Could have been better.

Rating: 7/10 (6 June 2011)

Now i know everyone is very excited and mostly happy with the new prequel of the x-men franchise. But i guess i will have to disagree with the general audience. I've just watched this most anticipated prequel of this summer and i've to say while the movie was not bad, it did not live up to the hype.
Before going into the negatives i should say X-Men: First Class had an amazing story and equally well crafted dialog so Kudos to Bryan Singer. Actores are well casted and they all delivered. Especially Michael Fassbender as Magneto was unbelievable. This time we get to see Magneto not as a homicidal sociopath but a vulnerable and emotional human being. So even when he turns on the human race and goes on a killing fringe, still we feel sorry for him. Michael Fassbender took this daunting task and pulled it off with near perfection. James McAvoy as Professor X was incredible as well. Since it got to be hard for the audience to relate with someone who has every thing handed to him, McAvoy have done a wonderful job making the audience fall in love with him. Other actors did not get much screen time and had so little to work with so its not their fault that we don't feel much for them. but among them Jennifer Lawrence was the exception. Her portration of Mystique will change your whole perception of that character. The visual effects and cinematography were state of art. Especially that awesome scene that was seen in the trailer where Magneto lifts that submarine into the air or when he stops hundreds missile with a flick of hand was just breath taking to watch in the big screen.
So, why do i think this movie is not worthy of all these praise? The problem is with direction i guess. when you see the movie you will feel like it is skipping some parts and abruptly jumping from one scene to another. The storytelling was not smooth at all. There was virtually no character development. It was like they assumed everyone knows Professor X is a huge humanitarian and Magneto is a victim of his inner demon so we don't have to waste time to build this characters. And while it was a delight to see the bromance between Eric and Charls, it was also done poorly. It was like one moment Charls and Eric just met in the middle of the sea and in the next scene they are BFF. the gradual development of a strong friendship despite mammoth difference in their perception and end-goal was absent. the film felt rushed and bumpy. The makers were in such a hurry to reach to the final climax that they lost sight of the little things that actually makes a film unforgettable.
So, in the end X-Men: First Class is not as good as X-Men or X2 United was and it had so much possibility and room for being a great film which it was not. But it is still so much better that X-Men: Last Stand and Wolverine and still worth your money and time.