X-Men: First Class

In a Heartbeat The Broken Sword (Halcyon 2)

X-Men: First Class

Erik, Charles, and friends.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn

Superhero action

2011

Rated PG-13

Four stars

With a trilogy plus one spin-off starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the X-Men, a small band of mutant superheroes who fight to protect a world that hates and fears them from other hostile mutants, have taken off in mainstream consciousness. Led by the telepathic Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, the X-Men often face off against the Brotherhood, a group of mutant supremacists following Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, aka Magneto. I'm sure you can guess his superpowers.

With several dozen characters introduced over the first three movies, and a long history of friendship suggested between Charles and Erik through dialogue, it made sense to do a prequel film exploring where the two men came from, and how they began their respective superteams.

A peaceful game before preparations for war.

X-Men: First Class managed that quite well. Viewers see Erik (Michael Fassbender) grow up in appallingly traumatic conditions in a Nazi concentration camp; as an adult in the 1960s, he travels the world hungry for revenge. At the same time, Charles (James McAvoy) spends his youth a rich and happy PhD student in New York, researching evolution and dreaming of meeting others who are "special" like himself. When the two meet, they agree on nothing, but fascinate each other with contrasting ideas on the future of mutantkind. Joining together with CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) to fight a small band of mutants led by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), the two friends go in search of other young mutants–an army in Erik's mind, and an example to the world of peaceful human-mutant coexistence in Charles's–to prepare for the inevitable face-off.

That's where X-Men: First Class faltered. While giving viewers plenty of action, the story did a great job developing Erik, Charles, Moira and Sebastian as characters and introducing the

Erik, Sean Cassidy/Banshee, Charles, Moira, Raven/Mystique, Alex Summers/Havok

fear humans had for mutants. If the story had stopped there, the movie would have succeeded in every way, with cool action, great characters, and a genuinely interesting plot. However, the side characters Erik and Charles train did nothing for the plot, remained underdeveloped and dull, and took away from the much more interesting movie already playing. Mostly the trainee X-Men were there to be insecure as mutants so the adults could spout exposition at them on how they needed to believe in themselves. Gag.

Thankfully, despite that sad distraction, X-Men: First Class wound up a solid superhero flick. It wasn't as great as it could have been, but everyone except January Jones/Emma Frost could act; the action was awesome; and the story was tense, exciting, and pulled me in emotionally with Erik and Charles. Recommended for fans of action, sci-fi/fantasy (especially epic), and revenge drama.