Jason KingXMen First Class: A Review
May 26th 2011 21:57
:
Sensational
Category: Reviews
What a great night - got to catch up with good friend Steve and head into the very secure screening of the new XMen film. We had to sign everything in - phones, bags, and I am pretty sure they were after my pants because they beeped under the metal detector - those kinky security guards 
.
But after the screening I would have given them the shirt off my back to sit in that film. I haven't been so excited and impressed by a film for a LONG LONG time. It is easily the best prequel ever made on equal grounds with Batman Begins.
Matthew Vaughn delivers one of the most solid films of the year with a perfect cast. Vaughn has brought us such sensational films as Kick Ass (love him already), Stardust, Snatch and Layer Cake. The guy is a genius! But NOW he brings us what I think is his best work. To turn a dying franchise into a film this successful is an amazing feat and I am so impressed I am seeing it again next Thursday when the film releases and am hoping they have already started on the next one. I would even go boldly and state First Class is the best XMen film in the entire franchise.
In 1962, at the height of the Cold War, two men from different backgrounds pool their resources to bring attention to the plight of those with genetic mutations, some that give them extraordinary powers, others that make them look different. Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is an academic in genetic mutations, while Erik Lehnsherr (Mike Fassbender) is a Holocaust survivor bent on getting revenge against those responsible for his parents' death in the concentration camps. In particular, he's after Klaus Schmidt (Kevin Bacon) who years later has turned up as a wealthy power broker known as Sebastian Shaw, who has become involved with playing both sides of the conflict between the United States and the Soviets.
When I am enjoying a film the trick for me is to try and find the things I do not like in the film and there was only one minor thing - the use near the start of a lot of women in the lingerie - it just seemed a bit tacky and really - this is being picky, especially since most guys who see this film will get a little excited at this scene. Besides that the film, for me, was absolutely faultless.
It has so many successes and the three strongest are easily the cast, the screenplay and the pacing. I will start with the pacing and the screenplay, it is non stop and perfectly balanced. There is so much action, mixed with personal stories, back stories, touching moments, combinations of sad moments and great humour and characters you will genuinely care about. I had so many of those "WOW" moments when I was shown how things happened to the characters to make them the way they are. For example, how Beast came to be Beast was touching and filled with so much back story and emotion that was told subtly but explained a lot and instantly bonded me to the character (it did help having Nicholas Hoult play Beast - LOVE HIM). Then there was how Professor X ended up in the wheelchair. Why was Magneto such a psycho? And so on. It was just endless "OMG".
And the casting of this film is close to the best selected ensemble cast I have seen. I liked every single character and actor and they all worked well together. Starting with seeing Kevin Bacon back on the bigscreen as Sebastian Shaw was thrilling. Out of all the characters though Shaw is probably the weakest, he was much better in Nazi Germany, but without his powers he is kind of boring.
And then the characters just keep on rolling out. There are so many new characters that weren't in the original films that I am now curious as to where they all went. I know this is set in the 60's so it is quite possible a lot of them were too old by the time of the originals or they were killed in battles that take place in the bridging time. All of the characters are really young in this film and this explains why Xavier is so old in the originals. It explains why the sensational Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence from Winter's Bone and the upcoming Katniss in The Hunger Games) is still young and beautiful in the originals. Michael Fassbender was brilliant as Magneto/ Erik and I was originally unsure of this as I had no idea who he was. He put that to rest and his relationship with Xavier is just great and now I understand the close friendship and reason why Professor X will always battle him. McAvoy was the perfect pick as the Professor and he is the one responsible for training and bringing out all the mutant powers - my favourite part of the film was seeing all the mutant powers develop and seeing their training.
January Jones as Emma Frost is, of course, just stunning - she is so beautiful it is scary. I didn't even recognise Jason Flemyng as Azazel, nor realise that it was Lenny's little daughter Zoe as Angel. I love Lucas Till (Battle LA, Hannah Montana movie and Walk the Line) as Havok/ Scott Summers - I only just discovered he was Cyclops's younger brother (I just let out a little squeal at this as originally Steve and I thought he could have been Cyclops). Alex Gonzalez as Riptide is just OMG HOT and Caleb Landry Jones (Friday Night Lights, the psycho brother from The Last Exorcism) is awesome and quite humorous as Banshee/ Sean Cassidy.
The film takes a little while to get to the best part, assembling the mutants but the whole thing was discovery and explanation for me - I never read comics growing up so learnt everything from the film, and I loved all the moments of the film and the explanation and getting to the assembling was just as exciting as the rest for me. The film may annoy die hard comic fans, I don't know as to how accurate it is but for a non comic reader it was flawless. And once the assembling of the team begins then the film hits high gear and grows from strength to strength. And OMG - best 10sec cameo of all time!!
Most definitely the best Origin Film I have seen and on equal par for best prequel ever made - it is non stop AWESOME from go to woe and I recommend you bring the whole family to this one if they loved the first ones because this one is brilliant and has drawn the line for best film of the Blockbusters this year. Excluding Harry Potter me thinks this could be the biggest film of the year. Worth a rare 10 out of 10 for Salty Pocorn. Out next Thursday 2nd June. Bring on more of them NOWWWWWWW.
May your popcorn always be salty.
.
But after the screening I would have given them the shirt off my back to sit in that film. I haven't been so excited and impressed by a film for a LONG LONG time. It is easily the best prequel ever made on equal grounds with Batman Begins.
Matthew Vaughn delivers one of the most solid films of the year with a perfect cast. Vaughn has brought us such sensational films as Kick Ass (love him already), Stardust, Snatch and Layer Cake. The guy is a genius! But NOW he brings us what I think is his best work. To turn a dying franchise into a film this successful is an amazing feat and I am so impressed I am seeing it again next Thursday when the film releases and am hoping they have already started on the next one. I would even go boldly and state First Class is the best XMen film in the entire franchise.
In 1962, at the height of the Cold War, two men from different backgrounds pool their resources to bring attention to the plight of those with genetic mutations, some that give them extraordinary powers, others that make them look different. Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is an academic in genetic mutations, while Erik Lehnsherr (Mike Fassbender) is a Holocaust survivor bent on getting revenge against those responsible for his parents' death in the concentration camps. In particular, he's after Klaus Schmidt (Kevin Bacon) who years later has turned up as a wealthy power broker known as Sebastian Shaw, who has become involved with playing both sides of the conflict between the United States and the Soviets.
When I am enjoying a film the trick for me is to try and find the things I do not like in the film and there was only one minor thing - the use near the start of a lot of women in the lingerie - it just seemed a bit tacky and really - this is being picky, especially since most guys who see this film will get a little excited at this scene
. Besides that the film, for me, was absolutely faultless.
It has so many successes and the three strongest are easily the cast, the screenplay and the pacing. I will start with the pacing and the screenplay, it is non stop and perfectly balanced. There is so much action, mixed with personal stories, back stories, touching moments, combinations of sad moments and great humour and characters you will genuinely care about. I had so many of those "WOW" moments when I was shown how things happened to the characters to make them the way they are. For example, how Beast came to be Beast was touching and filled with so much back story and emotion that was told subtly but explained a lot and instantly bonded me to the character (it did help having Nicholas Hoult play Beast - LOVE HIM). Then there was how Professor X ended up in the wheelchair. Why was Magneto such a psycho? And so on. It was just endless "OMG".
And the casting of this film is close to the best selected ensemble cast I have seen. I liked every single character and actor and they all worked well together. Starting with seeing Kevin Bacon back on the bigscreen as Sebastian Shaw was thrilling. Out of all the characters though Shaw is probably the weakest, he was much better in Nazi Germany, but without his powers he is kind of boring.
And then the characters just keep on rolling out. There are so many new characters that weren't in the original films that I am now curious as to where they all went. I know this is set in the 60's so it is quite possible a lot of them were too old by the time of the originals or they were killed in battles that take place in the bridging time. All of the characters are really young in this film and this explains why Xavier is so old in the originals. It explains why the sensational Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence from Winter's Bone and the upcoming Katniss in The Hunger Games) is still young and beautiful in the originals. Michael Fassbender was brilliant as Magneto/ Erik and I was originally unsure of this as I had no idea who he was. He put that to rest and his relationship with Xavier is just great and now I understand the close friendship and reason why Professor X will always battle him. McAvoy was the perfect pick as the Professor and he is the one responsible for training and bringing out all the mutant powers - my favourite part of the film was seeing all the mutant powers develop and seeing their training.
January Jones as Emma Frost is, of course, just stunning - she is so beautiful it is scary. I didn't even recognise Jason Flemyng as Azazel, nor realise that it was Lenny's little daughter Zoe as Angel. I love Lucas Till (Battle LA, Hannah Montana movie and Walk the Line) as Havok/ Scott Summers - I only just discovered he was Cyclops's younger brother (I just let out a little squeal at this as originally Steve and I thought he could have been Cyclops). Alex Gonzalez as Riptide is just OMG HOT
and Caleb Landry Jones (Friday Night Lights, the psycho brother from The Last Exorcism) is awesome and quite humorous as Banshee/ Sean Cassidy. 
The film takes a little while to get to the best part, assembling the mutants but the whole thing was discovery and explanation for me - I never read comics growing up so learnt everything from the film, and I loved all the moments of the film and the explanation and getting to the assembling was just as exciting as the rest for me. The film may annoy die hard comic fans, I don't know as to how accurate it is but for a non comic reader it was flawless. And once the assembling of the team begins then the film hits high gear and grows from strength to strength. And OMG - best 10sec cameo of all time!!
Most definitely the best Origin Film I have seen and on equal par for best prequel ever made - it is non stop AWESOME from go to woe and I recommend you bring the whole family to this one if they loved the first ones because this one is brilliant and has drawn the line for best film of the Blockbusters this year. Excluding Harry Potter me thinks this could be the biggest film of the year. Worth a rare 10 out of 10 for Salty Pocorn. Out next Thursday 2nd June. Bring on more of them NOWWWWWWW.
May your popcorn always be salty
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You've just reinforced my thoughts.
Comment by Julie Vaux
Books Well Read
Strange Situations
The Purple Challenge
I just hope they hanvt over done the 60s spy thriller films tribute elements?
P.S.
Havoc is supposed to be the YOUNGER BROTHER! Purists can always pretend these are older mutants now retired and that Xavier gave the code names to younger students with similar powers ?
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Thanks for the Havoc update - I have modified my post to show that. The ages will be a bit odd then but it can easily be explained that their mutation also slows their ageing??
There is a scene that shows you how they all get their mutant names - it is very bonding and not Xavier - they all show off with their powers and give each other names
Let us know what you think once u see it