Review: X-Men: First Class

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, January Jones, Kevin Bacon

Certificate: 12A

Synopsis: When the CIA discovers the existence of Mutants, telepath Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is charged with recruiting a team to oppose the evil mutant Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) and the mysterious Hellfire Club. But not all of Xavier’s team share his vision of peace with humanity as the powerful Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) becomes convinced of mankind’s intolerance of Mutants…

The superhero film is box office gold, and has been (mostly) since the release of Bryan Singer’s original X-MEN way back in 2000. Since then, fanboys have been spoilt for choice. Not a year goes by without production studios raiding Marvel or D.C. Comics’ back catalogue for inspiration. With each new summer comes a brand new or returning hero, be it Batman, Superman, Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four (ahem). But how long can this trend continue? As other genres and Hollywood fads have gone in and out of fashion cyclically, it stands to reason that this should be the case for the superhero movie. But our favourite comic-book characters have an ace up their spandex. Comics and superheroes are rebooted, re-imagined, and retold constantly (traits which have become undeniably prominent in big-budget cinema). For every story that proves a miss with readers, the comic writers simply erase it from history or reinvent certain elements; consider Spider-Man’s ‘Clone Saga’ or Marvel’s ‘Civil War’, the details of which have since been tweaked. The same goes for the regular deaths of comic characters – did anyone really believe Captain America or Bruce Wayne would not return from the grave? And of course, there are the ‘Ultimate’ and ‘Elseworld’ universes, in which Marvel and D.C. are able to respectively tell the stories of familiar characters in alternative settings or scenarios. Fanboys are used to comic characters adapting and changing; it has become a survival instinct of the superhero, a trait that seems most appropriate for mutants such as the X-Men.

As this reboot culture takes hold of even our current cycle of superhero films (SPIDER-MAN, for example), it’s fitting that the franchise that started it all should be subject to an update. The main issue, of course, is that Brett Ratner’s X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006) left such a sour taste in viewers’ mouths we were left wondering if the mutant series could be saved. With Ratner’s abysmal effort and the disappointing WOLVERINE spin-offs, it’s easy to forget the first two Bryan Singer films were far from perfect. Though the second movie X2 (2003) fared better than the first, there were still a number of issues. There is little emotional engagement with the X-Men themselves, and as a result, the first film was disappointingly flat. Additionally, the story-world was pitched wrongly; what should have felt like an alternative science-fiction universe was far too close to our own, and the films struggled to create a believable (or at least appropriate) environment. Sure, the action was strong, and fanboys were screaming out for superhero shenanigans so badly that nobody seemed to notice the flaws. Or perhaps they just didn’t care. With X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, director Matthew Vaughn has had the opportunity to start over, ironing those creases out the X-men’s spandex. And what a fantastic job he’s done. Through a a sharp and informed script, a genuine depth to character, and inventive vision of the Marvel universe, X-MEN: FIRST CLASS has truly reinvigorated the franchise. It has adapted, it has reimagined itself, and most of all, it has evolved…

There are a number of screenwriters credited for this movie, but it’s hard to not see Jane Goldman’s stamp all over it. The writer that adapted KICK-ASS (2010) so brilliantly from the comic has shown that flair once again, and it’s clear she makes a great team with Matthew Vaughn (also director of KICK-ASS). Goldman and Vaughn appear to have a keen eye in adaptation; instead of transferring stories and characters word-for-word (a trait of adaptation that is often criticized), they understand what works on screen and what doesn’t. For instance, major liberties have been taken with characters and their backgrounds (this film overall is a very loose adaptation of the comic of the same name), but the writing team’s familiarity with the mechanics of narrative ensure that there is hardly a misstep at all. In fact, in addition to the film’s structural and thematic success, the pace of the story is almost pitch-perfect, with very few lull periods throughout. Not everything is flawless however, the film is perhaps a little longer than it needs to be, and the Beast (Nicholas Hoult) sub-plot may not work entirely.

Aside from Beast, this updated version of the franchise boasts a wide-range of characters, some we have seen on screen before and some we have not. New faces to the cinema audiences include Azazel (Jason Flemyng), Havok (Lucas Till), and, of course, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) who shines as the new villain. There are further character highlights, particularly in the cold but beautiful Emma Frost (January Jones), and the confused Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence). But the film ultimately belongs to Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy as Magneto and Charles Xavier respectively. It is this relationship that forms the true thrust of the story, and their opposing ideas of human and mutant relations promises to drive further installments of the franchise. The relationship between them is nicely conceived, delivering the right balance of drama, emotion, and humour (particularly as they recruit their team of mutants). Fassbender’s performance is particularly impressive, though as the Auswitcz survivor bent on revenge, he arguably gets the best scenes.

The most appealing part of FIRST CLASS is perhaps the reimaging of the franchises’ story-world. By relocating the action back to the sixties, the production team has the opportunity to create an alternative timeline and therefore a universe that is specific and recognisable as the X-Men’s own. There is a clever mix of fact and fiction – bringing Sebastian Shaw’s evildoing to the Cuban missile crisis – but as we approach the inevitable sequel, this will be a changed world, one in which the mutant is a key part.

The X-MEN franchise has truly found its feet (mutated perhaps). It is not afraid to make changes in its source material to create a sound and watertight narrative. It has shown that the successful reboot is a real thing, and that the likes of THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN could fare the same if its team have taken the same approach (although this is more of a prequel than actual reboot, and there are a number of nods to the original films). Whatever your opinion on the superhero movie – whether you think it’s ready to die off or regenerate – X-MEN: FIRST CLASS has made a strong argument for its survival. It’s exciting, powerful, touching, and the superhero action is just breathtaking. Let’s hope GREEN LANTERN also has something rather spectacular tucked away in his CG sleeve…