X-Men: First Class DVD
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Oliver Platt, and Kevin Bacon
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: 4/5
I have to admit that when I heard that a prequel to the popular X-Men movie was going ahead looking at the early years of Erik and Charles I wasn’t too keen on the idea.
But when Matthew Vaughn was attached to project and they started to put together a very high profile and talented cast the promise was massive.
And X-Men: First Class did not disappoint as it was one of the best superhero movie to grace the big screen this year - Marvel really have pulled out the stops with Thor and Captain America under their belt.
Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time.
Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop Armageddon.
I have to admit that I wasn’t such a big fan of X-Men: The Last Stand but First Class really does breathe new life into this franchise and there are so many places that this arm of the series could be taken.
The relationship between Charles and Erik was always one of the most interesting aspects of the earlier movie and it’s great to see the origins really explored this time around.
James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are perfectly cast, it’s great to see both actors tackle the big budget blockbuster, and there really is a strong friendship between the pair.
McAvoy & Fassbender do bring a certain gravitas to the movie; much like Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan did in the first trilogy of movies.
This is a very smart script that takes advantages of events and fears of the time; superpowers going head to head and political paranoia on both sides.
But Matthew Vaughn has directed this with a steady hand and while the script does use real events the story never gets too bogged down in those events or goes too dark.
First Class is a fast paced movie that is brimming with action as well as great and well formed characters - the character do not play second fiddle to the action and the special effects; which is always nice.
It’s great to see new actors breath life into old characters, yes we are introduced to some new as well, but it exciting to see another take on characters that we already know.
X-Men: First Class is one of the best X-Men movie to date it is top quality entertainment and I hope to see a sequel as this is by far one of the best blockbuster movies of 2011!!
X-Men: First Class is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw