Fully Compatible with SDA 2.0 specification. Suitable for SDHC compliant devices, MLC flash chip with High Speed transfer rate. Perfect for highend digital devices. Please make sure your device can support SDHC format before you purchase! SDHC host devices can use both SD and SDHC memory cards.Price: $20.99
It is undoubtedly a tune of excitement, or at least curiosity, for fans of the X-Men characters to see what turns the movie franchise takes with origin stories. As expected, massive liberties are taken with every mutant and while some are clever and others contrived, a few are reworked from the ground up to the point that they're recognizable only by name to their comic book counterparts. It may be admirable to blend mutant lore into world history to fabricate realism, but is battling Nazis and contending with the Cuban Missile Crisis the best way to do so? Perhaps it's preferable to create more plausible explanations for certain character traits (having an angry space alien crush Professor X's legs might not be palatable for today's audiences), but tampering with historical events is always a little difficult to accept. Even excusing all such alterations in the space-time continuum, the oftentimes explosive action sequences can't mask the silliness and pointlessness of many of the newly introduced mutants. We're talking to you, dragonfly girl and sonar boy.
A prequel to both X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the original X-Men trilogy, First Class explores the beginnings of telepathic genius Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and metal-manipulating mutant Erik Lehnscherr (Michael Fassbender) and their ascension to becoming founders of the X-Men. When the CIA calls upon Xavier to aid in stopping the machinations of madman Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), Erik joins his cause with vengeful motives of his own. When the two begin recruiting new mutants to train for the eventual confrontation with Shaw and his band of superhuman cohorts, a rift in ideals develops that will give rise to the creation of Magneto and the Brotherhood of Mutants.
X-Men: First Class does an outstanding job of setting into motion all of the events and themes that frequent the original movie trilogy. It should be noted that failure to have watched the first three movies, or at least acquiring a basic knowledge of the X-Men history, will come as a great disadvantage, as this origins movie is poignantly and humorously taking advantage of all the elements previously defined in films taking place chronologically in the future. With the large number of mutants both old and new, it's surprising how well everything ties together (save for a training montage involving gene manipulation and research, the creation of technologically advanced mechanisms, and honing mental serenity, stated to have taken a mere week). Unfortunately, as so much of the screenplay focuses on introductions and designs to match a separate movie, the entertainment value relies almost entirely on those connections, a few intense scenes of destruction and special effects, and the strained relationship between Xavier and Lehnsherr.
Superheroes are generally enjoyable to watch, especially when they're called upon to unleash their mighty powers on irredeemable evildoers. In this instance, some of the fun is muddied when so many mutants are presented. Magneto, Professor X and even Mystique are amusing, but several of the lesser-known Marvel entities should have been left on the cutting room floor. Angel Salvadore is particularly silly, with little more than the ability to fly with dainty dragonfly wings; Hank McCoy is adorned with oversized feet, and even when making the full transformation into Beast, barely displays increased strength; and worst of all is Banshee, who must utilize a winged costume to haphazardly soar across the sky, careful to scream at the right frequency to gain lift. Although they're all youngsters training to harness their destructive powers, why couldn't Xavier recruit some more experienced, serious, older mutants with just an ounce more discipline?
One of the biggest questions surrounding X-Men: First Class is whether or not it could survive without Wolverine, the undisputedly most popular character from the comics. While the movie is still occasionally diverting, most notably with the sincerely moving friendship between eventual archenemies Professor X and Magneto, the insertion into history without drastic alterations in outcome, and action-packed fight sequences, ultimately, fans might be disappointed to see a strong antihero absent from the picture. It's likely that stronger outrage will stem from the comparison of supernatural mutation to homosexuality, however, as outing nonhuman creatures (or mutated to the point of fiction) is lightly laughed off.
- The Massie Twins (http://GoneWithTheTwins.com)
I feel like I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but Marvel has done it yet again! I recently saw X-Men: First Class and I honestly feel it is one of the best comic book movies ever. Even though I was more a fan of DC Comics, the one series of Marvel that I read was the X-Men. I was always able to relate to the plight of the mutants because they were always on the outside of society looking in and had to deal with prejudice, ridicule, persecution, and exile. All of these are clearly shown in this new film, which is set in the 1960's where tolerance and acceptance were almost a foreign concept around most of the world. Add to this drama of the mutants "coming out" to the world at large the real life drama of the Cuban missile crisis and you come up with the best script, best acting and overall best film in the X-Men franchise.
This film helps us to understand better a number of the relationships that we are familiar with and also raises some new questions that we hopefully will see in future installments. First, we get a little more back on both Magneto and Xavier's childhoods and what influences them to go down the paths that we have seen in the previous films. What pushes Magneto to become the villain we know? How does he learn to master his abilities? What puts Xavier into a wheelchair? How did the two of them meet and form their friendship? What is the origin of Mystique and how does she become Magneto's second in command? I love that these answers are provided in this film as I was unaware of most of these answers because they were told so early in the timeline of the X-Men universe. Now, whether the events of the film relate to the events as they were told in the comics, I couldn't quite tell you because I only began reading them in the late 80's, but I really enjoyed how they explained these things in the new film.
Another great thing about this movie is that we are introduced to a number of different mutants, both heroes and villains that we haven't seen yet on the big screen. We get to see Beast before he was turned into the blue furry guy he is to become, Banshee, Havoc, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, and Azazel. All of these guys are supporting characters behind the big guns of Magneto, Xavier and Mystique, but it helps us get a better understanding how the X-Men were formed and how Xavier's school began. Also, I'm not certain if the movie follows the same story as the comics. In meeting Alex Summers, aka Havoc, I wonder if he will turn out to be Scott Summers', aka Cyclops' father or other relation. The villain Azazel has the same ability to transport like Nightcrawler. Does this mean they are father and son with Mystique being the mother giving Nightcrawler his blue skin? Again, more questions I hope to have answered in the next installment.
This movie works on all levels but none so much as the great acting talent they cast in these iconic roles. The standouts include Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor Xavier, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique and Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw. These four performances steal every scene that they are in and made each of their roles their own. Kevin Bacon really surprised me with his mastery of German and Russian and he reminded me what an incredible bad guy he can play. I've never seen Jennifer Lawrence before, but I can absolutely see how she is now an Oscar nominated actress for Winter's Bone. I've always been a fan of James McAvoy, and he knocks it out of the park yet again with his witty, charming and sincere performance of the Professor. Lastly, Michael Fassbender, who wowed me with his performance in Inglorious Bastards, makes Magneto his own and gives the best performance in the film.
I really can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this film. It really upsets me that it didn't make more money in its opening weekend and I truly hope that more people get out and see this in the theater. I would hate for the studio to stop doing these films because they didn't make as much money as they were expecting. If they can keep the quality of future films as high as they have on this one, they could have a franchise that will be around for quite some time. So please go support this amazing picture and show that you want to see more high quality comic book films that aren't style over substance.
J. Chandler, Grade: A
