"I believe that true focus lies somewhere between rage and serenity."

Rating: 9/10 (27 May 2014)

A franchise reboot reminiscent of the franchise that had been going downhill since The Last Stand, here comes a movie that is still fast, fresh and fun.
At the heart of First Class is the story of how close friends become bitter enemies and of how Charles and Erik become Professor X and Magneto. This is the highlight of the movie as Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) meet, become friends, and then turn against each other due to their different ideologies.
As for the supporting cast... it was pretty promising (for the most part). Kevin Bacon brings his acting chops to the test, and he delivers almost every scene with charm, personality and charisma. Bacon makes effortless a larger-than-life role that evolves from guffawing Nazi sadist to slick Bondian baddie. Jennifer Lawrence adds vulnerability to the character who would become Mystique, as well as Nicholas Hoult as a pre-mature Beast. These two had great chemistry together. Rose Bryne as Moira, a CIA agent that helps the mutants, also does a great job in being a human interacting with mutants. And lastly, January Jones as Emma Frost, was a great addition to the team. While comic book purists may not like her character, in my opinion, she did a great job in being a part of the villains.
Strangely, it's the rest of the supporting cast who feel underplayed. The rest of the mutants are denied a back-story - and in the cases, any real dialogue between the rest of characters. They are defined by their powers, and not by their characters.
Fortunately, there's a lot more going on than character development. I really liked that it was a mixture of a spy movie and an action/adventure movie. The action is pretty crisp and clean, and I was actually invested in it. The climax is a lot of fun, especially with what they can get away with, showing all the mutants and the powers they have learned to control.
This movie reminds me a lot of why I liked the Singer films (who is back in the fold as producer). Marvel and mixes it with Bond and Batman, bromance and coming-of-age angst to create a cool, character-driven actioner with a social conscience that's something to be proud of.
Final Verdict: It's a classy addition to the X-series that expertly establishes a hoard of characters, navigates a Cold War plot and squeezes a tear for a friendship failed. Dream-team casting and quality FX make this a great movie.