WARNING: DO NOT KNOW READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVE A DESIRE TO SEE THIS FILM
For the first time in years (think the last one was Tim Burton's Batman back in '89) I went to a midnight showing. This time it was xmen first class.
It wasn't long enough.
I didnt love it. I wanted to love it. I didn't love it.
Why?
It made (fewer) but some of the same mistakes as the trilogy. To be clear I didn't hate this movie.
Was it better than any of the trilogy? (heh, I call it a trilogy but only cause there were 3 movies - not because they carried any weight) YES.
Was it a great X-Men movie? NO.
Is it an enjoyable film? YES.
You will be able to enjoy it for what it is - a summer movie - But what I wanted - what I expected was not just a movie. I wanted & kinda needed an experience. I got a movie. On par with Thor - it was solid but I wont be talking about it for years to come with fellow nerds at the comic shop or next convention.
McAvoy & Fassbender were great - they sold it - (and I couldnt stop thinking of how perfect Fassbender could be as next bond. Rumor)
Bacon was equally great - not how I envisioned Shaw for all the years I had been reading X-men books - but a kool (thats how I spell cool) version of him.
He could've come in - not taken it as seriously and have his iconic status over run the part - but he really showed up.
Lets start with the opening - a redo shot for shot of Magneto's intro in the first film was how it opened then cutting to Prof. X. as a boy meeting Mystique for the first time. She has broken into his mansion looking for food, he catches her and they become life long buddies living together.
From here it goes fast fwd to adulthood and into where Erik is hunting for a german doctor thats killed his mother to tortured him into releasing his power.
(Did I mention for some reason that the doctor is Kevin Bacon as Shaw but he looks older than he does later as Shaw?)
Kind of an odd twist to the Shaw origin but I guess nec to give Erik motive to join up with Charles in his crusade to stop the hellfire club.
I'm not going to go thru the film step by step with you - just some of the keys points.
The GOOD:
Acting overall by the "bigs" was very good as I said - seeing a young flirting Charles was interesting, seeing a not as sure of himself Erik was great. The cameos - REALLY COOL.
The trailers for GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO & RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES!!
The BAD:
The kids were kinda empty to me - and I didnt understand some of the casting.
I thought they were going with these specific characters to add to the canon of history - (the kids I'm talking about only) but there was no greater point - so why even pick characters out of continuity like Havok? - who is Scott (cyclops') younger brother? Unless there was gonna be a reason.
The casting of Zoe Kravitz - though not awful just a useless character and it couldve been given to a better actress. Again - the character didn't have a purpose. The guy who plays Darwin seemed miscast - not to mention also useless. Intro an amazing ability like his then not even use it. He dies pretty quick & dumb - rousing a laugh from the audience about the black guy dying. As a matter of fact with both Darwin & Angel it just seemed like a quota was being filled.
Banshee, Beast & Mystique - I understand why these characters were in it but acting from all these kids weak overall.
Anyway - the story had potental to be deep & epic but they montage thru most of it - just skimming the surface - which I thought - "then why take on such a big endevor as the cuban missile crisis?"
.
Character development was poor - something I've seen from Vaughn in the past - including "Kick-ass"
Most importantly - and this really sticks to you - if ur gonna do a period piece - especially the 60s make the movie feel like its in the 60s!
The sound track doesn't even take you there. (Again I liked this movie - but I wanted to love it & I'm being knit-picky)
And my final BAD: - The action (that takes forever to get to) I dont know if it was Singer's involvement or what but they still didnt get it right.
Thats enough beating it up.
All that said - one of the better superhero films produced - just not NERD approved - GO SEE IT ANYWAY but be ready.
Peace
"