Review of X-Men: First Class (2011) by Chris S — 26 Nov 2013

Utterly profound while simultaneously an entertaining summer globetrotter, X-Men: First Class is the X-Men movie we've all been waiting for since the release of X2. The backstories of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr gain the perfect amount of tension against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the movie really gives the audience that high stakes feeling of suspense we all long for when we watch a movie.

However, to be honest, this is the James Mccavoy/Michael Fassbender/Kevin Bacon show. Mcavoy perfectly portrays the charming and wise Charles while still giving off the vibe of his ignorance of the evils of human nature in a similar, if not better, manner than Sir Patrick Stewart. Fassbender really shines in this film, and he perfectly balances the inhuman rage and almost humane reasoning behind his evil actions. He also has the best backstory, and the segments about him were the best in the film. Alas, Kevin Bacon gives his best performance since The River Wild as a deranged, maniacal ex-Nazi bent on causing nuclear Armageddon.

Unfortunately, the film did have its weak spots, particularly in the backstories of mystique and Beast, which came off as derivative and corny. Theyre given such lines as "you have no idea what I'd give to feel, normal" and other similarly cliched schmaltz. Also, the opening scenes came off as surprisingly stupid, once again proving that child actors can not handle a dramatic scene in a comic book movie (see: X-Men Origins:Wolverine). January Jones was also pretty horrific, and I have yet to see a role outside of Mad Men that she can really shine in. Overall, the film struggles to balance the seriousness it strives for and the general camp that comes along with being a comic book adaptation.

All ratings out of 10:

Cliche Factor: 4.

Artistic Factor: 7.

Entertainment Value: 9.

Casting: 9.

Screenplay: 8.