At the time the best movie of the summer

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 2011)

A long-time collector of comic books, my expectations were high when Bryan Singer's 'X-Men' came out. Happily, my expectations were met and I enjoyed the movie. Singer's 'X2: X-Men United' blew me away, taking superhero films to a new level. Singer then left to make the disappointing 'Superman Returns", leaving Brett Ratner ('Rush Hour" trilogy) to direct the extremely disappointing 'X-Men: The Last Stand', which was followed by Gavin Hood's ('Rendition') 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'; which was also a letdown. After 10 years and 4 movies, the X-Men franchise had run its course. To usher in a new era, Bryan Singer was brought in as a producer and Matthew Vaughn ('Kick-Ass') as director of 'X-Men: First Class'. There was belief that a prequel movie was the way to go; and the script put together was first class, like it's title.
'X-Men: First Class" is the story of two boys, who become men, and the moments in their lives that defined them. Erik Lensherr (Bill Milner, Michael Fassbender), grows up in war torn, Nazi occupied Poland. Torn from his parents and then being used as a test subject due to his ability to control metal, by the diabolical Dr. Schmidt (Kevin Bacon), Erik spends much of his young adult life trying to find and get revenge on the evil Doctor. Simultaneously in Westchester, NY, Charles Xavier (Laurence Belcher/James McAvoy) discovers a girl, a shape-shifter disguised as his mother, in his kitchen searching for food. As Charles grows, along with his adopted sister, the shape-shifter named Raven, he graduates from Oxford University as an expert in Genetic Studies. The CIA, thanks to Moira Mactaggert (Rose Byrne) recruits Charles to help in capturing the terrorist organization known as the Hellfire Club; Emma Frost (January Jones), Riptide (Álex González), and Azazel (Jason Flemyng), led by Sebastian Shawn formerly Dr. Schmidt (Kevin Bacon). As the CIA and Erik converge on Shaw/Schmidt, Charles saves Erik. As their friendship grows, they are organized with putting together a team to track down the Hellfire Club. Along with scientist, and fellow mutant Hank McCoy's (Nicholas Hoult) creation Cerebro, Charles is able to locate and enlist a team of young mutants, along with Raven to help their cause. Joining them in the fight is: Angel (Zoë Kravitz), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Darwin (Edi Gathegi) and Havoc (Lucas Till). Things escalate as the team must work together to not only stop Shaw and the Hellfire Club and save the world from a nuclear war but show that although they are different, they are still human.
'X-Men: First Class' is about revenge, war, and prejudice. Although the movie is about super powered individuals, it's predominantly story driven. There's action, but not loud, intolerable explosions or gunshots we've grown accustomed to in summer movies. There's CGI, but it's done within the story and doesn't feel like it's overwhelming. The ensemble cast wasn't full of A-list actors, but the casting was solid and each performance was memorable. Kevin Bacon's Dr. Schmidt/Sebastian Shaw was campy, but not overdone and January Jones' Emma Frost is absolutely stunning. The relationship between Xavier and Raven was convincingly genuine. Michael Fassbender made Erik/Magneto a very conflicted character, and made the role his own. Overall, 'X-Men: First Class' graduates with the highest of honors, and a Masters degree in entertainment.
Summer movie Grade: A+ (My favorite movie of the summer so far!) Age Appropriate meter: 10+ (not much entertainment for younger children)
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