Movie Review Rewind: X-Men: First Class (2011)

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X-Men: First Class takes us back to when Magneto was only known as Erik Lehnsherr, when Charles Xavier had hair, and before Beast was hairy and blue. This prequel shows us how it all began and what would lead to a future eternal war between two good friends for the rest of their lives. After seeing four X-Men movies (yes I am counting The Wolverine), this franchise almost seemed down for the count. But First Class re-energizes and revamps it with youth, breathtaking special effects, and some of the greatest actors and performances you will certainly ever see in a “superhero” movie.

During World War II, Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) would use his magnetic powers only when he felt full of anger and pain. And once Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) murders his mother to find this out, he forces him to use it to help the Nazis. It was Sebastian who created this monster that we have come to know and once the war is over, Erik wants to hunt down the people who are responsible for what has happened to him. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) has been studying and researching genetic mutation and publishes his graduate thesis that captures the attention of the CIA, specifically the help of Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne).

They need help to track down a powerful yet dangerous mutant capable of sucking up all the energy—literally. Who else could it be but Sebastian Shaw? Once Erik and Charles begin their search for the same man, their paths finally cross and they help the government by forming a team only made up of mutants. Thus, the X-Men are born and the rest is history.

Set in the 1960’s, First Class breathes new life into this saga. We are introduced to the origins of these mutants who eventually become the heroes and villains we know and love. But in this film, they are all fighting for one cause. Slowly, we begin to see the line that eventually divides them. The personalities of Magneto and Professor X really begin to be revealed by slowly seeing how their minds are set on what they think is right and wrong and the differences that will turn friends in to life-long enemies.

There are some characters that everyone will know, and then there are a few where only the huge fans will recognize. There is Azazel, who is red and can use his teleporting to take out an entire army. I thought, “he has to be related to Nightcrawler,” and then I found out Nightcrawler is his son. Go figure. Then, there’s Riptide, who can create tornadoes in the palms of his hands. Of course, there’s some familiar faces such as Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), and Emma Frost (January Jones). While other mutants do not get the same attention as Erik and Charles, there is quite a bit of focus on the relationship between Beast and Mystique. For them, they share the same pain of not looking “normal” and being able to fit in. They have a tough time accepting who and what they are. Hoult and Lawrence really bring heart, compassion, and understanding to characters that were only known for the color of their skin.

Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass) has created a blockbuster film that is entertaining and fun, but not afraid to include some politics and drama. He uses the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis and footage of JFK to make the war between mutants and humans feel that much more authentic and real. However, it never gets too dark or serious. With so many mutants and their powers being let loose, Vaughn still makes the story have a human touch to it. He recognizes who these young characters become and their history, so there are references to the other movies but he also allows himself to go deeper into who these people are, and the decisions they made that lead to what side they were playing for.

The greatest decision made before the film started shooting was the casting of the two most pivotal roles. Fassbender and McAvoy are excellent as Erik and Charles. Their chemistry is sensational and they are the perfect actors to introduce us to two characters that shared the common bond of mutation. Everyone in the movie are top-notch, but McAvoy and Fassbender play the two most crucial roles and are perfectly executed by both.

X-Men: First Class is the best X-Men movie. It has its action and unimaginable action sequences. But it has real intelligence and a lot of heart. It is a prequel that gives this franchise new life and gets audiences excited and interested about watching these characters again. Everything is streamed together so nicely and the most important parts of the storytelling are captured and well-crafted by a director that knows what he must get in order for it to feel just right. And all of the performances take this film to another level, and I can’t say enough about McAvoy and Fassbender and their amazing talents. X-Men: First Class can only be described as being not just a great superhero movie, but a first-class film.

“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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