Written by: M_L!nkster
More X-men really?? Even after the joke that was X-Men 1.5 and the tragedy that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine… We’ve got More X-men? But in this case not all is lost as we also have Matthew Vaughn the classy director who brought us Kick-Ass.
Summary
Professor X has always seamed to me – to be a cashed up hippie with telepathic powers and Magneto has always appeared to be a selfish dude who can’t let go of the past – but I have always wondered how these two diametrically opposed characters were once friends and this is the question X-Men: First Class attempts to answer.
We open with a scene from the first Brian Singer helmed X-Men movie as we meet Eric Lehnsherr as a boy in a Jewish concentration camp we then move to an established estate where we meet a very young Charles Xavier.
From here the movie follows the paths of these two young men into their university days – it is also here the movie plays one of its master strokes we are introduced to Mystique a shape shifter whose natural form can only be likened to red-haired reptile with nice boobs. This character will be our insight into the two leads through out the film and her challenges will be mirrored in the thoughts and actions of our two leads.
The movie branches into two streams as we follow Eric Lehnsherr on his mission to track down the Nazi who brought him so much pain as a child in has days in a concentration camp – at this point he mastered the power given to him by his mutation. One the other hand we Charles Xavier graduating as with a PhD in mutation and using his telepathic powers to pick up girls in bars (exactly what I’d do) until the CIA find productive work for him to do
The setting though out all of this is the cold war and nuclear crisis and this is what brings our characters together….until events bring our leads to become Professor X and Magneto…
M_L!nkster’s View
I’ve always liked Matthew Vaughn’s work- this director understands all components of film making:- He directs dialogue well, his use of the camera always adds to the story his characters always follow interesting arc’s and there is an understated subtlety about the Englishman’s work since he’s emerged from the British Gangster movie scene.
X-Men: First Class is an example of how to make an X-Men movie while other entries have focused too much on giving us mutant after mutant with out the story… here Vaughn understands that seeing mutations is not telling a story – so his movie focuses on a few mutants and their character arch’s and showing us mutations.
This movie is essentially about a friendship between Charles and Eric and how this friendship was always shaped by the way the two leads were experienced childhood – X-men: First Class also deals with the usual x-men themes of acceptance and rejection around what is ‘normal’ this is where the character of Mystique comes into play and shows us how Charles’s view of the world and how Eric’s view of the world cannot apply to all mutants. The writing around this piece is simply first class.
The acting in this movie is impeccable I’ve never been a fan of James McAvoy but he makes the play-boy Charles very believable and likable. Michael Fassbender is perfectly cast as Eric in the beginning when he is playing the Nazi hunter he is both charming and menacing. And as he becomes Magneto is performance looses nothing.
Kevin Bacon is incredible in his opening scene as a Nazi and put’s on an amazing German Accent – later on in the film he makes the most of the villain role without chewing scenery. The supporting cast are all in fine form:- with a special nod to January Jones and Rose Byrne who look stunning!
X-Men: First Class is rated PG 13 but cleaver use of the camera ensure none of the horrors of a concentration camp are lost.
On the down side some of the special effects are not as good as they could be and the movie is a little too long – but minor complaints really
Score
The lack of action and focus on character may disappoint some fans but for me this is a top drawer film and I give it…
4.5/5
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