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Erik (Michael Fassbender), left, and Charles (James McAvoy) prepare to prevent World War III by using telekinetic powers in “X-Men: First Class.” |
Matthew Vaughn’s marvelously inventive “X-Men: First Class” wraps a classic comic book superhero origin tale around the Cuban missile crisis, then creates a coming-of-age teen angst drama that poses pertinent philosophical questions:
What does it really mean to be “different” and “accepted”?
Should X-ceptional people use their super powers to benefit themselves? Or serve humankind?
If “First Class” possesses a major flaw, it would be its ambitious density. It stuffs too many good ideas and too many interesting characters into too little time to be readily absorbed and appreciated, at least on a single viewing.
If you’re new to the Marvel comics universe, don’t worry.
You don’t need to be an “X-Men” fan who’s read all the Marvel comic books to enjoy “First Class.” Even seeing the earlier X-Men movies is not a prerequisite.
However, you will miss most of the smart, sly subtext and allusions pitched to “X-Men” fans, especially a throwaway bar scene in which a drunk Hugh Jackman (aka: the future Wolverine) tells a couple of guys off.
Those guys work with Professor X (James McAvoy), and they’re trying to locate as many American mutants as they can to stop the start of World War III.
But let’s not get ahead of the story. (Read more…)