X-Men: First Class

Xavier: "They're just kids."
Erik: "No, they WERE kids. Shaw has his army, we need ours."

release year: 2011
genre: superhero action/adventure
viewing setting: home Bluray, 4/15/17 and 6/4/14 and 8/31/12

synopsis: This prequel to the other X-Men movies shows the development of both Charles Xavier and Magneto, with most of the action taking place in 1962 amidst the Cuban Missile Crisis.

impressions: This was a perfect prequel to all of the other X-Men movies that have come before. It provides logical explanations for a number of things: the formation of Magneto's ideas and hatred of humans, why Mystique is so attached to him, why Xavier is so determined to help and train mutants, why the government had an early distrust of mutants dating back to 1962...this really does a strong job as a prequel. There were plenty of superpowered characters and action, and things never really slowed down. This was just a fun movie.

something this movie has that no other movie has: A coin being slowly forced through someone's head.

acting: This movie has a LOT of stars. Michael Fassbender is the most prominent and impressive as the young Magneto, fashioned by circumstances beyond his control into what many would consider a villain - although most of what he thinks and says and does is appropriate. If I was a mutant, I'd likely side with him. James McAvoy is young Charles Xavier, who's a bit more wild and crazy than he was in his later years. Kevin Bacon is the nearly-indestructible main bad guy. Jennifer Lawrence is the shapeshifter who learns to accept her natural form. January Jones is the telepathic right-hand woman of the bad guys. Rose Byrne is a CIA agent who becomes sympathetic to the good guys' cause. There are several other prominent roles of both good and bad young mutants, as well as some more veteran actors in minor supporting roles.

final word: Outstanding prequel.

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