This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Superheroes on Screen: The X-men

The X-men comic made its debut in 1963, but it took nearly 40 years for the team to make it to the big screen. It made its big screen debut in 2000.

The X-men had been incarnated on the small screen as an animated series. Each episode was a half hour. The series ran for five seasons from 1992-1997.

 The X-men returned for another animated series in 2000 as X-men Evolution which made its debut on the WB network in 2000. The series lasted less than four seasons ending in 2003.

 The X-men live action films were created to appeal to fans of the comic series, but those not familar with the comics will find much to enjoy.

 Five major films star the X-men. X-men (2000)  http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3799934~S50 the first film, introduced all the main players in the series. The film opens with a young boy and his family in a concentration camp. The boy’s parents are taken away. As the gate closes on his family, the anguished boy raises his hand and his mutant abilities manifest. The boy’s power makes the metal gate move. Erik Magnus Lensherr, better known as Magneto, has just discovered his mutant powers, the ability to manipulate metal. In a Southern town in present day America a teenage girl flirts with her boyfriend. They kiss, and her mutant power manifests as she steals his life force. The girl Marie, will become “Rogue”. Two mutant separated by nearly 60 years, it is how they react to their situations that sets up the main arc of the story. Magneto believes in the superiority of mutants, while Rogue follows the X-men and Charles Xavier (Professor X). Rogue while on the run meets Logan (Wolverine) and they are rescued by the X-men. They are brought to the Xavier School for Gifted Children (read mutants).

X2: X-men United (2003)  http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3442385~S50 picks up where the first film left off. Magneto is in custody. Logan is searching for his past at Alkali Lake, but finds nothing but ruins. He returns to the school just before it is attacked by William Stryker, an old enemy of Xaviers. Stryker was also the man behind Logan’s adamantium bonding. As the only adult mutant left in the house it is up to Logan to fight back and get the younger students to safety. Forced to flee, Rogue,  and fellow students John (Pyro), Bobby (Iceman). Circumstances force them into a partnership with Magneto to defeat Stryker.

 X-men: The Last Stand (2006) http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b3865075~S50 is the final film in the trilogy. It picks up several months after X2 ended. Worthington Labs has been able to synthesize a mutant cure that reverses the genetic mutation. Jean Grey, who was presumed dead, is found alive. Her her primal personality, “Phoenix”, is free and is releasing Jean’s incredible powers from their psychic bonds. Magneto is infuriated by the cure and creates a mutant army to attack Worthington Labs. With Phoenix by his side, Magneto is nearly unstoppable. It truly is the last stand!

The X-universe did not disappear from the big screen when the original trilogy concluded.

 X-men Origins: Wolverine (2009) http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4177480~S50 is Logan’s story. His origins are shrouded in mystery. He is the man with claws and an adamantium frame, but no past. Older than anyone realized. He fought through all wars from the the Civil War through Vietnam with his half brother Victor Creed. Logan and Victor are recruited for Team X an elite government fighting force run by William Stryker. Stryker makes Logan, “Weapon X”,but Logan escapes and goes on the run. Stryker is obsessed with creating the perfect mutant soldier.

X-men: First Class (2011) http://alpha2.suffolk.lib.ny.us/record=b4401135~S50 is a reboot for the whole series. Unlike in the first film the scene in the concentration camp continues. Erik sees his mother brutally murdered to force him to manifest his powers. When he is finally freed from the camp Erik wants to find the doctor who tortured him. In an interesting coincidence Erik and Charles end up having a common enemy, Sebastian Shaw, aka Dr. Klaus Schmidt. Charles and Erik unite to find other mutants to help them avert a nuclear disaster that Shaw plans to unleash unless they stop him. The film also explores the origins of the divisions between Erik  and Charles that drove the first series of films.

 The Port Jefferson Free Library has all the X-men films in the collection. Host your very own X-men film fest and see which is your favorite! If you need any assistance please see the Reference Librarian and they will be happy to help.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?