From the biblical days of Cain and Abel all the way to the space opera of Obi-wan and Anakin, the tale of two brothers, by blood or otherwise, whose moral paths eventually collide at an impasse is one that never seems to tire. Usually there are some telltale signs throughout such a story that will start to lightly sketch the divisional lines of who will take their rightful places in either the yin or the yang. All of these factors contribute to the story of X-Men patriarchs Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, but even though that clear separation exists between who is the hero and who is the villain, X-Men: First Class bolsters what sets their dynamic apart from all others.The fifth chapter and the second prequel in the X-Men franchise focuses on the dawn of the superhero team and its creators Charles Xavier aka Professor X (James McAvoy, Wanted) and Erik Lehnsherr aka Magneto (Michael Fassbender, Inglorious Basterds). The potent genetic material that keeps the X-Men story evolving continues to be the disparity in ideology between these two characters and how they mirror the very real issues in American history. As alluded to in the opening scene of the original X-Men, the childhood of young Erik in the Nazi concentration camps reveals his experience of the travesties during the Holocaust of WWII. Meanwhile his counterpart Charles grows up in a lonely mansion and discovers at a very young age that he is not the only one in the world with unique abilities. As Erik seeks revenge on the Nazis and Charles continues to educate the world on mutation, their paths cross as they converge on a very powerful mutant named Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon, Super) whose ultimate goal is to start WWIII. Charles and Erik team up and track down other mutants to form a resistance against Shaw and his allies, creating the first incarnation of the X-Men.
Much like Watchmen, the story of X-Men: First Class is woven nicely into real-world events of the past. The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 gives the story more of consequential weight, which other comic book films can sometimes lack. Director and co-writer Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass) uses this setting to skew the comprehensive tone apart from the other chapters in the franchise. Additionally, since this film reveals mutants to the mass population of humans for the first time, it was important that the shock be more genuine than previously represented. Vaughn’s concern for this is represented well in the film, but not to the point were it wastes time or detracts from the central story.
Amplifying the great script is the tailored suit-like performances of the actors. At the head of the “first class” is Michael Fassbender portraying Erik Lehnsherr as he travels down his path toward becoming the powerful Magneto. Much like his role in Inglorious Basterds, Fassbender seems to have a knack for characters of this time period. His presence and coolness is a throwback to the Sean Connery era of filmmaking. Most impressive though, is how Fassbender hones in on the perfect pitch called for by the script. Considering his experiences with genocide, Erik’s ambition to eventually bring humanity to its knees could actually be deduced as logical. Fassbender emulates a sense of reason and empathy that is extremely rare to antagonists and even alters the way Magneto’s dialogue is conceived in previous films.
Representing the Martin Luther King Jr. to Fassbender’s Malcolm X is James McAvoy as Charles Xavier. This film presents McAvoy with the opportunity to introduce a more hip and slightly less benevolent Professor X in his younger days. McAvoy certainly nails Xavier’s extraordinary intellect and honorable sensibilities while exhibiting a more flawed and human side of a man in his twenties trying to discover who he is and realize his true path in life.
Kevin Bacon dusts off his black hat as brazen villain Sebastian Shaw, a mutant with a seemingly unstoppable ability. Bacon has filled the role of “bad guy” many times in his career and once again emits an eerie sense of calm fear when his character is on screen. Along with that comes a smug arrogance, which is always reinforced by the notion that he’ll make good on every threat.
The rest of the large cast of heroes and villains in X-Men: First Class has no legitimate weak spots, but there is one performance worthy of a spotlight. Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy) as Dr. Hank McCoy engages in a traumatic transformation into his alias of Beast. Beast is a very strong and confident hero, everything the meek Dr. McCoy is not. Even as Beast though, Hoult maintains the purity of the slight doctor who can finally accept himself for who and what he is.
Due to the nature of their function, most prequels are not classified as the best chapter in an extensive franchise. The character’s ultimate destinies are already known, so sudden plot twists or surprises that still fit into the canon become difficult to accomplish. And even though there were some inconsistencies with timelines from other chapters, X-Men: First Class may be that exception as it attacks and scrutinizes the layers of the most interesting facet of the X-Men saga . . . can humanity really be trusted to make the right decision, or is it more logical to force an illogical species to do so?
Story: 8.5
Acting: 8.5
Writing: 8.0
Captivation: 8.0
Replay Value: 8.5
Total = 8.3 out of 10
