X-Men: First Class Review

Posted by on June 6th, 2011   Filed under: Action, Books/Comics, Featured, Movie Review, Sci-fi

X-Men: First Class
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Written by: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman Matthew Vaughn (screenplay), Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer (story)
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Oliver Platt

Bryan Singer’s first X-Men film may no longer be remembered as one of the best comic book movies ever made, but it certainly opened the floodgates for an entire decade of superhero-themed summer blockbusters. Eleven years later, the X-Men franchise is now in a “rebuilding” phase of sorts. After Singer abandoned the series to take on Superman instead, Brett Ratner came on board to bring a disappointing end to the trilogy. A Wolverine spin-off went even further off the rails, leaving the property in dire need of new creative direction. Fox was faced with two choices: prequel or reboot. Somehow X-Men: First Class manages to fall into both categories.

Although Singer seemed eager to return to the X-Men once again, he was no longer in a position to breathe new life into the series. Instead, he ended up staying on board as a producer and wisely stepped aside for Matthew Vaughn, who had once been attached to direct X-Men 3 and has since proven his comic book savvy with Kick-Ass. Taking the name of the X-Men: First Class comic series, Vaughn chose to craft a story set in the 1960s, making it very clear that he was aiming for a fresh and unique take on the characters. Still, fanboys were uneasy about the flurry of casting announcements involving young unknowns. Would it still be faithful to the comics or would it pander to tweens? Rest assured, true believers, this is easily the strongest and most mature X-Men movie we’ve ever seen on the big screen to date.

The story picks up with the U.S. caught in the icy grip of the Cold War. The CIA is investigating the Hellfire Club, an elite social club run by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and frequented by various politicians. Agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) catches a glimpse of people with superhuman abilities within the club and seeks the help of a young grad student named Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), who is working on a masters thesis about mutation. He soon joins the CIA’s top secret “Division X”, helping to recruit other mutants including Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), a mutant with magnetic powers who has also been tracking Sebastian Shaw for his own reasons. Shaw is building an army with the intention of orchestrating World War III, turning humans against each other and giving way for mutants to rule. The newly formed “X-Men” spring to action — even though they don’t all see eye to eye about how and why he should be stopped.

X-Men: First Class sets itself apart from so many of the other mediocre comic book movies by being articulate, focused and well thought out. This is not like the multitude of loud, bombastic summer blockbusters that ultimately become an incoherent mess, and in a lot of ways, it doesn’t feel like a summer movie at all. The characters are fleshed out, the performances are on point and the writing is razor sharp. Who would have thought that one of the most subtle comic book movies in recent years would come from the same guy who directed Kick-Ass? I love Kick-Ass, but this feels like the work of a much more mature filmmaker.

While it does feature a retelling of certain origin stories all over again (a problem we’re starting to come up against with many reboots), it manages to keep things fresh by reworking them in unexpected ways. Perhaps the most brilliant thing about the movie is how it deftly weaves the X-Men origin stories in with real world historical events. Setting the film in the ’60s was not just an excuse for some hip fashion choices, but it also brings it back to a political climate that suits the radical nature of the conflict between mutants and humans. It also adds some intrigue and a little bit of a James Bond vibe. The alternate history angle is a lot of fun, and it’s one of a few ways in which X-Men: First Class reminded me of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (Michael Fassbender’s mere presence being another).

The movie avoids feeling like a rehash by introducing quite a few new X-Men characters who have never been seen on the big screen before. Admittedly, more casual fans may wonder who some of these third and fourth-string mutants are (Havok, Azazel, Banshee, etc.), but many of them simply serve as eye candy (special effects or otherwise). Not all of the characters are as developed as others, but the movie is fairly impressive in how it manages to divvy out screen time efficiently and effectively. It’s true that we don’t have big names like Wolverine, Cyclops and Jean Grey this time around, but this gives the Professor X / Magneto relationship plenty of room to take center stage. In a way, this is what the X-Men have always been about. Mystique and Beast also get a fair amount of attention, and deservedly so.

The casting is solid, and although a lot of the actors may not be huge draws, they definitely elevate the material in ways that we haven’t seen before. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender shine, as does Jennifer Lawrence in her first big role post-Winter’s Bone. Kevin Bacon is a lot of fun to watch as a villain, and it’s actually his third time in such a role this year after both Super and Elephant White. The one weak link is January Jones as Emma Frost, who looks the part but brings absolutely no personality to a character that could have been great.

With so much focus on character development, the action in the movie does take a bit of a backseat at times, which may disappoint some viewers. However, there are some key sequences that are both intense and riveting, including a raid on the Division X compound that is somewhat reminiscent of the raid on the school in X2: X-Men United. The special effects are occasionally sketchy, but much of the action is more violent than expected and there is always something at stake.

The one major thing that I could see this movie being criticized for is its predictability. We know where most of the characters will end up, and even though the movie builds to an impressive finale, the minor twists aren’t enough to offset the overall lack of surprise. The movie also adopts a workmanlike style and doesn’t feel as fun as maybe it should (aside from one particular cameo that drew audible gasps from fans). Still, regardless of whether or not it fits the summer blockbuster mold, X-Men: First Class is still a compelling drama that hits all the right notes for an X-Men film. A continuation with the same cast could be even better, and that alone is reason enough to get out there and see it. I guess Fox just needs to decide if this is a prequel or a reboot. — Sean

SCORE: 3.5 stars



Recommended If You Like: X2: X-Men United, Star Trek, Inglourious Basterds



  • 1138sw

    Good review Sean though I agree with your January Jones comment…very weak link with a performance that really lacked depth whatsoever. It really bordered on being just bad.

    Overall I enjoyed the movie with a great performance by James McAvoy. He was Pof. X period. Just a great performance.

    Fassbender was just as good though IMO this really felt like McAvoy’s movie. I really felt his performance.

    Bacon was great too. He wasn’t the Sebastian Shaw from the comics but Bacon made the character his own and I loved it!

    However I really felt like the movie underperformed. It never really felt big to me like a summer blockbuster should. Granted none of the X-men movies ever felt big…they were solid well done movies (Except of course for the Ratner version which was by far one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen), which is probably why I was looking for something big.

    Again solid movie overall…I just felt like I was missing something….something big.

  • Bryan

    1138sw… that’s what she said?

  • DukeTogo

    My overall impression of First Class is that it is a synthesized, color corrected, processed Velveeta cheesestuff of a film. Excitement never really builds, Kickass certainly is superior in this aspect, even X3 gets the blood pumping more than FC.

    We see the Hellfire club, scantily clad girls seem to indicate there will be some sensuality, but the girls are never seen again, but we have Emma Frost for that. Ok, nice alluring White Queen outfit for still shots, but the costume is lacking when it is seen in motion, her ample busom doesn’t even heave, there’s isn’t even a naughty shot like in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the bad guy watches Karen Allen undress from a strategically placed mirror. That nightie makes Frost’s clothed chest look rock solid like the most horrendous of implant jobs. Miss Jones is soft and all natural as far as I know and she mostly just turns into hard diamond. I know FC isn’t a porno or showgirls, but if something as fundamental as making the White Queen alluring is blown, how much of the rest of the movie can they make compelling?

    I feel the film is unfinished, Fox is being their skinflint selves again figuring they can be cheap since the fans will see it no matter what.

    There is nothing really outstanding about First Class, it is a very competant film, but it has a ways to go to be considered a great film. Will probably only see it once like the rest of the X films.

  • Performance were good, but the movie felt very bland.

  • Paul Andrews

    Nice review Sean – very fair. Beast looked a bit too much like Sully from Monsters Inc for my liking but I agree – pretty good film. X-Men is always at it’s best when it’s addressing issues of prejudice.

  • Goon

    “We see the Hellfire club, scantily clad girls seem to indicate there will be some sensuality, but the girls are never seen again, but we have Emma Frost for that. Ok, nice alluring White Queen outfit for still shots, but the costume is lacking when it is seen in motion, her ample busom doesn’t even heave, there’s isn’t even a naughty shot like in Raiders of the Lost Ark where the bad guy watches Karen Allen undress from a strategically placed mirror. That nightie makes Frost’s clothed chest look rock solid like the most horrendous of implant jobs. Miss Jones is soft and all natural as far as I know and she mostly just turns into hard diamond. I know FC isn’t a porno or showgirls, but if something as fundamental as making the White Queen alluring is blown, how much of the rest of the movie can they make compelling?”

    Would be hilarious to hear this out of Roger Ebert’s voicebox.

  • anton

    I think first 30 mins were great. But after that it was up and down, plus bit too much cheese for my taste.
    Now after few days I barely remember anything from the film(except maybe that horrible screaming-sonar-flying dude)

    (saw gungfu panda on the same weekend, have much better memories about it)

  • Nuno

    I’m with Sean in that this was easily the strongest X-Men film to date. I’m also a little surprised by the negative reactions. I have an extremely low cheese threshold in comic book movies (i.e. I HATED Spider-Man 2) and I didn’t find FC cheesy at all.

    I caught Ebert’s review on “At The Movies” this weekend and I truly believe that if he had no knowledge of who the director was, he’d have been a little more fair or at least bother with an actual review. He famously trashed KICK ASS and though he would probably deny this; he and many critics seem to hand out demerits to certain directors that have rubbed them the wrong way in the past and refuse to offer the benefit of the doubt with future films.

    I’ve always respected and enjoyed Ebert’s reviews but lately he seems to have lost his touch. His positive review of Water for Elephants tells us nothing of why he recommends it, rather he gives a brief synopsis and basically praises it for not being in 3D and having no computer effects. Often times, rants about 3D are littered throughout his reviews regardless of whether the film in question was in 3D or not. I hate to say it but the man has truly lost his voice.

  • Al

    Thought it was good although I didn’t really believe the whole Mystique going to the “dark side”, even though I knew that’s ultimately where she’d end up, I thought her arc getting there was pretty poor. I’m sure it was on the minds of the writer/director yet they failed to translate that properly to screen.

    F/X was really crappy in parts and I though the guitar riffs during Eric’s scenes were cheesy as hell. And yeah, was surprised at how violent it was for a superhero movie.

  • Nuno

    Given the context and time period, I believe the Eric guitar riffs were a subtle nod to James Bond.

  • Maopheus

    The problem that I had was that even it was violent, there was no blood at all. People were getting stabbed, slashed and shot but nary a drop of blood to be seen, either squibbed or CGI. I really don’t understand movies that do that. Is it just to get that PG-13 rating?

    But other than that, I thought it was pretty good. I really liked the period setting, I’ve been waiting for a Marvel movie to really embrace it’s early ’60’s origins. Some things didn’t work out, like the girls wearing mini-skirts in 1962, um, that didn’t happen until five years later. I too was wondering how they would get Mystique to join Magneto. I suppose it could never have been handled fully properly given the time and story constraints.

    I hope the podcast will have a spoiler discussion.

  • DukeTogo

    What parts were overly violent? nothing stood out as being out of the ordinary for pg 13.

  • ShenEvil44

    My biggest problem in this movie was the acrion. I know, this may make me sound like one of those action junkie meatheads, but seriously, the action sequences were not that great. They should’ve been choreographed better. X-Men movies have always had some intense, well-choreographed action. The action was ok, but I expected more. Anyway, that’s my only problem. Everything else(i.e. script,performances, etc.) was great.

    P.S. Bacon was pretty damn good here.

  • Nuno

    It seems as though fanboys always love to nitpick, sometimes, just for the sake of nitpicking. For those detractors who are hellbent on using Mystique’s turn to the “darkside” as a strike against this film – nitpicking can go both ways. For arguments sake, consider this:

    ***SPOILER ALERT yadda yadda***(not really a spoiler)

    Some of you are assuming that Mystique’s decision to join Magneto at the end of FC bridges her character directly into the cunning assassin we saw in Singer’s first X-Men film. Vaughan and Co. didn’t fuck up or rush Mystique’s character arc – there are still 40 years between First Class and X-Men! That’s plenty of time for the innocent Mystique we see at the end of First Class to develop into a ruthless killer. On top of that shit, if there are sequels to First Class, we’re bound to see Mystique form a bond with Azazel, who in FC is a sleek, silent assassin who scares the bajeezus out of Raven when he attacks the CIA compound. Mystique might eventually fall in love with big bad Azazel. They’re obviously going to bump uglies because Azazel and Mystique are Nightcrawler’s parents. So maybe, maybe there’s a chance that Mystique still has quite a ways to go and many hardships ahead of her before she becomes the ruthless killer of Singer’s films. If you’re going to nitpick a damn fine film and a single character arc that is stronger than any that Singer gave us over two X-Men films – do your homework, bitches!

  • Al

    @Nuno – I don’t think any of us are nitpicking, we’re just stating some obvious flaws.

  • Dave

    This film rocked. Since I’ve seen it, I’ve been debating on whether or not it’s better than X2, but I think this one might take the cake.

  • scooby

    “I love Kick-Ass, but this feels like the work of a much more mature filmmaker.”

    I disagree. It feels like the work of the EXACT film maker (there are tons of similarities between the two) except that this time around he was making more of a drama than an action-comedy

  • Khan Farrington, HMV Manager

    Saw this last night – AWESOME !

    Sequel ?

  • Kt

    I have one question (please be aware that my knowledge of the comic books is limited and most of what I know comes from the films): if at the end of this film Eric and Charles go their separate ways, how do they end up finding Jean together as older mentors of mutants everywhere? Because if they did split up before setting up the school, then Magneto wouldn’t know about Jean’s powers per se, so the entire premise for The Last Stand falls through. Which leaves me…confused.
    I demand a sequel.