- Stylized on-screen as X: First Class
- Directed by Matthew Vaughn
- May 25, 2011 (Ziegfeld Theatre) / June 1, 2011 (UK) / June 3, 2011 (US)
- Based on X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, a mutant supremacist plans on starting a nuclear war to bring his kind into power.
After the travesty of X-Men: The Last Stand, I remember being concerned about First Class. Why be concerned? For perspective Roger Corman famously produced a Fantastic Four film because if he did not he would lose the rights. Fox was producing this as much to keep the rights as it was to make a buck.
I recall this being called a prequel and the most obvious example of that is the moment in Auschwitz with young Erik (Bill Milner) that looks to weave in footage from X-Men. It also serves to introduce us to Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) going by the name Klaus Schmidt and working for the Nazis. For me it is one of the darker moments in anything connected to Marvel films. Though this was not part of the MCU, what’s going on in that office is the biological research that the Nazis are known to have done.
Kevin Bacon is absolutely cold in the part throughout the film. He’s aloof and indifferent. Almost smug or arrogant as Shaw. While not a one-to-one translation, this uses heavily the comics lore as existing to that point in a story uniquely set in 1962. It is very uncommon for comic book films to be period set.
I’m a little disappointed with the look of Shaw and the Hellfire Club. In the comics their look was inspired by a 1966 episode of the British television series The Avengers called A Touch of Brimstone with an added mix of a popular 18th century gentlemen’s club. In the comics I found their dress like something you might find amongst attendees at the Met Gala.
January Jones as Emma Frost perhaps has a look closest to the comics. As an actress she is excellent as a villain and Shaw’s counterpart. I never watched Mad Men so I have no idea how she did there but her performance here is delicious to watch. She does not rely on her appeal and just go for pretty bitchy. Frost is cold, condescending, and looks down her nose at everyone. Everyone is beneath her, but Jones does it in a way that makes you like watching.
In something rare today, First Class is not overly quippy or repeatedly self-referential. It is a character driven story with humor that never undercuts the action or drama. What jokes we get help to mitigate unnecessary tension in a scene, drive home a point, or illustrate a character. This is about the characters.
Self-acceptance plays a big part in the story even if it is not a message film. Hank (Nicholas Hoult) spends much of his arc not liking his rather mild mutation with moments interjected that update the viewer on his progress while Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) is accepting of her ability and chafes at Charles essentially hiding her. His self-test and the results are shown from his perspective making the incident intimate and frightening. His need to not be who he was made things worse.
You get a good sense of where the characters stand with each being distinct. The only one that’s underserved is Janos Quested/Riptide (Álex González) who never speaks yet creates tornados. That was his whole purpose with zero information on the character and his motivations. And now that I think about it, Azazel (Jason Flemyng) was there to be a chauffeur. What exactly was his motivation? Enough about that.
There were some big shoes to fill in both Magneto and Professor X. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy admirably stepped up to the challenge. Fassbender gives Magneto (referred to as ‘Erik’) the complexity and authority the character commanded as performed by Ian McKellen. He also adds in an evident pain with 60s some cool.
With McAvoy’s Charles, we get a bit of a lady’s man that uses intellect and wit to pick up women with his higher ideals being largely theoretical. The divisions that we all know will come into play in one form or another are laid out nicely in this. There is no way this Erik or Charles can remain friends even if they like each other.
This movie could not have a title like ‘First Class’ and not get a team together. The collection montage is one of the highlights of the film. In short order, they establish these new characters that are getting dumped into the movie without feeling like they are being dumped in. The treat of it was Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and his immediate in-character refusal. I get the popularity of Wolverine and including him but considering Charles and Erik were collecting a group of young people if not relative children, an adult man stands out to me.
I must agree with the assessment of Darwin (Edi Gathegi) and his death. The character is set up to survive no matter what is taken out in this movie shortly after appearing. I get you need to create doubt of success but pick somebody weaker. Or just seriously injure him. Truthfully I am more bothered that Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones) is not Irish which is something that has always played heavily into the character.
While a work of fiction, the climax occurs during the very real Cuban Missile Crisis giving this a bit of weight that the MCU often lacks. Shaw has an evil plan and that is to start a nuclear WWIII so mutants come to prominence. The story is epic not because what happens affects the world, but because what happens changes the lives of the characters involved. They end the movie differently than they began, and not in a superficial way. Professor X can no longer be a devil-may-care type using his intelligence and his ability to read minds to get laid. Erik has moved from being a lone Nazi hunter to being the leader of a group seeking to ensure his people’s dominance. He’s become the thing he hates.
Effects here had yet to completely fall to that period where it all looked so very fake. A few flight shots lack authenticity but generally nothing ever breaks the illusion. Erik is noticeably more powerful by the end here than in the first three. He floats more and flings people around along with metal objects.
Most importantly it has something to say about the characters. There are things we can look at and understand allowing us to empathize with the characters and their situation. These elements are never treated superficially. Angel (Zoë Kravitz) is a stripper recruited by Erik and Charles due to her dragonfly wings but sides with Shaw because she never wants to go back or be used by people again.
X-Men: First Class is an excellent X-Men and superhero movie. Character driven, dramatic, and personally high stakes story. It’s 2 hours and 12 minutes never feel like that. Highly recommend it.
Warren Watched A Movie 