Remarkable, even for non-fans

Rating: 6/10 (19 February 2016)

I must admit I am not a big fan of comic book adaptations. I would love to see one that recaptures the excitement of flipping through a comic book and recreates its unique visual aesthetics, but it hasn't happened yet. (Ang Lee's Hulk got closest what I have in mind, but unfortunately that film crumbled under the weight of its boring plot.) I found the campy ones (Batman Forever, Batman & Robin and the like) mildly entertaining, because at least they didn't take themselves seriously (unlike Christopher Nolan's Batman movies, which, in my opinion, completely miss the mark with their realistic angle that goes against the implausibility of a man flying around in a bat-suit). The one I've found the most engaging is Sam Raimi's Spiderman 2, mostly because the great chemistry between Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.
X-Men, however, is something of an exception. Its premise is more acceptable for me, because its heroes are not just silly men donning laughable suits, and the various abilities of the mutants provide great opportunities for artists to unleash their imagination. Still, it doesn't mean that I am a fan of the franchise, and the first X-Men movie didn't get me hooked either. I liked the second one a little bit better, but the one that made me re-evaluate the whole series and gave me newfound appreciation for X-Men was First Class.
I can't really explain why. Maybe because I like back-stories. They usually add more depth to the characters and the overall story arc. Maybe because I like period recreations, when done well, and First Class does it well. Or maybe just because James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are tremendous actors who always elevate a film several levels higher.