Let’s start this review off by saying X-Men: First Class is completely unnecessary…but it’s also pretty good.
What Works: Well first off, the hotness of the cast is completely unexpected as the other X-Men movies usually only had Halle Berry or Dania Ramirez in small roles. January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, and a scorching Zoe Kravitz all make this one of the sexiest superhero films in recent memory. And Michael Fassbender is good as Magneto, only fitting, since Ian McKellen was one of the strongest actors in the original trilogy. Plus, it’s always nice to see Kevin Bacon getting some work.
What Doesn’t Work: The movie’s a little sloppy and–much like England in the 60’s where this movie is set–alternates between cool and cheesy. And I’m wondering if X-Men’s central conflict (that society will destroy the mutants just as they do anyone that’s different) is a little dated in a reality TV world where anyone and everyone is encouraged to be loud and outrageous. Still, I have to say it works more than it doesn’t.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Moved the story forward instead of backward. I get tired of prequels that promise to show what led up to what we’ve seen (like anyone was really dying to know where Magneto’s helmet came from), setting up a world for obsessives that bores those of us that want forward mythological movement. And if you really just want to see how Jennifer Lawrence looks as a young Mystique–can’t blame you exactly–that’s what flashbacks are for.
Okay Brody, two things: one, I was going to chuck this movie for Super 8, now I am seeing them both.
Two, they had to go backwards to create a younger cast, because they are one more sequel away from Wolverine (Jackman) on a walker and Storm (Berry) blowing her teeth out in a storm, pardon the pun on so many levels.
Later,