The Best X-Men movie yet!

Rating: 7/10 (5 June 2011)

I have always been a massive fan of marvel. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved the entire world I was able to escape to. I was never a massive fan of the spider-man movies as a kid (except spider-man 2), because they felt untrue to the comics. However, X-men has always had exactly the same feel as the comic books did. The order the films were made in was the order of my favourites (1,2, last stand, wolverine.) But my favourite part of the entire X-men universe was Magneto and Professor X's rivalry. So naturally I was very excited but slightly anxious, hoping it wouldn't fallow the deterioration of the rest of the franchise. Well, luckily it didn't.
First of all, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy are absolutely brilliant. Their scenes together were almost as exciting as Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in HEAT. I've always loved the idea that arch-enemies can be trying to destroy each other, and then the next minute be sat civilised over a dinner. Like political leaders.I loved Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen performances, but who's was better. That is debatable. The rest of the cast give a fairly good to very good range of performances, but the film does really centre around Charles and Erik, so that doesn't effect it too much.
The opening plays out like an Oscar winning film. There is so much Drama, emotion, and contrast. I'm not sure if Kevin Baker played the younger Shaw at the beginning, but if he did, he was excellent. It would also be the highlight of the movie for him if he did. It reminded me a lot of Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. His performance did get slightly weaker as the film progressed though.
The script is amazing. Very funny, witty and not afraid to laugh at itself. There are lots of 'Tips of the hat' to the earlier films, referencing characters and specific situations. It reminded me slightly of how Red Dragon 'tipped it's hat' to Silence Of The Lambs at the end.
My only picky moans are that every so often, you hear the slightest hint of Fassbender's Irish accent, which does sometimes draw away from the realism of the film. Also, I really did have to say 'Yeah, okay.' about Kevin Baker's character coming back and secretly being a mutant all along.
But, all in all very good. 7.5 (imdb wouldn't let me put that half.)
Favourite scene: Hugh Jackman's cameo.