lightofdaye (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lightofdaye) wrote2012-01-01 12:00 am
lightofdaye) wrote2012-01-01 12:00 am
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X-Men: First Class (aka Daye sees films later than everyone else)
OK, during the summer movie season three comic book movies came out; Thor, Green Lantern and X-Men: First Class. I saw two of these movies in the cinema. Thor, which was decent enough, and Green Lantern which was kinda naff.
The movie I didn't see was X-Men. And I didn't see it because, well first the previous two X-Men movies weren't that great. And secondly it was a prequel, and prequels generally suck. Star Wars, Star Trek, I'm looking at you here.
Now after Christmas I was browsing through an online sale and picked up First Class and watched it this evening and I got to say:
So I'm an idiot. What are you perfect?
This film is great. Telling the tale as the title promises of the first formation of the X-Men a group of mutants formed to protect the world that hates and fears them. I think the film has its origins in the project that was originally entitled X-Men Origins - Magneto. And it tells, that character is front and centre from the start. The first scenes appear to be either close copy of or entirely lifted from the first film, showing magneto first using his powers in a futile attempt to reach his parents as they are dragged away to a Nazi gas chamber. This film however does not cut away at that point instead showing us the natural progression what that point: The Nazi experimentation trying to exploit Eric's power and then him grown up a Nazi Hunter.
Meanwhile we also meet Charles Xavier now shallow, callow youth. Who neverheless is very interested in mutants because he is one and like Eric was shown to have developed his powers at an early age.
I don't really want to turn this unto a length plot summary (whoops too late) but lets just say these two people team up and become friend and recruit a group of young mutants to help combat another group of mutants called the Hellfire club who are orchestrating nuclear war to try and empower mutants and wipe out the human race. They suceed but their very different views of mutants causes the group to split. Xavier forming the X-Men and Magneto co-opting the evil mutants to form his brotherhood.
Looking back on the movie these two characters are quite simple. Magneto is kind of one-note. Obsessed with the holocaust and preventing it happening again. And who can blame him and Fassbender delivers such an intense performance it remains compelling through out.
Likewise, Xavier's growth from drunkern idiot to teacher and leader just sort of happens as he is sucked through the events of them film. But the two actors and the chemistry between them sells it completely.
But what really stood out for me was the two scenes with the proto-X-Men picking their codenames and then later the training montage and to a less extent the final fight: That's what an X-Men story is supposed to have and actual team of X-Men all doing things. Not Wolverine doing something with the others in the background.
Lots of classic runs of X-Men books feature them just siting in their mansion, chilling, playing baseball with their mutant powers or whatever while chatting and have character growth. The sequences with the young kids really captured that air like none of the other films.
Of course when I review things, I really like to bitch but there only a couple of things that really bother me here. You killed the black mutant off first. And had the other minority betrayed them. Way to lead the way in tolerance there.
Second, you did so well with the yellow spandex movie. Those costumes worked. And the metal helmet. Fassbender in full red Magneto costume however... did not. It really didn't. Sorry film, he still looked cheesy.
Oh and since I made a big deal about prequels earlier; continuity wise. There's only one big issue. McAvoy getting paralyzed at the end. Origins: Wolverine had him cameoing at the end as a walking CGI Patrick Stewart in the 70s. But that was sucky movie so who cares?
The other issue is really more of a 'not the same as the comics' thing but Havok the chest zappy guy. His name is Alex Summers. The zappy guy from the original trilogy, Cyclops is his older brother. Obvious the films can and have changed this. Kept the same name though.
So anyway, bottom line. Great Movie. Go watch it. Again. cos this review is so belated you probably already have.
The movie I didn't see was X-Men. And I didn't see it because, well first the previous two X-Men movies weren't that great. And secondly it was a prequel, and prequels generally suck. Star Wars, Star Trek, I'm looking at you here.
Now after Christmas I was browsing through an online sale and picked up First Class and watched it this evening and I got to say:
So I'm an idiot. What are you perfect?
This film is great. Telling the tale as the title promises of the first formation of the X-Men a group of mutants formed to protect the world that hates and fears them. I think the film has its origins in the project that was originally entitled X-Men Origins - Magneto. And it tells, that character is front and centre from the start. The first scenes appear to be either close copy of or entirely lifted from the first film, showing magneto first using his powers in a futile attempt to reach his parents as they are dragged away to a Nazi gas chamber. This film however does not cut away at that point instead showing us the natural progression what that point: The Nazi experimentation trying to exploit Eric's power and then him grown up a Nazi Hunter.
Meanwhile we also meet Charles Xavier now shallow, callow youth. Who neverheless is very interested in mutants because he is one and like Eric was shown to have developed his powers at an early age.
I don't really want to turn this unto a length plot summary (whoops too late) but lets just say these two people team up and become friend and recruit a group of young mutants to help combat another group of mutants called the Hellfire club who are orchestrating nuclear war to try and empower mutants and wipe out the human race. They suceed but their very different views of mutants causes the group to split. Xavier forming the X-Men and Magneto co-opting the evil mutants to form his brotherhood.
Looking back on the movie these two characters are quite simple. Magneto is kind of one-note. Obsessed with the holocaust and preventing it happening again. And who can blame him and Fassbender delivers such an intense performance it remains compelling through out.
Likewise, Xavier's growth from drunkern idiot to teacher and leader just sort of happens as he is sucked through the events of them film. But the two actors and the chemistry between them sells it completely.
But what really stood out for me was the two scenes with the proto-X-Men picking their codenames and then later the training montage and to a less extent the final fight: That's what an X-Men story is supposed to have and actual team of X-Men all doing things. Not Wolverine doing something with the others in the background.
Lots of classic runs of X-Men books feature them just siting in their mansion, chilling, playing baseball with their mutant powers or whatever while chatting and have character growth. The sequences with the young kids really captured that air like none of the other films.
Of course when I review things, I really like to bitch but there only a couple of things that really bother me here. You killed the black mutant off first. And had the other minority betrayed them. Way to lead the way in tolerance there.
Second, you did so well with the yellow spandex movie. Those costumes worked. And the metal helmet. Fassbender in full red Magneto costume however... did not. It really didn't. Sorry film, he still looked cheesy.
Oh and since I made a big deal about prequels earlier; continuity wise. There's only one big issue. McAvoy getting paralyzed at the end. Origins: Wolverine had him cameoing at the end as a walking CGI Patrick Stewart in the 70s. But that was sucky movie so who cares?
The other issue is really more of a 'not the same as the comics' thing but Havok the chest zappy guy. His name is Alex Summers. The zappy guy from the original trilogy, Cyclops is his older brother. Obvious the films can and have changed this. Kept the same name though.
So anyway, bottom line. Great Movie. Go watch it. Again. cos this review is so belated you probably already have.