Hugh Jackman delivers his slicey swan song as Wolverine on Logan, the R-rated for-realsies conclusion of the arc of Marvel’s famous X-Man. This week gallery pays tribute to the Marvel movies that existed before and now compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe – read on for the best & worst Marvel movies (outside the MCU)!
x-men III
Spider-Man (2002, 89%)
Not only does Spider-Man provide a good dose of web-swinging fun, it also has a heart, thanks to the combined charms of director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire.
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016, 48%)
Overloaded action and a cliched villain take the focus away from otherwise strong performers and resonant themes, making X-Men: Apocalypse a middling chapter of the venerable superhero franchise.
Deadpool (2016, 84%)
Fast, funny, and gleefully profane, the fourth-wall-busting Deadpool subverts superhero film formula with wildly entertaining — and decidedly non-family-friendly — results.
Hulk (2003, 61%)
While Ang Lee’s ambitious film earns marks for style and an attempt at dramatic depth, there’s ultimately too much talking and not enough smashing.
Daredevil (2003, 44%)
While Ben Affleck fits the role and the story is sporadically interesting, Daredevil is ultimately a dull, brooding origin story that fails to bring anything new to the genre.
The Wolverine (2013, 69%)
Although its final act succumbs to the usual cartoonish antics, The Wolverine is one superhero movie that manages to stay true to the comics while keeping casual viewers entertained.
Elektra
Year: 2005
Tomatometer: 10%
Originally published by Marvel Comics in 1981.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014, 91%) X-Men: Days of Future Past combines the best elements of the series to produce a satisfyingly fast-paced outing that ranks among the franchise’s finest installments.
Logan: Hugh Jackman plays an older, frequently faded, and R-rated Wolverine in what has been advertised as his final portrayal as the iconic X-Man.
The Wolverine (2013, 69%)
Already an improvement over X-Men Origins: Wolverine by not being completely horrible, The Wolverine convinced studio heads to re-hire James Mangold to guide Hugh Jackman in his final X-Man performance through this year’s Logan.
