Today’s quick review: X-Men: First Class. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), a telepathic mutant and gifted genticist, is recruited by CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) to help stop Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a powerful mutant with a plan to start World War III. Together with Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), a Holocaust survivor with magnetic powers and a grudge against Shaw, and Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), a shapeshifting mutant and Charles’s adopted sister, Charles assembles a team of mutants to foil Shaw’s plans.
X-Men: First Class is a superhero film, a 60s period piece, and a prequel to the X-Men franchise. The story features a young, optimistic Professor X who finds common cause with Magneto before the latter’s descent into terrorism. The themes of previous X-Men films are used to good effect. Raven’s relationship with Charles is strained by his insensitivity to mutants who have to hide their powers, while Charles and Erik clash over whether humanity can be trusted to accept mutants.
X-Men: First Class features an outstanding cast, tight writing, and high production quality. The tone fluctuates between Cold War spy thriller, superhero origin story, and science fiction drama, deftly tapping into both the grim and the heroic sides of the X-Men universe. Director Matthew Vaughn balances the film’s plot, action, and character development to produce a movie that succeeds as a prequel and stands on its own.
X-Men: First Class’s cast is easily its strongest point. Charles, Erik, and Raven have nuanced character arcs that tie into the main plot well, and James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence are all excellent picks for their characters. The supporting cast varies in quality, but on the whole, Charles’s team of fresh-faced mutants are a good fit for the story, while Shaw’s mutant enforcers make up for in combat ability what they lack in character.
The action makes clever use of the powers available in the film, from Azazel’s devilish use of teleportation to Magneto’s frantic attempts to lift objects well beyond his capacity. The action is never mindless, but part of a concerted effort on the part of the characters to influence the world around them. As such, even the underpowered characters are called on to grow and perform, giving the characters a sense of growth that the more established X-Men of later in the timeline lack.
Watch X-Men: First Class if you are in the mood for a well-constructed superhero film with great characters and strong writing. X-Men: First Class is a welcome prequel to the X-Men universe that stands well on its own. Skip it only if you are not a fan of the genre.
7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for all-around quality.