X-Men: First Class

USA 2011, 125 minutes
Dir. Matthew Vaughn
Rating: [M]
Genres: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Topics: Superheroes, Period 1960s.

Feat. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Oliver Platt, Zoe Kravitz, Rade Serbedzija, Ray Wise, Bill Milner, Jason Flemyng

Aroview: The X-MEN juggernaut rolls on, benefiting from a spring clean of the principal cast, in this hugely entertaining origin movie set against the backdrop of the Cuban missile crisis, where Nazi scientists (lead by a maniacal Kevin Bacon) are plotting to bring about World War III.

Though largely reliant on the ensemble of fresh faces to reinvigorate the mutant-as-superhero storyline (Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy step into the shoes of Magneto and Dr. X respectively), credit must go to dir. Matthew Vaughn (KICK ASS) for classing up the franchise, which it must be said has digressed into the bombast of so many other effects-driven blockbusters, comic-based or otherwise. The storytelling, in particular, is brisk and robust, and is never short of interest, with a host of new characters and a juicy alternate timeline of the sixties to make the most of.