Directed by:
Matthew VaughnCinematography:
John MathiesonCast:
James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Lucas Till, Edi Gathegi, Jason Flemyng (more)VOD (4)
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The film is a prequel to the first three movies, set during the 1960s, with John F. Kennedy as president of the United States. X-Men: First Class parallels the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement. The villains of the film will be the Hellfire Club. The film, set during the 1960s, focuses on the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the origin of their groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film stars James McAvoy as Professor X and Michael Fassbender as Magneto. (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)
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I self-critically admit that I expected more from Vaughn than he could realistically do. When the magnetic Fassbender and the musing McAvoy are on the screen, it's as dark, immersive, and adult funny as I'd hoped. First Class has a very serious soul - it revolves around collective guilt, revenge, and the right to rule the world. The best scenes are not the action scenes, but the ones which are most conversational, where it stands out how far the creators can descend and how suggestive this comic book saga can be. The more realistic and mature the X-men look, the more they have trouble dealing with the "teenage" element. Fortunately, Vaughn kept some distance and perspective, yet I was not interested in the first class with the exception of the mentors, and it seemed that it was makeweight. This wasn't the case in Singer's day. It's like all the energy and attraction falls on the central duo. However, this is rewarded with absolutely devastating energy, and although the film sometimes breathes heavily, in the end it offers emotions and depth related to the legendary duo. It's just the comparison with singer's coherence and composure that prevents me from being completely enthusiastic. Anyway, I'd be very surprised if a more stylish and soulful spectacle came to movie theatres this year.
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Fans of comic book blockbusters can rest assured. My sole star does not mean that they would be in any way deprived of a hefty portion of special effects, action, and adventure of their favorite heroes, presented undoubtedly on a decent craftsmanship level. My rating is mainly related to the fact that adaptations of superhero comics are a genre that I have a decidedly negative relationship with. I consider myself a rational person and prefer the scientific method when exploring the surrounding world. Superhero comics have always repelled me with their close connection to the sphere of paranormal mysticism. The exceptional abilities of superheroes stem from religious beliefs and their world is based on the idea of ritual supernatural forces. Scientific discoveries and technology usually serve as mere props, and the X-Men superheroes are much closer to pagan gods than to characters from my favorite sci-fi genre. So Superman and X-Men have a particularly hard time with me. If they still want to impress me, they must come up with significantly deeper psychology than what is customary in typical blockbusters (unfortunately, the psychology of the characters in X-Men: First Class is very shallow), and with fully developed characters (in First Class, even such crucial decisions as choosing sides on the barricades seem like the actors just flipped a coin). The director must come up with ingeniously structured storytelling (compare the incredibly polished intro of Snyder's Watchmen with Vaughn's First Class, which reeks of popcorn from afar). I understand that exaggeration is essential in the genre, but even here, I appreciate moderation and, to the extent possible, prefer adherence to natural laws. The final nail in the coffin is Vaughn's ability to cater to the needs of entertainment-hungry teenagers. He simply knows what to make for teenagers, but in my case, it's precisely the opposite and I simply do not belong to his target audience. Overall impression: 25%.
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I had hoped that Vaughn’s contribution to the franchise would be for non-fans of X-Men what J.J. Abrams last film was for non-fans of Star Trek. It’s not. The desire to establish a mutant fan club didn’t arise. They wouldn’t necessarily have had to emulate the enjoyable Bondian feeling (starting with Fassbender, who resembles a young Sean Connery, continuing with the overly self-regarding sixties design and ending with the closing credits), the more or less successful combining of the grown-up (restoration of a myth) with the childish (action nonsense), the fictional with the real…. It would have been enough to write a balanced screenplay, cast actors who are capable of delivering “grand” speeches, not rely solely on editing but also on the mise-en-scene here and there, and exaggerate, but within the limits of genre stylisation. (Yes, with appropriate exaggeration, a bit in the spirit of Command & Conquer: Red Alert, you can even get away with a flying submarine.) This is the first X-Men film that is not a groundbreaking work taking the genre into new dimensions, instead merely stepping across the genre boundaries where Singer has already tread (the sociological dimension and the openness of the queer interpretation, but it is superbly entertaining from start to finish, though never with its silliness. 80%
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I didn’t go see the new X-Men, but the new Vaughn. Which was maybe a mistake because the studio slightly blunted his energetic, no-holds-barred work. But even this way it’s outstanding, but more accentuated sixties stylization (the places where this is comes to the fore are among the best) and being less episodic would have helped, as well as cutting down the length of the final, over-the-top showdown. Vaughn directs best with just a couple of actors and tension build-up spaghetti western style. It’s true that the characters are rather two-dimensional, but the actors easily raise the standard, especially the Fassbender - Bacon - McAvoy trio.
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Phenomenal! Vaughn brings the series back to where it originally started. As a comic book movie that uses its brain where others flex their muscles, it doesn't for a moment compromise on the audience-appealing spectacle, which doesn't lack wit, exaggeration, and... action. It is mature in its acting, plot, and direction, with no dead spots or lapses in pace. I’ll have more to say (hopefully) after the second viewing. Now I am just reveling in the memories of a film that was satisfying in every way. PS: There is nothing for me to add the second time either. Except that Fassbender rules like nobody’s business. Perfect in every detail.
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