I really enjoyed this film; I think we can safely agree that it’s the best X-Men film so far (which I guess isn't saying that much, but it was good, I swear). Above all, Magneto and Xavier were well cast. Michael Fassbender (Magneto) and James McAvoy (Xavier) pulled off some pretty cheesy lines with sincerity and depth, and it actually worked.
The thing that made this film great was that it was Magneto’s story, and you sympathized with and understood a more complex character than a mere villain. All the story development of Magneto’s character and past was interesting, evocative, and well developed. I even enjoyed watching his relationship unfold with Mystique, although I would have preferred that she had refrained from throwing herself at him… and that she was played by a different actress—I thought she was grossly miscast.
Speaking of miscasting, January Jones as Emma Frost drove me nuts. I was shocked that she delivered her lines like a mousy Betty Draper. Even as ‘60s Emma Frost, playing right-hand to Shaw and bending to his every whim, I could never imagine Frost as a soft-spoken submissive, and I didn’t think any of the other women in the film had this problem.
But back to the things I loved. There were a few choice cameos that made my day, but I’ll forgo the specifics. I highly recommend seeing this film in theater for some pretty awesome special effects and shots. Plus, I thought it was a much more interesting story than Thor.
Side notes: there's no extra scene after the credits. Also, upon seeing First Class, several people have asked me for X-Men comics recommendations, and my glowing recommendation is the first four trades of Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon. It's a self-contained story arch that features the likes of characters from First Class. Enjoy.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! That makes me more excited to see it.
ReplyDelete& I'm also glad to know my comic book store guy's recommendation of Astonishing X-Men was on the money. :)
I love you. I also loved this movie as well. I ALSO agree with everything you just said, especially about Mystique!! Was "Astonishing X-Men" that series you let me borrow a while back? It wasn't, was it? KLOVEYOUBYE!! (ps- lets play soon)
ReplyDeleteThe Astonishing X-Men is also on netflix, I don't know how close the mini-series is to the comic. Seems like the movie was half-comic anyway.
ReplyDeleteAs for First Class I was a bit disappointed. **spoilers ahead**
I thought the story of Xavier and Erik was the real crux of the film but I didn't feel like the film focused enough on them. I could sense a deep friendship there but they didn't give it enough screen time to develop. Instead they went for long action sequences.
Then when Darwin dies everyone acts like its the worst thing that has ever happened. Uh, hello, you've known him for 5 minutes and what about the 400 CIA guys that were just slaughtered trying to protect you?!
The story was a little to broad to have the amount of depth I would have liked. Which reminds me of when they changed the cuban missel crisis to be practically unrecognizable. They should have stuck with the original history but made the x-men revisionist history fit in a way that both could be true.
I absolutely agree about January Jones, Frost is supposed to have an cutting wit. January Jones looked so wooden the whole time. It's like she put on a sexy costume and was like "What? I look sexy, don't make me act like it."
While I'm griping. I nearly forgot we were in the 60s for most of the film. Erik stayed true to style and Xavier had some very period lines but I didn't think most of the dialog really smelled of the 60s. The overt sexism could have been cool but I feel like they sort of lobbed it out there.
Anyway, I liked it but I would say that its more of a parody of a great film, coming at just good.
PS: Red nightcrawler wtf?
Azazel ("red nightcrawler") is in fact Nightcrawler's dad. He's in the comics. However, the tornado guy and the Angel girl are not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the '60s period. It could've been more overt, but I think they were trying to avoid making too many period quirks distracting, which actually ended up calling attention to it.
Ah crap, I thought I checked to see if Azazel was a mutant. Oh well, I R fail.
ReplyDeleteWell there are a few other problems with timeline of the movie. Like Alex Summers AKA Havoc, is Cyclopes YOUNGER brother. Emma is also supposed to be about he same age as Cyclops.
ReplyDeletePS. Riptide and Angel are in the Comic but never really as focal point characters. Riptides powers are very different as well, he originally just spins around really fast and can make a tornado through that, as well as shoot bones out like ninja stars.He hung out with Gambit before he joined the X-men. Angel is fairly new and has not been seen a lot.
But I did like the Movie.