In 1962, Charles Xavier starts up a school and later a team, for humans with superhuman abilities. Among them is Erik Lensherr, his best friend... and future archenemy.
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X-Men: First Class
X-Men: First Class
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June 06, 2011
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X-Men: First Class
2011-06-06 10:33:12
Anthony Sherratt
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X-Men not quite First Class
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User Review
I’m a bit wary about prequels and history shows they often struggle with established (read rabid) fans. So it was with great trepidation that I approached X-Men First Class – a movie that looks back on the early years of Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lansher (Magneto).
So it was with great surprise that I initially thought I'd wandered into a mash-up of Bond movies. What do I mean? Bear with me.
Essentially the plot follows Xavier and his adopted sister Raven (who of course goes on to become Mystique) as they make their way in a world that is yet to hear of mutants. Charles is convinced that it is inevitable there are others out there and already dedicated to a dream of peaceful co-existence.
Contrasting this is the vengeful determination of the man-who- becomes-Magneto. He is simply hunting down those responsible for the deaths of his people and family and killing them.
In fact this contrast is one of the facinating things about the first half of this movie. Imagine a playful, flirtatious James Bond (Sean Connery) being interspersed with a gritty and grim Daniel Craig before the two combine to go after the bad guys together.
James McAvoy is fantastic as an intelligent, self-assured Professor and has his eye both on the future and the ladies.
Michael Fassbender is just as impressive as the driven, single-minded Magneto though in the last major scene he seems to forget his nationality completely and slip into his natural Irish brogue. How this escaped everyone's notice and made it into the final cut is beyond me but does hint at a few of the movies problems.
It just feels a little unpolished. Is it fun? Yes. Are the characters likeable? Most definitely. Are there enough nods to diehard comic fans? Probably. But the lack of attention to detail and some very average special effects here and there do detract a bit from a fun romp.
But back to the plot where the three main characters (yes, I include Raven) become friends and - with the help of the CIA - start recruiting mutants into a team.
From a comic reader’s perspective it would seem an impossible task to have another “first” X-Men team and the writers have indeed taken quite a few liberties with the comic canon but they have managed to do so with a lot of love and imagination.
Nicholas Hoult (Skins, About a Boy, Clash of the Titans) is superb as Hank McCoy (Beast) wile Jennifer Lawrence plays the emotionally vulnerable Raven/Mystique wonderfully. Though the real standout is Australia's Rose Byrne who plays a non-mutant in CIA agent Moira MacTaggert who falls in love with Charles.
Almost lost in all this is Kevin Bacon who has a great time playing the villain Sebastian Shaw.
The latest X-Men movie is indeed entertaining though not quite first class. Still a must-see for comic and X-Men fans.
So it was with great surprise that I initially thought I'd wandered into a mash-up of Bond movies. What do I mean? Bear with me.
Essentially the plot follows Xavier and his adopted sister Raven (who of course goes on to become Mystique) as they make their way in a world that is yet to hear of mutants. Charles is convinced that it is inevitable there are others out there and already dedicated to a dream of peaceful co-existence.
Contrasting this is the vengeful determination of the man-who- becomes-Magneto. He is simply hunting down those responsible for the deaths of his people and family and killing them.
In fact this contrast is one of the facinating things about the first half of this movie. Imagine a playful, flirtatious James Bond (Sean Connery) being interspersed with a gritty and grim Daniel Craig before the two combine to go after the bad guys together.
James McAvoy is fantastic as an intelligent, self-assured Professor and has his eye both on the future and the ladies.
Michael Fassbender is just as impressive as the driven, single-minded Magneto though in the last major scene he seems to forget his nationality completely and slip into his natural Irish brogue. How this escaped everyone's notice and made it into the final cut is beyond me but does hint at a few of the movies problems.
It just feels a little unpolished. Is it fun? Yes. Are the characters likeable? Most definitely. Are there enough nods to diehard comic fans? Probably. But the lack of attention to detail and some very average special effects here and there do detract a bit from a fun romp.
But back to the plot where the three main characters (yes, I include Raven) become friends and - with the help of the CIA - start recruiting mutants into a team.
From a comic reader’s perspective it would seem an impossible task to have another “first” X-Men team and the writers have indeed taken quite a few liberties with the comic canon but they have managed to do so with a lot of love and imagination.
Nicholas Hoult (Skins, About a Boy, Clash of the Titans) is superb as Hank McCoy (Beast) wile Jennifer Lawrence plays the emotionally vulnerable Raven/Mystique wonderfully. Though the real standout is Australia's Rose Byrne who plays a non-mutant in CIA agent Moira MacTaggert who falls in love with Charles.
Almost lost in all this is Kevin Bacon who has a great time playing the villain Sebastian Shaw.
The latest X-Men movie is indeed entertaining though not quite first class. Still a must-see for comic and X-Men fans.
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X-Men: First Class
2011-06-09 03:52:12
Stephen Scott
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Reviewed by stephenaxlscott June 09, 2011
Last updated: October 12, 2011
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews
Last updated: October 12, 2011
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews
How's That for a Magic Trick?
User Review
User Review
I've only read a handful of X-Men comics, but I've seen the movie trilogy and loved them, so when a prequel was announced I had two thoughts.
The first was "whatever". The second was that any actor accepting the roles of either Charles Xavier or Magneto after the masterclass performances of Picard and Gandalf would have to be either insane or brilliant. Fortunately they are the latter, as are the rest of the cast assembled under the watchful eye of director Matthew Vaughn.
X-Men: First Class is a seriously kick-ass, rompingly enjoyable film ... for people like me who have no idea of the history of X-Men. My X-Men addicted colleague almost suffered a seizure at one point as he frothed at the mouth muttering "this - isn't - canon" ... but the good news for die-hard fans of the Marvel mutants is that he eventually calmed down and enjoyed the film too.
X-Men were created in the 60's by Stan Lee (who I didn't see in his usual cameo - I'll have to watch closer the next time) and Jack Kirby as a way to interpret the insecurities of adolescents, to interpret the social and political landscape of the times, and to teach kids about good and evil (especially racism and other forms of prejudice). So it makes perfect sense for this reboot to focus solely on these these topics, and set at the height of the cold war.
The mutants who make up the First Class are all trying to find their way in the world. "I'm different" "No-one understands me" "Why doesn't anyone love me for who I am" "I love you Justin!". You know, the usual teenage emo crap that's been going on ever since hormones first kicked in. I have no doubt that teens will adore this film.
Performance-wise it's hard to pick a winner. The leads of Xavier, Magneto and Sebastian Shaw are handled in an intensively idealised / intensively spiteful / intensively gleefully evil way by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and the never-aging Kevin Bacon.
If you like films with an above-average plot, cool action sequences, awesome special effects (except for the b-grade 30 second shot near the end - I mean really - did the money run out?), and quality acting (except for Magneto's sudden Irish accent affliction in the finale), then pop down and see this on the big screen now.
Don't bother staying for the cool bit at the end of the credits. It ain't there.
My review of X-Men: First Class in one word?
Excelsior!
The first was "whatever". The second was that any actor accepting the roles of either Charles Xavier or Magneto after the masterclass performances of Picard and Gandalf would have to be either insane or brilliant. Fortunately they are the latter, as are the rest of the cast assembled under the watchful eye of director Matthew Vaughn.
X-Men: First Class is a seriously kick-ass, rompingly enjoyable film ... for people like me who have no idea of the history of X-Men. My X-Men addicted colleague almost suffered a seizure at one point as he frothed at the mouth muttering "this - isn't - canon" ... but the good news for die-hard fans of the Marvel mutants is that he eventually calmed down and enjoyed the film too.
X-Men were created in the 60's by Stan Lee (who I didn't see in his usual cameo - I'll have to watch closer the next time) and Jack Kirby as a way to interpret the insecurities of adolescents, to interpret the social and political landscape of the times, and to teach kids about good and evil (especially racism and other forms of prejudice). So it makes perfect sense for this reboot to focus solely on these these topics, and set at the height of the cold war.
The mutants who make up the First Class are all trying to find their way in the world. "I'm different" "No-one understands me" "Why doesn't anyone love me for who I am" "I love you Justin!". You know, the usual teenage emo crap that's been going on ever since hormones first kicked in. I have no doubt that teens will adore this film.
Performance-wise it's hard to pick a winner. The leads of Xavier, Magneto and Sebastian Shaw are handled in an intensively idealised / intensively spiteful / intensively gleefully evil way by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and the never-aging Kevin Bacon.
If you like films with an above-average plot, cool action sequences, awesome special effects (except for the b-grade 30 second shot near the end - I mean really - did the money run out?), and quality acting (except for Magneto's sudden Irish accent affliction in the finale), then pop down and see this on the big screen now.
Don't bother staying for the cool bit at the end of the credits. It ain't there.
My review of X-Men: First Class in one word?
Excelsior!
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