'X-Men' origins interesting, but falls flat in some areas

Rating: 5/10 (8 June 2011)

So after a half dozen "X-Men" franchise movies we find out that Magneto started off in a death camp and Professor Xavier was a playboy nerd. Not much inspiration to build a successful graphic novel film base on, yet -in many ways - the newest installment, "X-Men: First Class" does deliver the goods.
In other aspects, however, it falls far short of its goal.
Taking over the directorial duties for this one is Matthew Vaughn, the British veteran of such pictures as "Layer Cake," "Stardust" and "Kick-Ass" (easily one of the worst movies of the decade). His inclusion here is a step down from original director Bryan Singer, but a definite step up from last two, Brett Ratner and Gavin Hood.
Newest version - following on the heels of the horrid "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" - seeks to show the beginnings of the mutant race, with Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender, "Inglorious Basterds," "Jonah Hex") locked up by the Nazis in 1944 Poland. Here, he sees his mother killed by Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and he discovers his true potential to manipulate metal.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy, "The Atonement," "The Last King Of Scotland") is postulating on his theory of genetic mutation as a way to pick up chicks in bars. His adopted sister, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence, an Oscar nominee for "Winter's Bone") tags along to keep her either somewhat grounded - or celibate.
Now, in 1962, Shaw - who looked 60-years old in 1944 but now is a cross between Austin Powers and Dean Martin's Matt Helm - has convinced the United States government to place missiles in Turkey and the Soviet Union to store warheads in Cuba. It's part of his rather confusing plan to start World War III so that his mutant allies can take over - or so it would seem.
Shaw's league features Emma Frost (January Jones, "Ad Men"), Azazel (Jason Flemmying) and Riptide (Alex Gonzales).
Opposing him is Xavier, the shape-shifting Raven, a reluctant Lehnsherr and a batch of new mutations, including Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Angel (Zoe Kravitz), Havok (Lucas Till) and Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones).
One of the film's problems lies in the introduction of so many characters (in an effort to be faithful to the comic) that the development of any one of them is minimal. Thus, while the young mutations do get a certain amount of screen time, there is little, if any backstory, and they ultimately get lost in the clutter.
Plus, some of the powers of these individuals is non-threatening at best and completely laughable at worst. For example, Angel's mutation is that she grows butterfly wings, flies about like Tinkerbell and spits fireballs; while Banshee yells real loud and can propel himself through the air on sound currents.
A hilarious cameo, however, does take place during the search for the mutant sequence featuring a ticked-off Hugh Jackman. The addition of a group of ineffectual CIA and government agents led by Oliver Pratt does nothing for the movie's plot line, though.
Mixing fact and fiction, the film culminates during the Cuban Missle Crisis as Shaw makes a last-ditch effort to bring the world to the brink of nuclear war while the good mutants do their best to stop such an eventuality.
Story - for the most part - is solid, while CGI s credible, especially during the flying scenes and when Magneto attempts to hoist a huge submarine from the Cuban waters. Acting ranges from decent (Lawrence, Fassbender) to downright terrible (Bacon, Jones), but all eyes are on the action here, not the thespianism.
As far as that goes, "X-Men: First Class" delivers. Not 100 percent to this scribbler's satisfaction, but close enough for a slight recommendation.