X-Men: First Class is a wittier and smarter version of J.J. Abram‘s Star Trek, with a genuine emotional core. Both films are very similar, not only in how they are prequels/reboots, but in the problem department as well. Abrams made most of his origin story’s problems less glaring with tight pacing; Matthew Vaughn accomplishes the same.
It’s apparent early on that Vaughn is not interested in sticking with the continuity of the series, and this works in the film’s favor. Considering this is superior to all the previous X-Men films, including Bryan Singer‘s good second film, they might as well stick with Vaughn’s take. The Kick-Ass director gets right what all the previous films got wrong: building major stakes, an emotional core and embracing the more outlandish comic-booky aspects.
The tone Vaughn and his cast strike is perfect. There’s serious drama in the relationships, but the film never takes itself too seriously. It’s also never so cheesy that it rings cheap. The fun entertains and the drama compels. The most effective drama, without question, comes from the bond formed by Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (played powerfully by Michael Fassbender) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). Their relationship reaches depths the previous films never touch.
For the first time, Lehnsherr is sympathetic and, for most of the film, viewers will find himself struggling not to take his side. The inevitably bald mind reader has lived a pampered life and is full of naiveté. Lehnsherr, the more cynical one, is a lone survivor who has lived a life full of anger and pain. At the beginning of the film, we learn (as we did in the first X-Men film) where that anger originates from. We witness his mother’s death in a concentration camp, which leads to an older Lehnsheer hunting down the Nazis responsible for her murder, namely Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon).
Shaw is a fantastic villain that Bacon brings both menace and coolness to. The James Bond influence is obvious, and it comes through the most with Shaw. He’s planning world domination, has eccentric looking goons, dresses flamboyantly and travels via submarine. Erik’s only goal in life is to avenge his mother by killing Shaw and, ironically, the metal-controlling mutant winds up becoming Shaw in the process. Their theories and dreams are the same. Erik devolves into what is essentially Nazi-ism: setting out to destroy what he considers a lesser race.
The transition Erik and Charles goes through is the film at its best, even though their formed friendship feels rushed in the second act. Whenever the focus is taken away from them, the story gets a little messy. Besides Nicholas Hoult‘s Beast and Jennifer Lawrence‘s Mystique, all side characters are either completely underused or presented as pure eye candy. January Jones‘ Emma Frost contains practically no personal traits, except being evil and pretty. Even Shaw cracks a joke that shows a refreshing self-awareness, something Jones’ Frost is never allowed to offer.
Pleasing is the most adequate way to describe this installment, despite its problems. Vaughn brings that exact fun, slick and smart sensibility from Kick-Ass over to this straight superhero film, breathing life back into a once-declining series. From the drama, the action, to a tremendous cameo, this is the most entertaining superhero film since Spider-Man 2.