X-Men: First Class
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: 5/5
Remember the days when Marvel comics didn’t seem to own Hollywood? When they couldn’t rope in massive stars for their latest superhero flick and we all had to feed off the scraps?
All that, believe it or not, was less than a decade ago. And in the days when Hollywood was still just waking up to the funny books that didn’t involve Batman or Superman, the X-Men were leading the way.
After two brilliant films from Bryan Singer (and the two far less adventurous follow ups and spin offs) the X-Men are back on the silver screen. Now in the hands of rising directing star Matthew Vaughn, we see these mutants in a whole new light.
Whisking us back to the swinging 60s (after a brief trip to the not-so-groovy 40s) we pick up the stories of Charles and Eric (James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender), two men who would later spar against each other in the films to come. After finding each other pursuing the positively dastardly Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), the soon strike up a relationship.
With the help of the CIA, they have to make a team of mutants to take down the ex-Nazi scientist who wants to start World War Three and with more than a seedy history with Eric.
What follows is a globetrotting spy thriller, which just happens to involve mutants instead of agents. While this may sound like a recipe for disaster, this is a layered, funny, exciting romp of a film.
It all starts with the characters on show. This has always been a series with great heroes and villains, and First Class doesn’t disappoint.
Both Charles and Eric a magnetic centrepieces and Shaw is the perfect antagonist. Ruthless, cunning and a master of intimidation, he’s a great hate figure.
This is all helped by a cast filled with quality. McAvoy and Fassbender have a great chemistry, but that’s not all on show. Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence easily holds her own as Charles’ lifelong friend Raven, Nicholas Hoult is great as Hank McCoy and Kevin Bacon is brilliant as the fantastically evil Shaw.
Director Vaughn brings his A-game too, with First Class a great looking film throughout and never drags despite its hefty running time. His growing portfolio’s looking better and better as time goes on.
His usual writing partner Jane Goldman’s on form too, teaming up with the Thor writers to make a script that never lets you go, whether that’s on the edge of your seat or laughing at some of the cracking jokes on offer.
Add in just the right amount of winks, nods and nudges to the previous films, and X-Men First Class is on to a winner from the first to the last minute.
It may have taken a couple of wrong turns, but X-Men: First Class puts the mutants top of the pile once again and lays down a terrifying gauntlet for the rest of the summer.
X-Men First Class is out now
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith