sleeve. While imagine a Mutant who physically looks different, maybe has extra limbs or has spikes all over their skin. Those are the Mutants who are affected the most by Mutant Hate. This is something I wish the movies dived more into, showcasing more mutants who can't hide who they are and are forced to hide away from society. This was highlighted extremally well in the 90s Animated Series, a series that explored this community. Spider-Man one of your favourite characters faces alot of hate from Anti Mutant groups as many assume that Spider-Man is a Mutant, even teased a little in the X-Men 97 trailer with a heading saying "Is Spider-Man a Mutant?" a fun little nod to not only the 1990s connected Marvel shows but the idea that people think Spider-Man is a mutant hero. Spider-Man is a mutate though a character who gained powers from circumstances that changed their DNA such as the spider bite, genetic modification. While a Mutant is someone who develops their powers at birth, during puberty or in a moment of distress all coming from the X gene. But of course the public don't know the origins of Spider-Mans powers so they can only assume what he is so he's often labelled as a Mutant. Hulk also classifies as a mutate as well. There's also Mutants with really sad abilities for example in the Ultimate Comics there was a kid called J who woke up one day to find everyone in his family gone with only their clothes laying on the ground. He thought nothing of it and continued to High School where he found the streets around his home empty. He finally made it to school where he met up with his girlfriend and fellow students outside getting really to enter the school for the day. But suddenly, all of the students, including his girlfriend, started to burn and melt around him. Pretty much what happened was J overnight hit puberty and thus his mutant ability kicked in. His body released a deadly toxin that would vaporized everyone in his radius, this being why he walk up to his family gone and the streets around his house empty. A pretty sad and dangerous power that he couldn't control. J finds an isolated rural cave where he stays until Wolverine arrives, With his healing factor Logan was really the only person able to survive the kids powers. Logan estimates that J killed around 265 people and so in the end Logan passes the kid a beer before taking his life as J's was simply too dangerous to be kept alive. Last long comment of the day, Can talk about X-Men for hours lol

LittleGalaxyBoy

I was in the 'just watch Deadpool' camp, but watching through the X-men universe should be fun. If anything, watching Logan again will make it worth it (assuming we keep going after Deadpool #1)

Steve J

Dude! Would you and Aldo please be more discrete and not blatantly give away our secret plan to prevent Jax from ever watching any non- Marvel Comics material? First we let her get through most of the X-Men movies, and only *then* do we spring additional stuff!

Happy Hanukkah

Marvel Fan

You just reminded me that we've yet to hear "To Me, My X-Men” in any of the X-Men films. If that ever happens I hope it's like the Endgame "Avengers Assemble" moment using it during a big event. But 100% I would love to see Jax's thoughts on the X-Men 97 trailer.

LittleGalaxyBoy

Hey, Jax. Did you grow up watching X-Men: The Animated Series? It was highly popular on the Fox Kids block from 1992 to 1997. The success of this cartoon is the reason that 20th Century Fox took a chance at creating the X-Men live-action films. This first entry in the franchise is one of several movies that started the live-action comic book movie craze that we have today. I can also say in my opinion that it had a heap amount of perfect casting. Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, and Hugh Jackman among several others have aced their respective roles. We look forward to you checking out the rest of this film series. Most of the entries you’re about to watch are really good. You’re in for a wild ride. In the meantime, I thought you’d like to know that X-Men: The Animated Series is getting a continuation. It’ll be under the name X-Men ‘97. The reason it’s given that name is because 1997 is the year the fifth and final season of the original cartoon premiered. Most of the original voice cast returned, but some of them have new roles this time around. Whether you wanna watch the cartoon in your off-time or react to it for Patreon is entirely up to you, but if X-Men ‘97 sparks your interest I would definitely recommend checking out the original five seasons before diving in. The first season of the continuation (which is the sixth season overall) is premiering on Wednesday, March 20th. A second season (or seventh season overall) is already well into development. Wolverine’s original voice actor Cal Dodd reminded us over on social media.

Aldo Gonzales

my heart literally broke when you didn't notice Stan Lee in the scene where the senator emerges onto the beach!

Chester Beals

You can skip Dark Phoenix. It's pretty bad and isn't doesn't connect to Deadpool at all.

Magnus Thor Magnusson

I sincerely apologize. It wasn’t my intent.

Lamar Smith

Lamar, you can edit your comments. Just put it all in one and paragraph them. You’re hogging up space.

Aldo Gonzales

Side note, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine was actually planned to cameo in Spider-Man (2002) as a way to connect both franchises together. But according to Jackman everyone was on-board with the cameo but it didn't come to pass as no one could find his costume.... I mean he could've just showed up in Jeans and a tank top lol I also heard rumours that they actually tired to get Hugh Jackman to cameo in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) as well so it's funny how mentioned that you started off your MCU journey with Captain America in WW2 and now your beginning the X-Men back during WW2.

LittleGalaxyBoy

If I had to pick a mutant's power set for myself and keeping with just this particular movie, I'd say Mystique's though there are some really fascinating ones in the comics. No need to dye my hair, I can just change it! No need for colored contacts, can change my eye color too! Even time spend applying makeup can be saved! X-Men was Hugh Jackman's breakout role, having only done two small Australian films prior to this. One of his lesser known performances was in the theater as Gaston in Beauty and The Beast. I can see it! Also, the gift shop rampage is hilarious seeing it again more than twenty years later.

Kiera

X-Men (2000) came out at a time when Comic's and Superhero movies in general were still pretty niche, at least compared to today. We had Superman (1978) and it's sequels along with films like Batman 89 and Batman Returns all big hits. But then we got films like Batman & Robin (1997) a film so bad that it put a bad taste in everyone's mouths when it came to comic book films, at least in the eyes of the mainstream audience, Superhero Animated Shows and Movies were killing it with Comic books related media but most mainstream viewers didn't really watch these cartoons. So when it came time for an X-Men film alot of the people involved were worried that having a very comic book aesthetic would turn away the mainstream audience, the director Bryan Singer including many of the higher ups thought that the uniquely individual and colourful costumes of the comic books would turn off the mainstream audience. Kevin Feige who we know as the President of Marvel Studios and face of the MCU was actually hired by Marvel as a producer on this film, one of his first Marvel projects before he climbed up the ladder to becoming the President of Marvel Studios in 2007 I believe. Feige was one of the producers pushing for the X-Men to wear their iconic costumes but as he wasn't a big name during this time no one really listened to him. The director even banned X-Men comics from coming onto the set so Kevin Feige and many of the actors had to smuggle comics into the sets creating a little smuggling network of X-Men comic books. So instead we got matching Black Leather outfits for all the X-Men members with some unique elements like Storm's Cape to Cyclops glasses. But beyond that they were a far cry from these characters outfits in the comics, I do like the causal outfits though for these characters. Magneto by far is the closest to his comic counter part in terms of design. We also had Cyclops saying “yellow spandex?”… In a way making fun of Wolverines Yellow & Blue outfit. I'd say Spider-Man (2002) was the first modern 2000s Superhero film to show that you can easily translate these characters outfits into live action without removing their personality. This followed with Fantastic Four (2005) and Bryan Singer's Superman Returns (2006) all showcasing pretty solid outfits for these comic books characters. Then we got Iron Man (2008) and the birth of the MCU introducing solid designs for these characters that overtime have become even more comic accurate going into Phase 4, Wanda's Scarlet Witch outfit is a great example. On a final note there's a really funny behind the scenes video of a stunt man running onto the X-Men (2000) set wearing a Spider-Man outfit, pre-dating Spider-Man (2002) by two years. In the video you can see how much Spider-Man contrasts with these X-Men, Believe the outfit is from a Marvel themed advert that the stuntman worked. So he just happened to have the Spider-Man costume with him during filming of X-Men. I'll also link a scene from Spider-Man: Animated Series that showcases Spider-Man crossing over with the X-Men from the 1990s Animated Series, fun little crossover between the two shows. But you'll see how well Spider-Man fits in with a more colourful X-Men line up. X-Men (2000) Spider-Man appearance - https://youtu.be/awNFzpCvF18 Spider-Man Meets X-Men (1994) - https://youtu.be/2AAXjaGkbHM

LittleGalaxyBoy

I believe, at the time, Hallie Berry was the single best choice available in Hollywood at the time for Storm.

Lamar Smith

Now, ‘Toad’ was a very well-known stuntman and Parkour guy. He plays the alien that Will Smith chases down in MiB. I believe he was also Darth Maul, the red and black and horned Sith in Episode 1.

Lamar Smith

As far as casting for this movie as it related to the comics, Logan, Professor X and Magneto are all just perfection itself. Cyclops was always portrayed as a bit of a stick in the mud. He’s like Professor X’s prized student, so his casting captured the character’s essence but other actors could have done as well.

Lamar Smith

Now, you asked, “How could Sabretooth survive being kebabed by Wolverine?” That is a FANTASTIC question!….. How could he?

Lamar Smith

For the X-Men to simplify and go with the matching black leathers was a dagger in the heart of some purists but, honestly, their costumes, as originally depicted, I don’t think would have translated very well.

Lamar Smith

https://x-men.fandom.com/wiki/Cyclops_(Scott_Summers)/Costume

Lamar Smith

It was a huge issue for X-Men because, in the comic (which I loved as a kid), I’ll be completely honest, though, their costumes were pretty hokey….

Lamar Smith

That’s how he was originally conceived.

Lamar Smith

https://www.etsy.com/listing/705417429/original-wolverine-print

Lamar Smith

So, you’ll recall the scene where Logan first puts on the black leather and doesn’t particularly like it? Cyclops comes back with a comment about “yellow spandex?”…….

Lamar Smith

Jax says: "... since I haven't seen it in 20 years." What!?! Your parents let a 6-year-old child watch this movie?!? 😉

Phil Stubblefield

Hey! Isn't this the prequel to Deadpool? :-P "The real question is, can mutants and humans ever live together in peace?" And the answer is*: No! Kill the mutie scum! The only good mutie is a dead mutie! There. Now can I get a role as a villain in a story that's a not particularly veiled civil-rights allegory? :-P times a million. * Please cover Lamby's ears!!! :-)

Happy Hanukkah