5. Nightcrawler
The opening scene in X2, in the Oval Office, is quite simply the finest example of a movie version of a mutant power I’ve ever seen. Taking it one step further and Alan Cumming’s look as Kurt Wagner is doubly impressive. it’s a step away from the movie version of everyone’s favorite blue German, but it worked, and I experienced both his humanity and inhumanity in equal measures.
4. Sabretooth
See if you can guess which version I’m talking about. Hint: it’s not the one played by the wrestler. I heard that Liev Schreiber would be playing Victor Creed, and I scratched my head. He always makes me think of when he played Orson Welles, and I wasn’t sure he had the bulk to pull it off, but man, did he. He looked fantastic in the part, and brought a very intelligent ferocity to the role, shining as one of the real bright spots in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
3. Professor X
This was one of those fanboy dream castings, where no one complained a bit when Patrick Stewart was cast, and then repeated the role twice more. Our former Enterprise Captain simply was Charles Xavier, and other than the creepy young version of him in the third movie, I can think of no complaints.
2. Wolverine
He’s a bit too tall. Other than that, Hugh Jackman has made an entire career out of being Logan. You think he paid for his house singing and dancing on Broadway? People didn’t know what to make of it until the movie started, and then from that first cage fight, he won everyone over. But it wasn’t until X2 that we got to see him cut loose and go full Wolverine. Even when working with a terrible script (2 out of 4 times), he’s still fun to watch, and did both action and humor with the perfect tone. “What do they call you? Wheels?” Perfect. They even managed to make the hair work. Someone should have won an Oscar for that.
1. Magneto
I am deeply fond of Ian McKellan’s portrayal of Magneto. When you think that he anchored two major cult movies at around the same time, knocked them both out of the park, and that Gandalf and Magneto were totally different performances, it gets even more impressive. McKellan gave his Magneto just the right amount of empathetic energy mixed perfectly with a touch of Saturday Matinee villain. I love the quiet, calm version of his threat. Magneto is as powerful and scary as they get, and Sir Ian plays it in such a way that he doesn’t have to say it. Everyone already knows.
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Some rights reserved.
I prefer Mystique to Sabretooth, but other than that, the list is pretty spot on.
Those top 3 are pretty much perfect, I can’t imagine anyone else in those roles. I have high hopes for the performances of MacAvoy and Fassbender as Xavier and Magneto, but I can’t see them being as true to the comics as Stewart and McKellen. But that’s okay.
I really like Kelsey Grammar as Beast as well, but that could be because I like Beast.
Ian Mckellan is a fine actor, but he was always too frail to be a true Magneto.
His acting chops are there but the complete lack of physical presence makes his casting as Mags
an interesting alternate take- but No way near better than Patrick Stewart as the Professor or Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
A number one spot has to nail it in every way- not just be a version that you liked a lot.
–In my opinion.
Man, it was a shame we never saw more Nightcrawler in X3. It looks like we’ve got a stand in for him in First Class but he definitely kicked some major ass in that opening scene in X2
I love the Nightcrawler pick! For the opening scene of X2 alone it was a great pick and then add in his taking to Storm about faith u really get the sense of a young Nightcrawler, before he became comfortable with himself.
Umm, yepe. Yeah, this is pretty much an inarguable list for me.
I think Mckellan nailed magento. I’ve never felt that Magneto was some Kingpinesque old guy that could punch straight through a punching bag. His strength is derived from his power, and he uses his magnetism to make up for the fact that he is quite old. That being said I agree with Ericmci, that Stewart’s portrayal as Prof. X is definitely one of the best casting choices of all time.
And also what about Ellen Page as kitty pride…………
I just rewatched X2 over the weekend and man, that prison break scene. wow.
“Hey sit down!”
“No.”
balling
Wouldn’t really argue with the list there josh. Although I think Levi should be at the bottom while Cummings should be a bit higher on the list. He’s the most ridiculous character in the list you provided but Cummings just did it perfectly in X2. (Shame that he was turned off by the script for X3 to do it again)
I actually think that the beginning of X2 is the best Nightcrawler action sequence that I am aware of (comic, movie, or otherwise).
Schrieber’s Sabretooth was the brightest part of the movie.
I may have some quibbles about the ordering, but I certainly do not argue with the five selected for this list.
Kelsey Grammer as Beast was the only thing good about X3.
I liked Magneto, but having him carry the story in X3 was horrible. Villains are better when you see their fingers creeping around the edges of the chair, not when they are sitting in it revising TPS reports.
Worst Movie Mutant Character- Cyclops. They murdered that character. They humiliated that character. They did to that character what Speilberg and Lucas did to Indiana Jones.
Not a top five-er per se but Ray Park, baring any notoriously bad Halle Berry quips, managed to make Toad not look like a complete joke. TOAD. Think about that.
Good list!
Etboo- Let’s not forget there never would have been an INdiana Jones withought Spielberg and Lucas.
But agreed- Cyclops makes the list of top worst adaptations.
James Marsden didn’t do the character any favors.
It would be really easy to do the Top 5 Worst Mutant list. Actually, I might have too many options.
@josh I’d like to see that list.
I dont think Marsden was given anything to work with. He had a little swagger in the first but then Halle had to put her foot down and that was the end of Cyclops having any sort of potential.
Thanks to Liev Schreiber and Hugh Jackman’s brilliantly shorthanded performances in that title sequence, I’m now patiently waiting for “X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Sabertooth FIGHTIN’ ACROSS TIME!”
Echo the other comments above–I also thought Kelsey Grammer as Beast was the single redeeming aspect to that godawful movie.
i like how in X-men 1 Wolverine had chest hair then he went to wilderness of Alberta on a motorcycyle and came back with a waxed chest in X-men 2
I’ve gotta say, I pretty much agree wholeheartedly with that list. It’s a mighty fine list and makes me want to go watch X2.
@edward He “healed”.
together, we just won a no prize
I would move everyone on that list down one and put in Beast. When X1 came out I hoped that one day we would see Beast and have him played by Kelsey Grammer as Beast = Mutant Fraiser. The fact that it happened made me beam with joy. Then I saw X3. All I can say is, if it wasn’t for Beast in that movie I would of lost my sanity. Just as if I was reading the Necronomicon.
Even though its Mutant Movie characters
gotta give some love for Brian Cox as Striker and Bruce Davidson as Senator Kelly.
I was thinking Wolverine was going to be number one. It made sense in my head until I saw you chose Magneto. I’m still a little sad we are not getting a Magneto Origins, but the First Class movie has be excited to see how Fassbender does. So far the trailers make him look awesome.
I would agree with all of these mutants except for Liev Schriber as Sabretooth as IMO he may have done a better job, but he really didn’t become the “true” vision that is supposed to be Sabretooth in my eyes, plus that whole movie was just awful. Yet if I were to choose someone else, I would say Kelsey Grammar’s Beast/Hank McCoy, because to me he got the voice, the motivations, and the overall appeal that I have always loved about Beast. Ever since X3 I have always read Beast’s speech balloons in comics with Grammar’s voice in mind. Now Hoult does a fantastic job as a younger Beast in First Class, but as for the older, more well known version of Beast that I have always enjoyed as one of my most favorite X-Men ever, Grammar takes the cake as the best actor to bring that character to life on-screen, at least he did to me.