X-Men meet Dr. No

Rating: 8/10 (24 June 2011)

The first two X-Men movies set a new standard for comic adaptation. After that there was a noticeable drop in quality. The most recent movie - X-Men Origins Wolverine - was only saved by Hugh Jackman's performance. Everything else was forgettable.
Luckily, X-Men First Class takes the series back to its original glory. As a prequel the movie is set during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Charles Xavier is about to become professor and Eric Lehnsherr is hunting down the Nazis who killed his family and especially his personal nemesis Sebastian Shaw.
Sure, not everything is perfect about this movie. Those who have a deeper knowledge about the Cuban Missile Crisis will notice many historic flaws. (Hint: Watch "Thirteen Days" or even better: "The Fog of War".) Then there are several continuity mistakes between the new movie and the old ones. (In the first movie, Xavier said that he met Eric at the age of 17. Now they are both much older. Also there is a big mistake that has to do with the 70s scene in the third movie, but I can't tell without providing a spoiler.) Some of the minor characters have very thin personalities. Also, the young Beast looks more cuddly than scary.
But who wants to argue about such minor details? When Kevin Bacon as super villain Shaw walks through his nuclear submarine surrounded by a freak show of henchmen, even Dr. No and Blofeld will pale in comparison. Without reaching a parody level like Austin Powers, we get a perfect representation of a 60s movie villain.
I also love the cameos of some original cast members, but I won't give those away.
More of the good stuff that worked, a fresh breeze of new stuff (60s nostalgia, historic background) and great acting especially by Fassbender and Bacon. X-Men reinvents itself without abandoning its root. What's not to love?