sum1

Rewatched X-Men 1, X-Men 2 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (dumb title) recently. Presently rewatching X-Men: Last Stand.

X-Men 1 was weaker and more rudimentary than I remembered it. That probably comes from superhero movies developing a lot since then. I still enjoyed the nostalgia of reseeing a film I first saw nearly 17 years ago, when the world was a much nicer place. Back then, seeing my old heroes on the screen for the first time was something special. Unfortunately that's become a bit old hat by now. Still enjoyed the introduction of classic characters such as Wolverine and Rogue.

X2 remains as unmemorable as I remember it. In other words I barely remembered it and now I see why. Still, Brian Cox is always fun.

The Wolverine Origins film was pretty unimpressive. A lot of it seemed done in a rushed, amateurish way, but it was fun seeing old classic characters like Wraith. Of course, I must object seriously to the portrayals of characters such as Gambit (big dumb football dude does not a Gambit make), Sabertooth (good actor, bad casting), Silver Fox (good actress, but the character's supposed to be Native, not only a tiny bit Native) and, god help us, Deadpool (right actor, but WTF did they DO to him?!).

In general the early X-Men movies are very miscast and the characters inaccurately portrayed.

For example, Halle Berry doesn't come across half formidable enough to be Storm, though the writing is messed up for her too. Hugh Jackman is a great Wolverine, EXCEPT he's a foot too tall. Wolverine being short is part of the whole point of the character. That's what a wolverine is -a small, nasty animal that punches way above its weight. Magneto and Shadowcat should have been played by Jewish actors as they're Jewish. Don't take roles from a minority. The guy who played Colossus in the early movies didn't seem half formidable enough and couldn't pass for Russian. They didn't even give him a Russian accent. Cyclops is supposed to be something other than a smug jerk. He's so much more than what they made him in the movies.

Their takes on Rogue and Iceman weren't bad and the original Xavier is perfectly cast (apart from being the wrong nationality). Mixed feelings on Famke Janssen's Jean, but they sure messed up the Phoenix story. I much prefer the portrayal in the later films with Sophie Turner.

Mystique in the comics doesn't walk around naked all the time and is only a moderately good fighter, relying mostly on tricks and deception. Certainly she shouldn't be a match for Wolverine, who's one of the most skilled fighters in the whole Marvel universe. They should have portrayed him as more skilled than they did. If you want to adapt a cool character, don't cut out a key part of what makes him cool. It was just ridiculous in X1 watching him getting his ass handed to him by Mystique of all people.

Sabertooth is not just some big strong, dumb guy, any more than he's Liev Schreiber. He's 6'6" and animalistic, but very intelligent and manipulative, as well as very scary. His powers are basically the same as Wolverine's. The Juggernaut is NOT a mutant. He's Xavier's stepbrother and he's got power enough to take on the whole X-Men team singlehanded. Surely they could have gotten somebody bigger than Vinnie Jones in a funny suit? Oh and Dania Ramirez isn't anywhere near hard enough to play Callisto.

crash landing

Was today so had a Hot Chocolate earlier

PhoenixRising

I basically agree with everything you just posted, sum1. Although I have seen Jewish actors playing non-Jewish roles(like Italian gangsters), so I'll let that one slide, but everything else is spot on.


Stay warm, Sarah.

sum1

Just because it happens doesn't make it good. You see white actors playing Native too, but it's not good and Native Americans don't appreciate it. Glad you agree on the rest.

crash landing

Alex So sorry if I'm coming across as a bitch over on Draft but just being technical which I feel like I'm coming across as a bitch

PhoenixRising

Yeah, but these days there are so many Jewish people who you'd never know were Jewish that they can be played by pretty much anyone who's white. And there are those who convert to Judaism as well. I don't think anyone would know that Jennifer Connelly is half Jewish on her mother's side. But I do get what you mean.

PhoenixRising

Nahh, no worries, Sarah. I'm fine with the draft. I just need time to answer because of all the other boards I post on.

crash landing

Nah talking about my debating related to the Mystique Child answer and than my answer related to your Rogue lovelife situation

sum1

You could say the same about Native Americans with all the people who are part Native, but it still doesn't make the whitewashing ok.

PhoenixRising

Yes, you're absolutely right. But when it comes to casting, Hollywood doesn't always have the option to go with just a select group of actors. For example, Natalie Portman is Jewish, so she could play Shadowcat, but if she wasn't available or didn't want the part, then the casting directors have to look for another Jewish actor, and so on. And Captain Kirk isn't Jewish, but so far he's been played by two Jewish actors, William Shatner and Chris Pine. So I think it's basically the pool of actors the studios have to work with and their availability. Now, casting Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One, who is Asian, is definitely wrong. Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie/Brynhildr is just... wrong. And the entire cast of Gods of Egypt was wrong. So I do agree with you, even though I understand why they do it.

crash landing

This sounds like a similar conversation that I think it was sum related to the casting of Benedict for Khan

PhoenixRising

Oh man, don't get me started on Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan. That was just silly.

crash landing

Or was it you that I had this conversation with

sum1

I think Hollywood can afford to go outside the narrow pool a good deal more. They often have when they really wanted to. And there really are a lot of actors out there to be drawn on.

Don't get me started on Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One! That makes me so angry. It's not just whitewashing, it's chickening out on the topic of Tibet to appeal to the Chinese market.

Tessa Thompson as the Valkyrie -I generally think changing the race of important characters is bad, whether white to non-white or non-white to white, but I can accept it when the actor is great. For example, I can accept Idris Elba as Heimdall because he's an acting genius (see Stringer Bell in The Wire) and was great in the role. But I have yet to see proof of Tessa Thompson having the talent to justify such a switch like that. Another good white to black switch was Tara Thornton in True Blood. Rutina Wesley made her one of the best characters on the show and I was so pissed off when they summarily killed her off.

Gods of Egypt -so annoying. The Ancient Egyptians were a Middle Eastern people like their descendants the Egyptian Copts. Why are the roles being filled with actors from Denmark and Scotland? Exodus: Gods and Kings similarly screwed up. They should have recruited a cast of Jewish and Middle Eastern actors. Instead they got a lot of white people. Christian Bale as Moses, wtf?!

crash landing

Work being too busy to