Review: X-Men First Class Is An Excellent Start To A New Beginning
- May 10, 2018
- 2 min read
The fifth X-Men film, and something of a reboot, First Class breathes new life into the film franchise that started it all.
Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender), an individual with the ability to manipulate magnetic fields, seeks out the man known as Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), the individual responsible for killing his mother during the holocaust. His journey of revenge causes him to cross paths with Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), a telepath and professor of genetics seeking out others like him. Together they form The X-Men, a group of mutants with various abilities. However, the reappearance of Shaw, and a love triangle involving the shapeshifting Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) soon sets the companions against each other.
First Class is a fantastic film and, as far as the conventional superhero films go, it is far and away the best. Featuring maybe the best visualisation of the mutant powers, particularly those of Lensherr. And the acting is excellent. McAvoy and Fassbender are stellar, nailing their characters with apparent ease, particularly Fassbender. He brings a gravitas and weight that isn’t often seen within the genre. And as an origins story, it quickly and cleverly establishes all the required beats that the future holds.
There’s also some incredible set pieces, with a final confrontation that’s a true standout. The X-Men films have always featured some form of discussion revolving around the nature of humanity, and the mutants place in our world, and First Class is no exception. And, as usual, it’s some pretty interesting stuff. It’s really the only franchise that deals with real world issues through the guise of superheroes, and it’s all the better for it.
As the fifth film in a now 18 year old franchise, First Class is the beginning of a new series while simultaneously being the beginning of the original, and it succeeds in almost every regard. While Shaw is a weak villain, made more so for the fact that he’s operating alongside who will go on to become one of comicbook’s greatest bad guys, it’s not enough to ruin an otherwise excellent film.
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