The latest edition of X-Men is a breath of fresh air as the franchise shifts focus from Wolverine to the group’s history. First Class introduces us to some new and old mutants, all of which are part of something much bigger.
First Class is the first in hopefully a new trilogy directed by Matthew Vaughn. He explores the relationship between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Micheal Fassbender) before they become Professor X and Magneto respectively.
Set during the 1960′s Cuban Missile crisis, we see the mutants struggle for acceptance in the world as they try to help humanity stop a nuclear war fuelled by the evil Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon).
The film begins with a young Erik, in Germany during World War II. We see him being seperated from his parents, and as he reaches out his magnetic powers start to manifest and rip and bend a metal gate. Erik is then taken by a younger Sebastian Shaw, who wants to manipulate Erik into doing his will.
As Erik is still young, he fails to impress Shaw which has dire consequences for Erik’s mother, fuelling the soon to be Magneto on a lifelong thrist for revenge but rendering him unable to use his powers without being angry.
On the other side of the coin, we see Charles Xavier (McAvoy), a powerful telepath studying at Oxford University, and envisioning a future where mutants can stand with mankind as one. He is joined by Raven Darkholme AKA Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) a shapeshifter who has to conceal her true blue form.
As CIA agent Moira McTaggert (Rose Byrne) investigates the threat of the U.S-Soviet conflict, she recruits Xavier to help, despite her agency having strong views against mutants. This partnership forces Charles and Erik to meet and become allies.
Though they have differences, Charles’ optimism and Erik’s superiority couldn’t be more pronounced – the men’s mutual respect leads to friendship, and they band together to build a team of young mutants.
Using Cerebro, designed by one Hank McCoy (Nicolas Hoult), Xavier and Lesnerr travel around recruiting such mutants as energy firing Havok (Lucas Till); sonic screamer Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones); survival evolutionist Darwin (Edi Gathegi); seductive insectoid flyer Angel (Zoë Kravitz) and the brilliance that is Hank McCoy, or Beast.
As Xavier puts together his first class to take on Shaw’s Hellfire Club - Emma Frost (January Jones), Riptide (Álex González) and Azazel (Jason Flemyng) – Soviet ships are approaching Cuba. With the U.S ready to declare war, it falls to the X-Men to stop those boats.
Cue a dramatic standoff where Charles’ young mutants take on the Soviet fleet to potentially stop World War III. As Shaw is working with the Soviets and Xavier with the U.S, this is a war between them as much as it is for humans.
After the dust has settled, we see Magneto and Professor X finally begin to fill out the roles we recognise, Magneto recruiting his Brotherhood Of Mutants and seeking dominace in the human race and a paralysed Xavier and his X-Men taking quiet refuge to regroup and seek acceptance in this world.
If you are a hard to please comic fan, this film does stay true to some of the original X-Men comics. For instance, the evolution of a human Beast into the big ol’ blue that we have come to love is right out of the comics. As well as the enticing Ice Queen, wearing not many clothes and showing off that eye drawing cleavage. However, there are some thing’s that may annoy you, of course the character Angel is a man in the comics, where as in the film it is a woman who doesn’t coincide with X-Men history.
If you’re looking for a great film and a better insight into how Magneto and Professor X came to be who they are, then this is a film for you. Vaughn does a fantastic job in his casting and McAvoy and Fassbender play their roles brilliantly. A strong supporting cast of talented actors make this film one to watch.
Also, although Stan Lee doesn’t cameo, we do see a familar face in a bar with cigar in one hand and whiskey in the other (and with the only use of strong language in the whole film). I may have had a little fanboy freak out and a good laugh at this cameo. Guess who it is?
First Class is the first in hopefully a new trilogy directed by Matthew Vaughn. He explores the relationship between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Micheal Fassbender) before they become Professor X and Magneto respectively.
Set during the 1960′s Cuban Missile crisis, we see the mutants struggle for acceptance in the world as they try to help humanity stop a nuclear war fuelled by the evil Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon).
The film begins with a young Erik, in Germany during World War II. We see him being seperated from his parents, and as he reaches out his magnetic powers start to manifest and rip and bend a metal gate. Erik is then taken by a younger Sebastian Shaw, who wants to manipulate Erik into doing his will.
As Erik is still young, he fails to impress Shaw which has dire consequences for Erik’s mother, fuelling the soon to be Magneto on a lifelong thrist for revenge but rendering him unable to use his powers without being angry.
On the other side of the coin, we see Charles Xavier (McAvoy), a powerful telepath studying at Oxford University, and envisioning a future where mutants can stand with mankind as one. He is joined by Raven Darkholme AKA Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) a shapeshifter who has to conceal her true blue form.
As CIA agent Moira McTaggert (Rose Byrne) investigates the threat of the U.S-Soviet conflict, she recruits Xavier to help, despite her agency having strong views against mutants. This partnership forces Charles and Erik to meet and become allies.
Though they have differences, Charles’ optimism and Erik’s superiority couldn’t be more pronounced – the men’s mutual respect leads to friendship, and they band together to build a team of young mutants.
As Xavier puts together his first class to take on Shaw’s Hellfire Club - Emma Frost (January Jones), Riptide (Álex González) and Azazel (Jason Flemyng) – Soviet ships are approaching Cuba. With the U.S ready to declare war, it falls to the X-Men to stop those boats.
Cue a dramatic standoff where Charles’ young mutants take on the Soviet fleet to potentially stop World War III. As Shaw is working with the Soviets and Xavier with the U.S, this is a war between them as much as it is for humans.
After the dust has settled, we see Magneto and Professor X finally begin to fill out the roles we recognise, Magneto recruiting his Brotherhood Of Mutants and seeking dominace in the human race and a paralysed Xavier and his X-Men taking quiet refuge to regroup and seek acceptance in this world.
If you are a hard to please comic fan, this film does stay true to some of the original X-Men comics. For instance, the evolution of a human Beast into the big ol’ blue that we have come to love is right out of the comics. As well as the enticing Ice Queen, wearing not many clothes and showing off that eye drawing cleavage. However, there are some thing’s that may annoy you, of course the character Angel is a man in the comics, where as in the film it is a woman who doesn’t coincide with X-Men history.
If you’re looking for a great film and a better insight into how Magneto and Professor X came to be who they are, then this is a film for you. Vaughn does a fantastic job in his casting and McAvoy and Fassbender play their roles brilliantly. A strong supporting cast of talented actors make this film one to watch.
Also, although Stan Lee doesn’t cameo, we do see a familar face in a bar with cigar in one hand and whiskey in the other (and with the only use of strong language in the whole film). I may have had a little fanboy freak out and a good laugh at this cameo. Guess who it is?
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