Saturday, June 4, 2011

X-Men: First Class Review

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.”