Summary
- Logan
earns its place as the top X-Men film with a gritty narrative and stellar cast performances, praised by critics at 93%. - Marvel films dominate Rotten Tomatoes list, with hits like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse leading the pack.
- Logan’s
success lies in its mature, emotional storytelling and standout cast performances, offering a fresh take in an oversaturated genre.
Rotten Tomatoes designates Logan as the X-Men franchise’s top film based on its recently updated list of the 300 Best Movies of All Time. Hugh Jackman‘s 2017 film was the only one from Fox’s X-Men to make it to the list.
The X-Men series, under the banner of Fox, has seen a wild ride of both acclaim and critique. With movies ranging from the poorly received Dark Phoenix and X-Men Origins: Wolverine to more successful ventures like X2: X-Men United and X-Men: Days of Future Past, the franchise has been anything but consistent.
Rotten Tomatoes list features 11 Marvel films, showcasing the dominant presence with hits like Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The latter bags the highest position among the other Marvel superhero films.
Logan Leads the Pack in the X-Men Series
The X-Men film series, spanning two decades, has seen a broad spectrum of critical reception, epitomized by the Rotten Tomatoes scores of its various entries. Logan (2017) sits at the peak, which notched an impressive 93%, praised for its gritty narrative and superb cast performances. Close on its heels is X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) with 90%, celebrated for its innovative blending of franchise timelines.
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X-Men: First Class (2011) also received favorable reviews, earning an 86% for its fresh reboot of the character lineup. Both iterations of Deadpool in 2016 and Deadpool 2 in 2018 scored 85% and 84% respectively, and they were well-received by audiences for their irreverent humor and subversion of typical superhero tropes. X2 (2003) similarly received an 85%, often lauded as one of the best in the series. The original X-Men (2000) garnered a respectable 82%.
However, the series saw diminishing returns with The Wolverine (2013) at 71%, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) at 57%, and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) at 47%. The franchise hit lower points with X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) at 38%, The New Mutants (2020) at 36%, and Dark Phoenix (2019) at a low 22%, reflecting critical dissatisfaction with these entries.
Logan Escaped the Superhero Fatigue with a Mature, Relatable Story
Logan stands out as a unique chapter in the X-Men franchise under Fox by diverging from the traditional superhero narrative, offering a gritty take on Wolverine’s character. Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine was worthy enough to be recognized as one of the top films of its year by the National Board of Review.
Unlike its predecessors, Logan avoids the conventional pitfalls of superhero fatigue by crafting a focused, standalone narrative. This approach allows the film to explore deeper, more mature themes without the constraints of a broader cinematic universe. It’s a film that balances action with significant emotional depth, exploring themes of family and isolation central to the X-Men ideology, yet presents these in a way that feels fresh and engaging.
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Logan‘s success draws power from the great portrayal of its cast. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, reprising their roles as Wolverine and Professor X, deliver some of their best work, bringing a sense of finality to their iconic characters. They are joined by Dafne Keen, who gave a breakout performance as Laura, Wolverine’s clone and surrogate daughter. The dynamic between Jackman and Keen is particularly compelling, providing a tender yet tense exploration of their evolving relationship, which becomes the emotional core of the film.
In its essence, Logan transcends typical genre boundaries by presenting a story that is as much about the human condition as it is about superhero antics. The film concludes on a deeply emotional note, giving a reflection on legacy and the inherent power of personal redemption.
