From Marvel master Stan Lee, this is another in a growing line of quality movies that aren't just Superhero movies. It reminded me some of Captain America (set in WWII) in that it is based during the 1960s and the Cuban Missile Crisis, taking history as we know it and putting a little tweak on it. The formula in general for a "smart" superhero movie seems simple, and director Matthew Vaughn follows it well. Get good actors, not just movie stars, throw in some great action, cool characters, and a legitimately good, well-written story, and mix. You can't go wrong.
Since they were young children growing up in World War II, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) have always been different, possessing unique abilities that no 'normal' human should possess. It's now 1962, and the FBI, including Agent MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), are recruiting these mutants from around the world. They all have abilities that when harnessed can be powerful weapons, and they're needed now more than ever. One mutant, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), and Erik's former trainer/mentor, is attempting to pit the United States against Russia, starting World War III, a nuclear conflict that could destroy the world. Recruiting fellow mutants from around the world, Xavier and Erik prepare to stop Shaw no matter the cost.
Well-written script, extremely talented actors and actresses, and a genuinely unique, interesting story. It really sounds too simple. Why can't more movies be like this? There isn't anything groundbreaking here, but that's not a bad thing. All a movie has to do to be moderately successful -- in my eyes at least -- is try to entertain. 'Class' certainly executes there. It is a polished action movie, but one that doesn't sacrifice story or character development for mindless explosions. Maybe a little long at 131 minutes, and composer Henry Jackman's score can be a little bit too epic at times, but this is what you want in a movie. Well-made and professional, entertaining from the word go to the end credits. As a finale, the X-Men in the Cuban Missile Crisis is one of the most insanely original ideas ever, especially Erik/Magneto manipulating a huge nuclear payload headed right at the mutants.
The heart of the movie and story is these mutants trying to decide whether to embrace good or bad. Because they're not "normal," the mutants are looked at funny, judged and ostracized by the supposedly normal people. This is shown best through McAvoy's Xavier, a learned professor and a bit of an idealist, with Fassbender's Erik, a survivor of the Holocaust looking for revenge on the men who killed his parents. It's clear from the start that these two men will be friends, albeit ones who see the world different and will eventually come to a conflict about it. Embrace the good and its pressures or lean toward the bad? Yes, it's Star Wars and the Dark Side and all that good stuff. It's great to see McAvoy and Fassbender in roles like this, two of the most talented young actors currently working in movies. They have a great chemistry together through good and bad, hopefully something any further X-Men movies will explore. Fassbender especially shines as Erik, torn apart inside by his personal and past demons.
What's cool about the X-Men is what's cool about all superheroes. Their powers are typically things as comic book nerds, little kids, a person with imagination, we've thought about it. Xavier can read minds, communicate through thoughts with others, even control their actions. Erik -- later Magneto -- can shift immense shapes, twisting metal and all sorts of shapes and sizes with his mind. Some of the other recruited X-Men include Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), able to take different human forms, all of them hiding her own blue skin and red hair, Beast (Nicholas Hoult), a brilliant mind with extraordinary strength and physical ability, Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), able to manipulate space with a shrill, speed of sound piercing yell, and Havok (Lucas Till), ready and willing to release pointed, explosive amounts of heat, and that's just the good guys. Along with Shaw's energy absorption -- it's cooler than it sounds -- there's Azazel (Jason Flemying), a Devil-like teleporter, Riptide (Alex Gonzales), able to create immense tornado-like explosions, and Angel (Zoe Kravitz), a young winged-woman.
As a fan of huge casts full of all star names and rising stars, that's the fun of watching a movie like this. McAvoy and Fassbender are unlikely leads without the star power recognition, but they're perfectly cast. Kevin Bacon as a super villain? Who thought of that one? But it works. January Jones is underused as the icy Emma Frost, able to use telepathy like Xavier, and even Oliver Platt makes an appearance as the Man in Black, a CIA officer working with Xavier. Of the other parts already mentioned, Lawrence is a bright spot and looks to be destined for bigger things. Hoult too is very good as Henry, later transforming into Beast. There isn't a weak spot around. If anything there's too many characters. You want more information on all of them, especially the villains. Definitely a good thing though when you want more of a movie.
Well, you can call me an X-Men fan now. This movie sold me on it. I look forward to any future prequels that set up the franchise, and the ending here is a perfect cliffhanger. It's just good old-fashioned entertainment, and I loved it. Also, watch for brief cameos by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine -- truly a funny scene with some shock value -- and Rebecca Romijn as an older Mystique.
X-Men: First Class <---trailer (2011): *** 1/2 /****
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