X-Men: First Class (2011)
I have to admit that when I went to see X-Men: First Class, I wasn’t expecting much. I’d only seen five minutes of X-Men: The Last Stand, but that was enough to make me apprehensive, and X-Men Origins: Wolverine didn’t help anything either, what with Wolverine’s naked waterfall jumps and fights on nuclear reactors. But, I decided I would give it a chance because I’ve loved X-Men since I was a kid, and wanted to soak in the pure entertainment value. I’m happy to say though that X-Men: First Class was surprisingly good and exceeded my expectations.
In this installment of the X-Men saga, we’re brought back to the 60s, the start of the X-Men team. Charles Xavier, who would become Professor X, starts on a project to contact and help fellow mutants with his developing power, while assembling a team to assist the United States in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Throughout, we’re shown the backstories of several characters, especially Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto), who has a troubled past with Sebastien Shaw, the villain (played by Kevin Bacon).
As cheesy as this might sound, the best parts of the movie are the themes and positive messages it encourages. Raven (or Mystique) is constantly afraid to show her true appearance to anyone, including her adopted brother Charles, forcing her to use her shape-shifting power in public. When she meets other mutants with physical “abnormalities,” however, and Erik insists that she shouldn’t feel ashamed of what she was born with, she begins to accept herself. Although mutants obviously aren’t real, it’s a supportive message for everyone, especially women, since Raven is a woman who accepts her body. “No more hiding” as several characters reiterate throughout the movie.
X-Men: First Class also continues the running theme of xenophobia, which is always relevant in any time period. Here, mutants are just beginning to gain prominence in the world, and while they’re initially recruited to help the C.I.A., they get a taste of the fear and hatred that is to come. Matthew Vaughan (the director) and the writers do a fabulous job of creating a plausible storyline that weaves real history with the fictional mutant thread. Using the Cuban Missile Crisis as the backdrop for a mutant vs. human war is so convincing I almost believe it actually happened.
I loved the friendships between several of the characters, most notably between Charles and Erik, and Charles and Raven. I found myself anticipating some sort of weird tension between Charles and Raven (probably because movie convention has taught me to), but luckily there was none. Pairing anyone with Charles is strange in itself since he has a fatherly attitude toward everybody, except Erik, who’s more of an equal.
The connection between Charles and Erik is so moving—perhaps because Charles is one of the few people who shows compassion and understanding to Erik, as you see in his backstory. I might even argue that they have a near romantic relationship, although that’s all up for interpretation. In any case, their friendship is definitely the most poignant element of the film.
One of the few things that bothered me about X-Men: First Class is the questionable treatment of the characters of color. The few people of color either end up getting injured or killed, or turn against their friends. Whether it was purposeful or not, it’s uncomfortable to see, especially in a movie that advocates for acceptance. I was also a little disappointed by the costumes and the sets because they didn’t seem 60s enough. I felt like they could’ve put a little more oomph into it. Then again, it’s difficult to make a set look perfectly period, so they might need a little slack.
I also have to say that I enjoyed the inclusion of Kevin Bacon as the villain. I forget that he’s actually a superb actor, so seeing him in a major film is like seeing a charming old friend. Michael Fassbender is excellent as Erik as well, and practically steals the movie away from all of the other actors. Anyone who sees it will probably end up rooting for him the entire time, even with the knowledge that he was previously (or will be?) a villain.
This is a movie worth seeing in theaters, whether you’re looking for action, backstory, character development, or all three.
