Reviews@24 Panels: X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (2011)

The opening of Bryan Singer's X-Men (2000) signaled its intentions as a weighty and serious comic book film, especially compared to the frivolousness the Batman franchise of the 1990s had become. That film's prologue, showing a young boy in a concentration camp being separated from his mother, is particularly effective and rather shocking. Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class opens exactly the same way – Vaughn painstakingly recreates the scene from Singer’s film right down to the camera angles and editing. It’s a bold, curious move and its intentions aren't exactly clear, but with it Vaughn's prequel essentially reboots the franchise (Preboot? C'mon people, help me out).

Reviews@24 Panels: X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (2009)

While on hiatus from the X-Men series at large, 2009 saw the release of the ridiculously titled X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a spin-off and prequel (Spinquel? Prespin? Let's coin a term for this, stat!). The film, as the title suggests, provides Wolverine’s backstory at length, dealing primarily with the events that led him to be the adamantium-claw wielding anti-hero we've come to know and love.

Reviews@24 Panels: X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006)

[Sadly, I wasn't able to attend the recording of the episode dedicated to X-Men: The Last Stand, so here's my review.]

Some nights I am still haunted by the squandered potential of Brett Ratner's X-Men: The Last Stand. Some point their finger at The Matrix sequels or the Star Wars prequels as the biggest disappointment of our generation, but I am inclined to give that distinction to Ratner's entry in the X-Men franchise. Given the huge momentum built by the first two films, a third X-Men film had the potential to be something as great as 2012's Marvel's The Avengers; the sheer amount of missed opportunities in The Last Stand absolutely mind-boggling. When original series director Bryan Singer jumped ship to helm Superman Returns, Marvel – in what can only be described as a ballsy, spite-fueled move – hired yes-man director/professional douchebag Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour films, Red Dragon) and rushed The Last Stand into production.

Reviews@24 Panels: X2: X-MEN UNITED (2003)

The X-Men franchise hit its stride in 2003 with the sequel X2: X-Men United. Again directed by Bryan Singer, X2 is one of those rare sequels that builds on the framework of the first film and out-does its predecessor. Singer seemingly identified the weaknesses of 2000′s X-Men and fixed those problems, while taking everything that worked with the film and broadening the scope. Like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan before it, X2 makes good on the promise of the original (indeed, the film recalls The Wrath of Khan on more than one occasion - but perhaps more on that another time).

Reviews@24 Panels: X-MEN (2000)

[To sort of piggy-back on the episode of X-Men: The Last Stand, I thought I would go back and revisit all five of the X-Men films.]

The X-Men comics have long been one of the most politically-charged series, giving the film franchise the potential to do the same. Released in 2000, Bryan Singer's X-Men focuses on the origins and introductions of a handful of characters familiar to comics readers: Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Cyclops (James Marsden), Storm (Halle Berry), Jean Grey (Famke Jannsen), among others. The plot of the film hinges on a plan by Senator Robert Kelley (Bruce Davison) to enact a Mutant Registration Act, whereby mutants are to be publicly identified or “outed,” if you will. Professor X and Magneto have opposing approaches on the advocation of mutant rights, echoing Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, and the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Episode 38. X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006)

Our "Comics go to Washington" series begins with the most politically-charged of the original X-Men trilogy, X-Men: The Last Stand! It's also generally agreed to be the weakest of the three, but has time been kind to the Brett Ratner-directed trilogy capper? And what of its politics? As Churchill once said, "There comes a time when every man must OH YOU GET THE POINT." Tune in to this episode of 24 Panels Per Second to find out what Dru and Dave have to say. 

Episode breakdown:
0:00 - 20:51: Intro banter (Dru's outrage, shoe sizes, old man socks, the bee hunt)
20:51 - 21:42: X-Men: The Last Stand trailer
21:42 - 1:35:32: Main discussion: X-Men: The Last Stand
1:35:32 - 1:44:01: Closing remarks

Addenda:

• Check out episode 73 of the /Filmcast, where X2 co-screenwriter Mike Dougherty explains what was planned for the Bryan Singer-directed X3 before he jumped ship to direct Superman Returns. 
• Highlander: The Card Game. There can be only one deck!

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Next time on 24 Panels: Who watches the Watchmen? (...We will.)