hat the recent release of Marvel's Thor brought in creating the cinematic atmosphere of a true comic book movie, director Matthew Vaughn and his writing partner Jane Goldman finally delivered the true emotional depth of the X-Men characters in X-Men First Class. Not only does this movie have a heart, it brings to the big screen the true feel of a '60's period movie while delivering the action of any recent blockbuster movie available today… case in point, Azazel's main fight scene (where the bodies just keep dropping from the sky and his swords are fly with the furry of crazed samurai warrior).
Granted, even though X1 and X2 had some authentic emotion, this movie has the true heart of the Marvel's Mutant Universe. Beginning with the backstory of Magneto and rolling straight into the shared dilemma faced by both Mystique & Beast, the character development of many of the characters in this movie simply shines. Then there is Professor X and Magneto, how they meet, the bond they form, and the night and day difference between two completely different people truly who are so much alike while being the complete opposite of each other. Michael Fassbender's portrayal of Magneto is executed so well it seems ripped straight from comic pages while James Mcavoy offers the audience a persuasively fresh new take on the Professor. Even January Jones' "wooden performance" of Emma Stone is spot on in terms of what a really cold character she is in the comics as well as how she is know for switching her loyalties as she pleases.
What about the cameos? Yes, Wolverine does make an appearance that ties in nicely with the continuity to the X-Men movies while delivering a true "Logan" line. Even Rebecca Romijn makes a cameo as the mature morph of Jennifer Lawerence's Character, Mystique. And, there are even quick glimpses a young Storm and Cyclops in the Cerebro sequence, although it seems to muddle the waters of an already minced up MCU timeline.
The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, something X-Men & X2 lacked, while maintaining the ability to properly flow into serious situations where needed. the acting seems nature, even care-free at times such as when the newly recruited X-Men begin choosing code names for themselves. The action never becomes mindless flow of requisite scenes of explosions and fighting and dispute a couple of minor CGI issues, the sub-lift scene is off the chart spectacular. Even the yellow and blue uniforms brings home the authentic feel of the comic book to the screen, especially after all the black leather thrown at us in the first three X-Men movies. All in all, I would give this movie an A for finally delivering an X-Men movie for true X-Men fans.
X-Men First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.