X-Men: First Class

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Ashley Edward Miller, Jack Stentz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Starring: James McAvoy,  Michael Fassbender
Release Date: June 3, 2011
Length: 2 hours 12 minutes

When Wolverine: X Men Origins, a prequel to the original X-Men series bombed two years ago, many had doubts about yet another different kind of prequel being made for the X Men series. Director Matthew Vaughn of fantastic films like Stardust and Kick Ass, spearheads this new film (and possibly series) with a phenomenal cast, and a completely unique and clever plotline. The film takes us to the beginning of X Men history when Professor Charles Xavier (played later by Patrick Stewart) and Erik Lenscher, AKA Magneto (played later by Ian McKellan) first met. During the holocaust, when Erik was a little boy, a powerful man witnessed Erik moving a metal gate with his mind, when he had been separated from his parents, who were on the other side of the gate. The man was Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), and he demanded Erik move a little metal coin or he would kill his mother. Erik was unable to do anything and his mother was shot right in front of him. Almost twenty years later, Erik (Michael Fassbender) wants his revenge.  Contrary to Erik’s life, Charles (James Mcavoy), who is telepathic, had a wealthy upbringing in Upstate New York. It was there he made friends with fellow Mutant Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), who can willingly change her appearance, on demand. Now that he is officially a professor of the study of Genetic Mutations, CIA Agent Moira McTaggert (Rose Byrne) approaches him about his knowledge because she believes if mutants do exist, some of them are on the breach of starting a nuclear war between The Soviet Union and the United States. Once Erik and Xavier meet, they start recruiting mutants to join them, in hope of destroying Shaw’s plan or in Erik’s case, just destroying Shaw himself. Vaughn, along with his frequent collaborator Jane Goldman and screenwriters Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz come up with such a brilliant premise that it truly revives the X-Men franchise. This is just the opposite of another prequel or sequel that just weighs down an overdone series. X-Men: First Class puts an entirely different spin on the story of our beloved mutants. Tying real history is what possibly makes this film so intriguing. To think that mutants had any hand in the Cuban Missle Crisis makes the characters, the significance of the story and the importance of the ending incredibly genuine and intense for the audience. The clever script hits so many important levels of enjoyment. It’s funny, romantic, bittersweet and very dark sometimes. All you need to add to that outstanding script is a phenomenal director. Vaughn is a director that has a history of making films a hell of a lot  of fun to watch, without them being inanely childish. X-Men: First Class is no exception to his resume of amusingly exciting action movies. Paired with an exceptional idea, like Kick Ass and Stardust, there’s no stopping Vaughn. The film takes us straight into the enchanting setting of the mid-1960’s with beautiful cinematography by John Mathieson and exquisite production design by Chris Seagars. Sometimes the pure setting of a film can be the most fun part about it. The entrancing background of the film is what truly brought the comic book aspect out of the film as it was just as fun to view, as it was to experience. The hypnotizing images, landscapes and costumes impressively distracted the audience often from the lack of action in the action movie. One of the most refreshing aspects of what is possibly this summer’s best blockbuster is that there are numerous exhilarating and edge-of-your-seat scenes, however there is almost no violence. For someone who doesn’t take pleasure in people repeatedly getting beaten up and dying, it was nice to see only one scene of serious battle take place in the film’s climax at the end. Scottish actor James McAvoy leads the talented ensemble pack of actors in an action film that very much relies on the strength of it’s characters. As the young handsome and charming Charles Xavier, McAvoy wins over the audience within the first glance of his performance. He gives Xavier a new spin that doesn’t seem too strayed away from Patrick Stewart’s original portrayal of the professor. The same intelligence is still there with McAvoy, but with an arrogance and fun attitude that accompanies him in Xavier’s youth. McAvoy remarkably pulls the audience into the seriousness and gravity of a fictional action movie, something that seems impossible. Newcomer Michael Fassbender accompanies McAvoy in the lead as the tortured and disturbed magnetizing Erik. Fassbender is on a quick rise to fame with portraying one of the most well known literary characters, Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre and now giving a captivating performance in an extremely famous comic book franchise. The roots of Magneto’s evil plans are quite obvious throughout the entire movie but Fassbender gives the audience the ability to sympathize for him and understanding his intentions. Fassbender’s performance is oddly similar to Ian McKellan’s later portrayal of the character while being very much unique on his own. Erik has a much more independent attitude and an extreme lack of emotion towards others under Fassbender’s control while still being that smug clever Magneto we all love sometimes. Recently academy award nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence is also fantastic as Raven, while Kevin Bacon gives his most bloodcurling performance as the uncontrollably powerful Sebastian Shaw. Rose Byrne is wonderful as CIA agent Moira McTaggert, the most relatable character of the film as she is the adorable bewildered human involved in helping the mutants and Oliver Platt is hilarious as the amazed CIA agent, who is fascinated by the mutants’ powers. The wonderful performances continue from young actors Nicolas Hoult, Lucas Till, Caleb Landry Jones and Zoe Kravitz. The strong performances from the cast, with the authenticity of the story and excitement under Vaughn’s groudbreaking direction not only makes X-Men: First Class an incredible action film, but an exceptional film on it’s own. Along with continuously keeping us excited, X-Men: First Class is  a beautiful, funny and a breath of fresh air. That’s not something you can say about any superhero movie.