The ’90s were a bad time for comic book fans. Marvel had filed for bankruptcy and was selling off its IP to different studios. Producers did fifteen minutes of research, stunt‑cast the biggest stars they could find, and handed a dusty script to a hapless writer to turn into an origin story. I can’t say that this is exactly how X‑Men got made, but it sure feels like it.

I couldn’t blame anyone for this movie being their sentimental favorite. But on revisiting it, it’s clear they really didn’t know what they had. The X‑Men are the quintessential team in all of comic books. They work together better than anyone and generally win because of that teamwork. The film does give each X‑Man a moment to shine where their powers are showcased, but the narrative is hung on Logan and his introduction to this world.

The fights are shot in gray warehouses and poorly lit sound stages that are trying to pass as real locations. The X‑Men, colorful characters in the comics, are dressed in leather outfits that look like one part suit and two parts tactical gear.

The one thing this movie absolutely nails is casting. Hugh Jackman is a great Logan, and Sir Ian McKellen brings real gravitas to Magneto, a character who is often misunderstood.

X‑Men is good but not great, and after two decades I’m honestly not sure there’s a compelling reason to revisit it for its own sake.