X-Men: First Class (2011)

In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start world war III.

Director:

Matthew Vaughn

Writers:

Ashley Miller (screenplay), Zack Stentz (screenplay),

Stars:

James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence

16 wins & 31 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James McAvoy	...	Charles Xavier (24 Years)
Laurence Belcher	...	Charles Xavier (12 Years)
Michael Fassbender	...	Erik Lensherr
Bill Milner	...	Young Erik
Kevin Bacon	...	Sebastian Shaw
Rose Byrne	...	Moira MacTaggert
Jennifer Lawrence	...	Raven / Mystique
Beth Goddard	...	Mrs. Xavier
Morgan Lily	...	Young Raven (10 yrs)
Oliver Platt	...	Man in Black Suit
Álex González	...	Janos Quested / Riptide
Jason Flemyng	...	Azazel
Zoë Kravitz	...	Angel Salvadore
January Jones	...	Emma Frost
Nicholas Hoult	...	Hank / Beast

Storyline

Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN.

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Plot Keywords:

mutant | professor | nuclear war | cia | cia agent | 

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Taglines:

The story begins

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [France] 20th Century Fox [Japan]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English German French Spanish Russian

Release Date:

3 June 2011 (Canada)

Also Known As:

X-Men: First Class

Filming Locations:

Englefield House, Theale, Reading, Berkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$160,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$55,101,604 (USA) (3 June 2011)

Gross:

$146,405,371 (USA) (23 September 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Marvel Entertainment, Dune Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Though ostensibly a prequel to the entire "X-Men" film franchise, this movie deliberately ignores continuity points of X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009). Matthew Vaughn explained his intention was to "make a good film that could stand on its own two feet regardless of all the other films" and also that could "reboot and start a whole new X-Men franchise". Writer Jane Goldman looked at the film as an "alternate history" for the X-Men - though a reboot, the writers did not want to go fully "against the canon of the X-Men trilogy", citing the various approaches the comic had in over fifty years of publication.

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Goofs

When Magneto is lifting the submarine, he appears to be searching for it with his hand. In this scene, we can see that his hand is dirty and smudged with black. In the close-up shot of his had as he is lifting the submarine, his hand is more or less clean.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Charles Xavier: Mother. What are you... I thought you were a burglar.
Mrs. Xavier: I didn't mean to scare you, darling. I was just getting a snack. Go back to bed. What's the matter? Go on, back to bed.I, I'll make you a hot chocolate.
Charles Xavier: Who are you? And what have you done with my mother?
Charles Xavier: [telepathically in her mind] My mother has never set foot in this kitchen in her life. And she certainly never made me a hot chocolate, unless you count ordering the maid to do it.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The film title appears on the side of the Nazi coin Shaw gives to young Erik Lensherr.

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Connections

Referenced in Hewy's Animated Movie Reviews: Arthur Christmas (2011)

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Soundtracks

Run (I'm A Natural Disaster)
Written by CeeLo Green (as Thomas Callaway), Danger Mouse (as Brian Burton) and Keith Mansfield
Performed by Gnarls Barkley
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp./Warner Music U.K. Ltd.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
(Contains a sample of "Junior Jet Set", Performed by Keith Mansfield, Courtesy of KPM Music Ltd.)

User Reviews

Almost pitch-perfect!.... An X-tremely good job!

What stands out in this movie (besides the look of some of the mutants), is the clever way in which all the pieces fall into place as a prequel which cements the backdrop and tone for the previous X-men offers. This one however, stands above them though for the consideration and tact that has gone into developing these understandably complex characters. Resulting in a more complete movie experience.

The leading cast do a brilliant job in giving you a sense of their conflict with ingredients such as prejudice, ignorance, a sense of belonging and bitter revenge giving the film a more humane feel than a lot of dramas allowing you to connect with the characters more easily.

The special effects- lets not forget, are top notch as expected, but surprisingly very in-keeping with the film and doesn't take away from the other elements of it. The violence is clean but present, pitched right between a young and adult audience. There's also a decent amount of ironic humour thrown in, which, considering the party tricks on offer (by that I mean the powers and peculiarities of the mutants), just comes and goes naturally without feeling forced as like a lot of comedy moments in films of late.

Bottom-line, this is a well-constructed, well acted Marvel film. I wasn't totally convinced beforehand, casting James McAvoy as the young Xavier, a full head of hair and northern accent doesn't seem the best fit after all. I can say that he fully realised that role and showed his range in playing a more commanding lead. Michael Fassbender has great screen presence and does a good shift as the Magneto to-be and Mr Bacon adds another interesting element to the story. All the supporting cast give a solid performance with everyone focused on the exciting job at hand and no weak links.

Easily worth the cinema admission and thank god they didn't make it in hit-and-miss 3d, there's just no need! The best of the X-men franchise.