New X-MEN better than the Old.

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2011)

Like many people was hesitant about a new X-Men movie that was part prequel part reboot. I have a fondness toward the first three X-Men movies. And Unlike many people out there I really enjoyed X-MEN 3 and think it is a really underrated movie. Sure Brett Ratner's directing wasn't great but the story was good and so was the action. I also love how they weren't afraid to kill off the main characters. My biggest problem with the movie was the over abundance of characters the threw into the movie. I know it sounds like I'm giving a review for X-Men: The Last Stand but I wanted to make it clear I really like the previous films and wasn't sure about a reboot/prequel just like I'm nervous about the new Spiderman movie. Though after seeing this movie I view it more as a prequel.
Now I was wrong X-MEN: First Class is a great movie and will probably be the best comic book movie of the summer. With the already underwhelming THOR. THE GREEN LANTERN which in all honesty doesn't look that good and CAPTAIN America which I really hope is good.
One of the first things I need to talk about is the actors and many people may not recognize or remember. First Kevin Bacon who hasn't been in a lot of movies recently steals the movie as Sebastian Shaw as he brings such live and zeal to the character and I'm disappointed he won't be around for the enviable sequels. Then there's James McAvoy who hasn't done anything recognizable outside of Wanted. He plays Charles Xavior who I will always remember as Patrick Steward. He was the perfect Professor X. Still McAvoy did a good job as a you Xavior. Michael Fassbender as Magneto I had never heard of and again I had a fondness for the excellent actor Ian McKellen. I thought Michael did a excellent job as a young tortured Magneto and he even looks like a young Mckellen. Next I need to give a shout out to the movie great movie SUNSHINE and the actress Rose Byrne(Moira MacTaggert) who has been in many good movies and is a great actress. Then there are two supporting characters who I don't think had any lines but were great. The two are Riptide(Álex González) and Azazel(Jason Flemyng) who stole the show from the young X-MEN which include Havok, Mystique, Beast, and Banshee. That was one of the small flaws with this movie was them. I just didn't care that much about them. It felt like they were taking space from the more important characters like the relationship between Xavior and Magneto. One last thing I always like to give a shout out to actors who don't get enough work and aren't well recognized. The first is Oliver Platt who character has no name in this movie but plays a high ranking agent in the CIA. Oliver Platt is a fun actor who doesn't get enough work. The last person is Michael Ironside who plays a Captain of a American Navy ship. Michael Ironside isn't a star but a great supporting actor who's had great supporting roles in such movies such as Total Recall, Top Gun, Starship Troopers and others. Though you might recognize his voice more as he's done work for The Splinter Cell game series as the lead Sam Fisher, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League / Justice League Unlimited to name a few.
The story that was blended into actual history was done really well. Especially Sebastian Shaw using the Cuba Missile Crisis for his own end was well done. The biggest problem I had with the story was the pacing of the movie. It's a small flaw but I wish they had edited out the scenes where the new X-Men students were training. I just thought they weren't really necessary but I think I might be nit picking with that. The action was really great especially in the middle of the movie when Shaw invades a CIA base. The climax was really good but they could have edited a few seconds out of it but again I think I'm nit picking with that when the action was really great.
The directing by Matthew Vaughn was really well done but he's had practice with his three earlier films in Layer Cake, Stardust, and Kickass which were all good films. Again the only flaw I had his directing was the pacing of the film and editing.
Oh yes the two cameos by actors from the first films which confirmed for me that this movies and the ones that follows are prequels. The first and longer scene was with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine though he probably hasn't been taken by the government yet. That scene was great and funny. Then there was the quick appearance of Rebecca Romijn which I though was nice.
Overall this movie was great and out does any of the previous films which were good and I can't wait for the next film.