Rated
PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Action and Violence, some Sexual Content including
Brief Partial Nudity and Language)
Running
Time: 2 Hours & 12 Minutes
Cast:
James
McAvoy-Professor Charles Xavier
Michael
Fassbender-Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
Rose
Byrne-Moira MacTaggert
Kevin
Bacon-Sebastian Shaw
January
Jones-Emma Frost
Jennifer
Lawrence-Raven Darkhölme/Mystique
Nicholas
Hoult-Dr. Henry ‘Hank’ McCoy/Beast
Caleb
Landry Jones-Sean Cassidy/Banshee
Lucas
Till-Alex Summers/Havok
Zoë
Kravitz-Angel Salvadore
Edi
Gathegi-Armando Muñoz/Darwin
Jason
Flemyng-Azazel
Álex
González-Janos Quested/Riptide
Oliver
Platt-Man in Black
Hugh
Jackman-James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine
Directed
by Matthew Vaughn
 |
| Best friends now...bitter enemies in the future. |
2006’s
“X-Men: The Last Stand” may have been the last ‘main’ entry of the series but
it wasn’t the end. It was too big of a cash cow for 20th Century Fox to give up
and they took the next logical step: spin-off films, particularly prequels!
There’s a certain stigma attached to prequels but a good director with a good
script can always overcome them. The first of these prequels was 2009’s “X-Men
Origins: Wolverine” which was entertaining but despite Hugh Jackman’s presence,
the film never came together as a satisfying whole. “X-Men: First Class,” the
second of the prequels and envisioned to be a start of a new trilogy, was
planned once “X-Men: The Last Stand” was released but I wasn’t too keen on the
idea. It felt like a blatant cash grab but one thing gave me hope: the return
of Bryan Singer to the director’s chair. Singer’s first two “X-Men” films do
the genre proud as he really hit on the themes that made the comics so popular
with fans. However, Singer was forced to drop out due to his commitment to
“Jack the Giant Killer,” to be released in 2012 but remained on the project as
producer. Replacing him was Matthew Vaughn, who directed 2010’s gleefully
violent comic book satire, “Kick-Ass.” Vaughn was originally set to do “X3” but
left due to family issues but the real reason may have been the fact that 20th
Century Fox’s rushed production schedule wasn’t conducive to his vision of the
third film. With “X-Men: First Class,” Vaughn has another chance and he
certainly takes full advantage of it, crafting a fun, action-packed prequel
that is a fine return to form for the series by focusing on the themes that
have remained so central to the comics, that of prejudice and intolerance,
wrapped up in good ‘ol superhero theatrics!
During
the German occupation of Poland in 1944 during World War II, a young Erik
Lehnsherr is forcibly taken away from his parents by Nazi guards and in his
desperation, unknowingly bends the barb-wired metal gate with his mind. This is
witnessed by a Dr. Schmidt, who has Erik brought before him to demonstrate his
powers of magnetism. Despite intense concentration, he cannot and Schmidt
shoots Erik’s mother in front of him. In his rage, Erik destroys the room.
Meanwhile, in Westchester, New York, a young Charles Xavier meets a
shape-shifter named Raven Darkhölme, scrounging for food in his home. Delighted
to meet someone ‘different’ like him, Xavier invites her to live with his
family. Flash-forward to 1962 during the height of the Cold War, an adult Erik
(Michael Fassbender) is tracking down the man who killed his mother, who now
goes by the name of Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and leads a secret society
known as the Hellfire Club with his associate, Emma Frost (January Jones). The
Hellfire Club is being investigated by a CIA agent named Moira MacTaggert (Rose
Byrne), who discovers that its members are all mutants. She enlists the aid of
a recent Oxford graduate, the now adult Xavier (James McAvoy). The two
encounter Erik through circumstance and learn that Shaw is planning to
instigate a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union, which would
weaken humanity’s will to fight back once he and his mutants take over. Driven
by a common enemy, Erik and Charles form a fast friendship and recruit a group
of young mutants to combat Shaw’s own. However, the two’s differing ideologies
lay the seeds of their future conflict.
The
great thing about “X-Men: First Class” is that it’s not afraid to have fun even
as it explores some topical themes. Vaughn opens the film with a repeat of the
flashback from the original “X-Men” from 2000. Despite the disparate elements
in the film, the main focus is always on the relationship between Charles
Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. We know the two are doomed to become bitter enemies
but both want the same goal: to fight for mutants, who are feared and hated
because people are unable or choose not to understand them. We are shown how
these two people and their upbringing shapes their ideologies. What’s maddening
is neither of them falls under defined labels as ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ McAvoy’s
Charles Xavier is a different man compared to his older counterpart played by
Patrick Stewart. He’s a womanizer, idealistic but also naïve and arrogant.
Coming from a privileged background, Charles has never experienced firsthand
the hardships faced by less fortunate mutants and while his heart is in the
right place, his patronizing manner betrays his sense of superiority when he
speaks of ‘being the better man.’ Once it dawns on him that the world does not
share his sense of idealism, he begins to take on more and more of the traits
that will define his older self. He will continue to work for equality between
mutants and humans but is unafraid to fight fire with fire. Erik Lehnsherr,
however, is well on his path to becoming Magneto. He is driven by rage and
knows that humans will always be prejudice and intolerant. He has seen it
firsthand. The only way for mutants to survive is to rule over them. One of the
great things that make Magneto such a compelling villain is that he’s not
inherently evil and he fervently believes that his actions are helping mutants.
It’s strange; he has a lot in common with Sebastian Shaw. Both believe mutants
are superior by definition. Shaw’s plan is remarkably similar to the future
plan Erik will enact in the original “X-Men” film. The only difference is that
instead of using nuclear weapons, Erik wants to turn all humans into mutants,
eliminating any difference altogether. Xavier tries to no avail to turn Erik
from his ways and he almost succeeds when he unlocks a long-forgotten memory in
Erik: a happy image of him and his mother celebrating Hanukah. It makes the
dissolution of their friendship all the more saddening seeing how well they
complement each other.
“First
Class” is also part coming-of-age tale, part espionage thriller. Both
Mystique’s (Jennifer Lawrence) and Beast’s (Nicholas Hoult) preoccupation with
their appearance and how others perceive them will be familiar to teens that
faced the same issues. Some of the more fun scenes are when all the young
mutants show off their powers and give each other codenames. They are proud to
be in the company of others like them and are not alone. The espionage elements
come into play in its style and 1960’s setting. Shaw’s use of lairs recalls
familiar James Bond tropes. It becomes more of a traditional X-Men film once the
mutants start training during the second hour. I also love the way it merges
comic book fantasy with history, as the film climaxes during the Cuban Missile
Crisis. Although “First Class” brings the characters to where we expect them to
end up, Vaughn isn’t entirely concerned with adhering rigidly to the continuity
set out in the previous films (it would’ve tied his hands too much anyway) but
there are several nods to those films that will certainly make comic book fans
smile, including two very welcome cameos. Any complaints are minor quibbles at
best but I was surprised for all its talk of equality, the first person to die
is Darwin (Edi Gathegi), an African-American! It was jarring to say the least.
There were also some missed opportunities by Vaughn to use the mutant’s plight
to tie into the Civil Rights Movement but I guess it would’ve been too much
ground to cover. The make-up for Beast also doesn’t stand up to close scrutiny.
The
film only has two real action set-pieces but both are equally thrilling to
watch. There’s a bold attempt by Shaw and his cadre of mutants to bring down
the CIA headquarters serving as a base for Xavier and Erik but the ending takes
the cake because that’s when everything starts to come together. Humans
discover the existence of mutants and fearing for its survival, take that first
step to a larger conflict. We also see a pre-X-Men team working together and it
was a risky move directly adapting the classic yellow-blue costumes to the big
screen as they would’ve come off as cheesy but thankfully they do not and come
off as rather grounded and functional. Magneto also lifts a submarine out of
the ocean but for the most part, there’s no real fisticuffs thrown, at least
not on the level with the previous films. It’s more driven by its story and
relationships.
X-Men
films always have to juggle large ensemble casts but although not everyone gets
their fair share of screen-time, the casting is pitch-perfect. James McAvoy
fully embodies the charm and idealism of Charles Xavier but Michael Fassbender
is the one that rises to the occasion. Fassbender captures the rage, the thirst
for vengeance, his inability to see past his own prejudices and hypocrisy of
humanity that has come to define Magneto. Despite all this, you actually
sympathize with him as he was just dealt a bad hand in life and one wonders
what might have been if the circumstances were different. Jennifer Lawrence is
great as Mystique as well in what could’ve been a clichéd look at teenage angst
but ends up being an honest metaphor of the trials and tribulations of being a
teenager. Similar sentiments are shared with Nicholas Hoult as Dr. Hank McCoy,
who later becomes Beast. Rose Byrne, who is appearing in her third film this
year, makes the most of her thankless role as CIA agent Moira MacTaggert, with
a memorable entrance that shows off her amazing body. Kevin Bacon savors his
role as Sebastian Shaw but January Jones makes for a dull Emma Frost, although
her role leans more towards eye-candy. The rest of the mutants that form Xavier’s
team have a few good scenes but like Shaw’s henchmen, remain woefully
underdeveloped.
Released
on June 3, 2011, “X-Men: First Class” has received the best reviews since “X2”
in 2003 with a solid 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that it was return
to form for the sagging franchise thanks to its ‘strong script, stylish
direction, and powerful performances from its well-rounded cast.’ There was a
huge turnout for today, even for a morning matinee showing but it remains to be
seen if mainstream, non-comic book fans will embrace the film seeing as it
lacks anyone recognizable, such as Wolverine. Although the audience enjoyed it,
there was some snickering from the immature crowd but what can you do? Being
the sole release this weekend, a $65 to $70 million opening is a resounding
success for a fifth entry but 20th Century Fox has tempered their expectations
and said that a gross close to the original "X-Men" would be fine.
With “Thor” and now “X-Men: First Class,” Marvel is now two-for-two so
hopefully it can keep up the momentum once “Captain America: The First Avenger”
arrives in theaters in July.
Final
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
“Listen
to me very carefully, my friend. Killing Shaw will not bring you peace.”
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