a5c7b9f00b In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start World War III. In 1944, in Poland, the boy Erik Lehnsherr unleashes his magnetic power when his mother is sent to a concentration camp. The evil Dr. Sebastian Shaw brings Erik to his office and kills his mother, increasing his abilities through anger. In New York, the wealthy Charles Xavier meets the mutant Raven and invites her to live in his manor. In 1962, the CIA agent Moira MacTaggert discovers the existence of mutants working with Shaw and she invites Professor Xavier to recruit mutants to work for the USA government. Xavier teams up with Raven, Erik and a group of young mutants. Sooner they learn that the evil Shaw has the intention of beginning a nuclear war to destroy the world and increase his power. It's becoming more and more apparent when a decent director takes control of a movie series over one that's, well... not so decent. Aside from the action, effects, lore etc. we come to expect from a 'comic-book movie', this film has an amazing amount of feeling and emotion to it as well. Brilliantly written and directed, and with a line-up of actors that are a perfect complement (and they all do fantastically in their roles), this is definitely one to see if you're any kind of fan of the X-Men.<br/><br/>And if you are, you will already have a good idea of how the characters we know and love met, what shaped their future selves (of which we've seen a great deal, to varying success in the trilogy), and the situations which affected who they are to become and I'm very happy to say that while this film takes a few liberties here and there, you can easily accept them as they're inconsequential and the story itself is certainly decent enough to allow us to overlook the liberties taken.<br/><br/>Best to leave your expectations at the door with this one, especially if you've let any part of the trilogy affect them negatively. I enjoyed this immensely. Highly recommended. Since its debut in 2000, 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" film franchise has stood tall as one of the longest-running and generally most successful comic-to-film franchises of all time- currently boasting ten entries and with several more sequels, prequels and follow-ups looming on the horizon. But it hasn't always been a smooth ride as any fan will tell you, and the quality of the individual films has ranged from stellar to sub- par, depending on the entry and the creative team behind them. And this is best exemplified by the first five entries... with the original two films being very fun and well-constructed action- adventures, only to be followed-up by two lackluster let-downs in the form of "The Last Stand" and "Origins."<br/><br/>But then something magical happened. After a two-picture absence, original director Bryan Singer returned to produce and co-write the fifth chapter in the ever-growing saga, with Matthew Vaughn taking the reigns and assembling a talented cast of relative newcomers. And together, these brilliantly creative minds unleashed "X-Men: First Class", a quasi-prequel that gives us the previously hinted-at backstory of Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, and how they became the best of friends before turning into bitter enemies. "First Class" is a very well assembled and often thrilling installment in the franchise that boasts strong visuals, likable characters and a surprising depth!<br/><br/>Haunted by the death of his family and his own exploitation at a Nazi prison camp during his youth, Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) seeks to use his mutant powers of magnetism to strike back against his former tormentor- a twisted man named Sebastian Shaw. (Kevin Bacon) At the same time, young telepath Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and his shape-shifting adoptive sister Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) find themselves pulled into the world of the CIA by agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), to be used as consultants working against Shaw. Eventually, the two men meet and form a strong but begrudging friendship, putting together a team of mutants known as the "X- Men"... But Lensherr's past agony and pain might be too much of a burden on the group, and threatens to tear them apart...<br/><br/>The strength of the film lies in the surprisingly thoughtful and complex story that Vaughn and Singer weave, in addition the keen visual direction and highly likable cast. The story is an emotional roller-coaster, with many twists and turns to keep the audience invested all while still grounding the plot in real human relationships. Much of the film is centered on the interpersonal friendships between Erik, Charles and Raven, and they give the story a strong foundation to build upon. At its heart, "First Class" is a story about damaged people, and how confronting the past can either save or destroy us. Thankfully, the film avoids being bogged down in constant turmoil through clever humor brought about by the youthful energy of the team, and it strikes a fine balance. It's never too harsh to be entertaining, nor is it ever too fun to be impactful.<br/><br/>Vaughn's brilliant eye for composition and flow never ceases to amaze, and "First Class" is arguably the most visually arresting film of the franchise. Vaughn's films always have a certain "hyper-reality" to them in terms of style and tone, and it mixes well with the series that Singer has established. There's plenty of eye-popping action and subversive thrills to be had, in addition to some subtle and very intimate scenes. It's a very well-made film. And this is only made all the better by the magnificent cast. McAvoy and Fassbender both command the screen with their performances, and are each given many a moment to shine as they go through life-changing experiences. Particularly Fassbender, who is just awe-inspiring as the man who will become Magneto. I also quite enjoyed Lawrence (in her pre-"Hunger Games" days) and Byrne in their more supportive roles as the women in Xavier's life. Both have unique and clearly defined character arcs and add a lot to the film. Other parts played by the likes of Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till and Caleb Landry Jones as members of the "X-Men" team are pitch- perfect in their casting. And of course, special commendations go to the delightful Kevin Bacon, who does a great job as a scenery- chewing baddie that you'll just love to hate. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a surprise cameo that I won't spoil, but made the entire film for me!<br/><br/>Unfortunately, I do have to say that there are some minor problems holding the film back just shy of perfection. While the movie is well-paced and well-structured for much of its run-time, the third act is a bit messy and relies too much on generic clichés to strike home with the same impact as the rest of the film. In addition, the fact that the film is a prequel does rob a lot of the suspense as we know who will live or die and how it will all end. And finally... despite being a prequel, the film makes some rather unorthodox choices that really bugged me and contradict what came before. Yes, it was only ever meant to be a sort-of "quasi-prequel" that would bend or change canon and continuity when needed. But the fact it tries so hard to tie into the original trilogy while also incessantly changing key details of the previously-established backstory does genuinely annoy me as an audience member. And that's not spoiling anything, because it happens throughout the entire film.<br/><br/>"X-Men: First Class" might not be a perfect film, and the questionable choices it makes in regards to the canon and continuity of the franchise might alienate some hardcore series fans. But that doesn't change the fact that it boasts a remarkable cast, keen visual direction and an absolutely wonderful storyline filled to burst with emotion and pathos. It's a darned-fine film and overall a fantastic prequel to the excellent original. And I give it a very good 8 out of 10! It's big, bright, savvy, and so expansive you'll undoubtedly leave feeling you got your money's worth. Young Charles Xavier (<a href="/name/nm0564215/">James McAvoy</a>), newly graduated from college after submitting his dissertation on mutantism, comes to realize that there are more mutants like himself in the world and sets out, with the help of CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (<a href="/name/nm0126284/">Rose Byrne</a>), to find them. While assembling a team of young mutants, including Raven/Mystique (<a href="/name/nm2225369/">Jennifer Lawrence</a>), Angel Salvatore (<a href="/name/nm2368789/">Zoë Kravitz</a>), Hank McCoy/Beast (<a href="/name/nm0396558/">Nicholas Hoult</a>), Sean Cassidy/Banshee (<a href="/name/nm2655177/">Caleb Landry Jones</a>), Alex Summers/Havok (<a href="/name/nm1395771/">Lucas Till</a>), and Armando Muñoz/Darwin (<a href="/name/nm1346230/">Edi Gathegi</a>), he also meets Erik Lensherr (<a href="/name/nm1055413/">Michael Fassbender</a>), a young Polish man whose early years were spent in a concentration camp where his mother was killed by German scientist Sebastian Shaw (<a href="/name/nm0000102/">Kevin Bacon</a>) in order to awaken Erik's magnetic powers. Charles, Eric, and their band of mutants must work together to stop Shaw from beginning a nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in his attempt to kill all humans and take over the world. Yes, briefly. While Xavier and Magneto are gathering up mutants, they come across Logan/Wolverine (<a href="/name/nm0413168/">Hugh Jackman</a>) sitting in a bar, but Wolverine tells them to get lost. Yes. When the young Mystique is trying to seduce Erik, he says to her "maybe in a few years." She then morphs into her "older" form, which turns out to be <a href="/name/nm0005381/">Rebecca Romijn</a>, who played Mystique in the first three films. No, for the most part. If the mutation is physical, such as with Wolverine's claws, Nightcrawler's tail and Archangel's wings, then she can superficially mimic it. However, she does not copy the mutation itself. The forms she takes are purely cosmetic like stage props and replicas. As an example, in X-Men (2000), she takes on the appearance of Wolverine and fights him claw to claw, but she can neither copy his healing ability nor replicate the indestructibility of adamantium, as seen when her claws are cut off by Wolverine's claws. As another example, if she were to mimic Professor X, she would look like him but would not have his telepathic powers. While diamond is the hardest material on Earth, it is a common misconception that it can't be broken by other substances. Hardness is not toughness. Think of glass. It is quite hard, but it is brittle and easily shattered. Diamond can also be shattered with a strong force. It is not unreasonable for Erik to break her diamond body with household-grade metals, given he has the strength to raise an entire submarine out of the water. Charles used his power to convince the guard he was seeing an empty truck. He not only has the ability to communicate with people non-verbally but he can also control the minds of others, demonstrated earlier when he freezes Moira's colleague at the drinking fountain and tells the Man in the Black Suit to get in the car. In a deleted scene, Alex tells Charles that he accidentally killed one of his comrades in the field and still feels guilty about it. Erik gives all the mutants a choice to unite with him and form a brotherhood against humans or with Charles and his plight to co-exist peacefully among them. Azazel (<a href="/name/nm0002076/">Jason Flemyng</a>), Riptide (<a href="/name/nm1682733/">Álex González</a>), Mystique, and Angel choose to side with Erik, while Beast, Banshee, and Havok go with Charles Xavier. Sometime later, Moira pushes Charles' wheelchair to the door of his proposed academy while talking about getting the school up and running. Moira suggests that Charles call his team "X-Men", just like government agents are called "G-Men". Because anonymity is crucial, Charles wipes Moira's mind, leaving her with no clear memory of the mutants when she later undergoes a debriefing at CIA headquarters. Suddenly a large crash is heard. It is Erik breaking into the CIA holding tank to rescue Frost (<a href="/name/nm0005064/">January Jones</a>). "Join us", Erik says to Frost, while the rest of the Brotherhood waits outside the door. "Erik, I believe," she asks. Erik replies, "I prefer Magneto." There are four previous X-Men movies: (1) <a href="/title/tt0120903/">X-Men (2000)</a> (2000), (2)(2003), (3) <a href="/title/tt0376994/">X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)</a> (2006), and (4) <a href="/title/tt0458525/">X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)</a> (2009). X: First Class leads to <a href="/title/tt1877832/">X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)</a> (2014) and <a href="/title/tt3385516/">X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)</a> (2016). Although <a href="/title/tt1430132/">The Wolverine (2013)</a> (2013) and <a href="/title/tt3315342/">Logan (2017)</a> (2017) do not have "X-Men" in the title, they chronologically follow on and reference the other movies, thus are considered part of the franchise, which makes nine movies total. <a href="/title/tt1431045/">Deadpool (2016)</a> (2016), a loosely-related movie (and start of a cinematic series) based off the comic lines spun off from the X-Men comics, is set in the same universe or perhaps an adjoining metaverse, and references characters and elements from the X-Men franchise throughout, but it is technically not part of the series. Bryan Singer stated they did their best to remain in continuity with the other X-Men movies, but he recognized that some liberties were taken for the sake of the plot in X-Men: First Class. Lauren Shuler Donner also stated that the Emma Frost in X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not Emma Frost, but the real Emma Frost is the one in X-Men: First Class. Furthermore, the credits in X-Men Origins: Wolverine list her as Emma/Kayla's sister and not exactly Emma Frost. So, while X-Men Origins: Wolverine initially advertised the character with diamond powers as Emma Frost, Fox technically retconned her appearance in X-Men: First Class by ignoring her appearance in the Wolverine movie and stating that the character wasn't Emma Frost. (Source: the Emma Frost Files.) Note that X-Men Origins: Wolverine has been retconned in other ways as well, but in some of those cases un-retconned. One example concern Charles Xavier's paralysis, and another involves the overall history of the character Wade Wilson. Only some of them. X: First Class is only part of the movie franchise based off the stories and characters from comic books within or spun off from the X-Men line—The Uncanny X-Men, "Weapon X", X-Factor, The New Mutants, X-Force, "X-Calibre", "X-Ternals", "Generation Next", etc.—to which 20th Century Fox holds cinematic license. Other Marvel-based films owned by other studios are not set in the mutants/X cinematic universe, due to differing ownership. Fox also owns/owned Fantastic Four and Daredevil, but there was never an apparent connection among X-Men (2000), <a href="/title/tt0120667/">Fantastic Four (2005)</a> (2005) and <a href="/title/tt0287978/">Daredevil (2003)</a> (2003). The whole deal surrounding X-Men is notably separate from, for example, the titles commissioned by Marvel Studios. All cinematic material made under the Marvel Studios banner, e.g., <a href="/title/tt0371746/">Iron Man (2008)</a> (2008), <a href="/title/tt0800080/">The Incredible Hulk (2008)</a> (2008), <a href="/title/tt0800369/">Thor (2011)</a> (2011) and(2011), are all set in the same universe (known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe), with the characters crossing over, culminating in <a href="/title/tt0848228/">The Avengers (2012)</a> (2012) which ties these films together. Marvel Studios also owns/owned The Punisher and Blade, however <a href="/title/tt0330793/">The Punisher (2004)</a> (2004), <a href="/title/tt0450314/">Punisher: War Zone (2008)</a> (2008), <a href="/title/tt0120611/">Blade (1998)</a> (1998), <a href="/title/tt0187738/">Blade II (2002)</a> (2002) and <a href="/title/tt0359013/">Blade: Trinity (2004)</a> (2004) are/were not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Like the case explained earlier, other Marvel-based films owned by other studios are not set in the MCU, due to differing ownership. This includes, for example, <a href="/title/tt0145487/">Spider-Man (2002)</a> (2002) and <a href="/title/tt0259324/">Ghost Rider (2007)</a> (2007) (both owned by Sony). Fans have noted a number of discrepancies that X: First Class introduced into the timeline of the other X-Men movies. There is no mention of any change in the timeline at this point (such as the one much later in 1973, in <a href="/title/tt1877832/">X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)</a>), and no in-universe explanation is given for these breaks in continuity. The makers have stated that as part of a fresh start of the series, they wanted to make the best movie possible and chose to ignore established canon in some respects. So the discrepancies are meant to be retcons from artistic license. There are precedents for this earlier in the series: take, for example, the change in appearance of the lab and basin where Wolverine undergoes the adamantium grafting procedure between X2 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.<br/><br/>Nevertheless, the following is a list of the main differences noted, and possible explanations from a single-universe point-of-view:<br/><br/><ul><li>In X2, Hank McCoy appears in human form before his mutation is manifested by the third film, whereas in First Class, he goes through his transformation for the first time as a young man. It is very likely that he used an inhibitor, as he is seen using one in Days of Future Past. Another reason is that the Hank McCoy briefly seen in X2 was simply meant to be a name-drop cameo (Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit, is also briefly seen on a computer screen in X2).</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In X2, there is an instance where Sebastian Shaw is speaking with McCoy on television. However, he is referred to only as "Dr. Shaw" and may be a different character (or simply another name-drop).</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In the beginning of The Last Stand (during a flashback) and at the end of Origins: Wolverine, Xavier has full use of his legs in the 1980s, whereas, at the end of First Class, Xavier is wheelchair bound in 1962. He has regained and lost the use of his legs time and time again in the comics. In Days of Future Past, Beast has developed a serum that can reverse Xavier's spinal damage, but it also suppresses his telepathic abilities. In The Last Stand and Origins: Wolverine, Xavier clearly has both the use of his legs and his telepathy, so maybe there is a later cure for Xavier's spine without the suppressive side effects that works only temporarily (causing resistance). Another explanation offered is that Trask Industries develops DNA-generated artificial limbs in 1976, and he abandons them after learning of Trask Industries' anti-mutant activities. Lastly, it is possible that the walking Xavier seen in The Last Stand and Origins: Wolverine isn't Xavier himself, but one of his telepathic projections, used when he meets potential new students, in order not to elicit too many questions; Xavier also shows a telepathic, upright version of himself to Mystique in Days of Future Past.</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In the opening of The Last Stand, Eric and Xavier are working together to recruit Jean Grey in the 1980s. In this film, they go their separate ways much earlier in life. They may have briefly reconciled before going separate ways once again.</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In X-Men, Professor X mentions that he created Cerebro together with Magneto; in First Class, Cerebro was already built by Hank McCoy. Of course, the Cerebro in First Class may have simply been a small prototype, and the larger version of Cerebro seen in the first three movies may have been constructed by Professor X and Magneto together. As Big Cerebro was fully built by 1973 and Magneto had been imprisoned for 10 years (as seen in Days of Future Past), it is possible that they built it in 1962 when they moved into Charles' old house, in the months before the Cuban Missile Crisis.</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In X-Men, Professor X tells Logan that he met Erik Lensherr when he was 17 years old, which would have been about 1949 given that Xavier was born 1932. According to First Class, they met in 1962. However, they could have briefly encountered each other when Erik went to New York for the first time in 1949. Or Erik may have met Charles as a student at Oxford in 1949.</li></ul><br/><br/>-In X-Men, Professor X is surprised to learn that Magneto has a helmet which can prevent the professor from locating him with his telepathic abilities. In First Class, Xavier himself witnesses how Magneto obtains the helmet from Sebastian Shaw, and what negative effect it has on his telepathy. It should be noted though, that the Shaw helmet is a different helmet with regards to appearance. According toDays of Future Past, the Shaw helmet was taken from Magneto when he was imprisoned later. Magneto's new helmet is therefore a different one, explaining Xavier's unfamiliarity with it.<br/><br/><ul><li>In First Class, Professor X is childhood friends with Mystique, even before meeting Magneto (the professor confirms this in Days of Future Past). While it is clear from the other movies that the Professor and Magneto go way back, no allusion to Xavier's friendship with Mystique is made in any other movie (she even nearly kills him in X-Men). Days of Future Past, however, reveals that Mystique committed her first murder in 1973 to protect the other mutants. She was subsequently caught, tortured and experimented on before she escaped. These experiences changed her character irrevocably, causing her view of morals and her relationship with Xavier to take a turn for the worst (she may not even remember being friends with Xavier). Also, like Xavier, Mystique should be in her seventies in The Last Stand, but she doesn't look anywhere near that age. (Young Hank McCoy remarks that when she gets into her forties she would still have the cells of a teenager; she also may have improved healing abilities, since she survived a stab from Wolverine's claws in X-Men). In Days of Future Past, it is indeed revealed that Mystique's cells are extremely adaptable.</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>In Origins: Wolverine, Emma Frost can cover her body with small diamonds, whereas in First Class, her body becomes one large diamond. See the FAQ entry "Why is Emma Frost in both X-Men Origins: Wolverine and X: First Class?" above.</li></ul><br/><br/><ul><li>Lastly, Moira MacTaggart is seen as an non-mutant agent in her thirties in 1962 in First Class; MacTaggart also makes a short appearance nearly forty-five years later as a doctor in The Last Stand, but even though Professor X has aged considerably, she has not. Maybe the latter Moira is the former's daughter. This could also simply be another name-drop.</li></ul><br/><br/>Note: Originally the plan was for there to be a spinoff anthology series of "Origin" movies made by different cinematic artists (who would naturally have different ideas about how to render the X-Men mythos), but "X-Men Origins: Magneto" wound up becoming X: First Class, somewhat of an origin story for the X-Men in general along with the Brotherhood of Mutants. In theory, the overall story line of the series would have been more succinct and involved fewer if any retcons had all movies been written by the same group of people or had the franchise's main producer, <a href="/name/nm0795682/">Lauren Shuler Donner</a>, taken a slightly different approach to overseeing the screenwriting behind the cinematic rendition process.