"X-Men: First Class" (2011)

This film takes place before Charles Xavior and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto. We go back to a time when they were just discovering their powers for the first time, and a time before they were archenemies, but instead close friends working together with other Mutants to stop a terrible threat to the world. During this process however, a rift between them surfaces, thus beginning the war between Magneto’s Brotherhood, and Professor X’s X-Men. Starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholous Hoult and Kevin Bakon.

I feel a bit ashamed given I’m a big fan of James McAvoy and I hadn’t actually watched any of the X-Men movies until a few months ago. And his role as Charles Xavior seems to be the one he’s most well known for... So if there are people reading this who are already huge fans of this series, you’ll have to excuse my ignorance a bit in this review since I’m writing it off of my first viewing with no particular background knowledge of the series prior to this film!

As I say, I was curious to see what all the fuss around the X-Men series was about, so I decided to watch ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ since my brother had been given it as a Christmas present but had never got round to watching it. Had I done my research on it a bit more beforehand it would have been more logical to watch ‘X-Men: First Class’ first... *clears throat* While I enjoyed ‘Days of Future Past’ more than I thought I would given that this normally isn’t my genre, I was a bit lost trying to follow the plot. So now that I’ve watched this film I enjoyed this one a whole lot more. (Lesson learned: always watch things in order‼)

I liked the character build, more so I guess after watching ‘Days of Future Past’ first because I got to see what had happened to them before they were in the state they were in that film. I suppose I appreciated it more? There were different themes which recurred throughout the film, making the story feel more rounded and I loved that. For example, the thing with Erik trying to move the coin, and Mystique learning to become more comfortable with what she looks like/who she is.

I really like all the characters. I liked how they all had their own obstacles to overcome throughout the film and that this was made equally prominent for each of them.

One of my favourite scenes would be the one in which the new Mutants are first showing off what type of power each can do. It’s sort of a fun light-hearted scene. Another one of my favouirte scenes would be when Charles and Erik are going out recruiting the new Mutants. Particularly the moment they run into Hugh Jackman’s character. That was hilarious. I also find the bit beforehand really funny when Hank (Nicholas Hoult) says “Are you sure we can’t shave your hair?” to which Charles replies hastily “Don’t touch my hair”. I probably enjoyed this whole scene more after having watched lots of interviews with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender and seeing how good friends they are in real life, it made this scene better.

Speaking of which, I love the behind the scenes of these films, all the cast seem to have loads of fun making them and I love that. The gag reels are just as entertaining as the actual film. They’re gas. I think seeing how much the actors enjoyed making the film (for any film, not just these films) makes the movie more enjoyable to watch.

Another scene I liked was when they were training. Again, it was just a fun and light-hearted scene. The editing was great. I liked the transitions from one character to another as Charles was helping each of them.

What made each of the scenes I’ve mentioned was probably the soundtrack. I really liked the soundtrack. For some reason it stuck out to me while I was watching it and I actually said it to myself while watching.

The moments when Sebastian Shaw was trying to recruit the Mutants, and when he was trying to recruit Erik to join him on his side really reminded me of the scene in the first Harry Potter movie at the end when Voldemort is trying to convince Harry to join him. Similar lines and everything!

Being a fan of the TV show Skins, I found it a little strange seeing Nicholous Hoult so grown up in comparison to then. He’s done very well for himself since actually. Going back to ‘Days of Future Past’, I didn’t realise there were so many well known actors/actresses actually in these films. James McAvoy, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, Hally Berry, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Nicholas Hoult.

This is a really good movie! Not sure if the whole X-Men series is my thing as such, but as far as these films go, I am won over. I can't wait for X-Men Apocalypse when it comes out now next year!

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