Daily Comics Digression #44: Deadpool's X-Men
Daily Comics Digression #44: Deadpool's X-Men
The X-Men film franchise has been on a rocky road for years now. The first couple entries were solid enough, and they were new enough at the time to stand out with audiences. Going back and watching them now...they're nothing special, but along with the Spider-Man films of the 2000's, these early superhero flicks were cinematic trailblazers. They laid the groundwork for the genre that has realized itself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, establishing the tropes, style, and tone for what we see today.
After a few good outings, however, X-Men films became a crap shoot. For every good or even excellent film like Logan, Deadpool, or X-Men: First Class, there's an odious stink bomb like X3: The Last Stand or X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Even worse, it looks like we're going the route of recasting or rebooting everything whilst the previous incarnation is still fresh in our minds. Every other year, it seems like there's a new person playing Peter Parker, and the same seems to be happening to the X-Men. Don't believe me? We're already on two versions of the same cast played by different actors for primary and secondary characters (we've had two versions of Emma Frost and Psylocke, for crying out loud), and we're not even touching how everyone's going to be rebooted again if and when the Disney/Fox deal goes through.
All of this constant rewinding of story progression is not without its consequences, especially within such rapid succession. Sure, franchises like James Bond reboot themselves every decade or so, but there's definitely more time spent between those releases. With no time to let the franchise fade into nostalgia, nostalgia cannot be created. This lack of breathing space between reboots ultimately leads to a growing fatigue with the genre. Look around; it's already spreading. Even fans of superheroes are wearing out.
So it struck me as a surprise to see how much fun the X-Men seemed as a team as portrayed in the recent Deadpool movie and its upcoming sequel. Colossus especially seems to be a fun, interesting, and engaging character with just the right blend of humor and staidness. Even his costume seems right. Then it hit me. I am far more interested in watching a film of the X-Men as portrayed in the Deadpool movie than I am in watching the X-Men as portrayed in their own franchise. Look at how boring the outfits of the X-men are in the recent X-Men Apocalypse film. Why is it that the only colorful characters are the villains? Everyone else looks soooooooo boring. Boring and overly serious (with the exception of the scene stealing quicksilver). Contrast this with how the X-Men look in Deadpool. They're colorful, in looks and personality. It's almost like they're from a comic book.
After a few good outings, however, X-Men films became a crap shoot. For every good or even excellent film like Logan, Deadpool, or X-Men: First Class, there's an odious stink bomb like X3: The Last Stand or X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Even worse, it looks like we're going the route of recasting or rebooting everything whilst the previous incarnation is still fresh in our minds. Every other year, it seems like there's a new person playing Peter Parker, and the same seems to be happening to the X-Men. Don't believe me? We're already on two versions of the same cast played by different actors for primary and secondary characters (we've had two versions of Emma Frost and Psylocke, for crying out loud), and we're not even touching how everyone's going to be rebooted again if and when the Disney/Fox deal goes through.
All of this constant rewinding of story progression is not without its consequences, especially within such rapid succession. Sure, franchises like James Bond reboot themselves every decade or so, but there's definitely more time spent between those releases. With no time to let the franchise fade into nostalgia, nostalgia cannot be created. This lack of breathing space between reboots ultimately leads to a growing fatigue with the genre. Look around; it's already spreading. Even fans of superheroes are wearing out.
So it struck me as a surprise to see how much fun the X-Men seemed as a team as portrayed in the recent Deadpool movie and its upcoming sequel. Colossus especially seems to be a fun, interesting, and engaging character with just the right blend of humor and staidness. Even his costume seems right. Then it hit me. I am far more interested in watching a film of the X-Men as portrayed in the Deadpool movie than I am in watching the X-Men as portrayed in their own franchise. Look at how boring the outfits of the X-men are in the recent X-Men Apocalypse film. Why is it that the only colorful characters are the villains? Everyone else looks soooooooo boring. Boring and overly serious (with the exception of the scene stealing quicksilver). Contrast this with how the X-Men look in Deadpool. They're colorful, in looks and personality. It's almost like they're from a comic book.
Comments
Post a Comment