[REVIEW] X-MEN: FIRST CLASS [SPOILER-FREE]

Hello folks!

I wanted to wait until the weekend was over before writing my review on X-Men: First Class so that the majority of people who wanted to see it had the chance to get out there and see it in theaters. Have no worries, this review is going to be spoiler-free and I will not give away any of the plot details. I will go into my personal view about the film and the character development worked greatly in this film. The writing was the winner in this. I truly think that with having a strong story first and characters being developed throughout the script that you have a strong step in the right direction as far as making a film work greatly. This film was a prime example of that.

Definitely have to say that everything in this film was great. Not a single moment of this film dragged on. The editing, the pacing of the scenes, the character development, the acting and the effects and the arch of each character in the film definitely came through brilliantly. You instantly like our main two characters Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr from the beginnings of their individual paths that each walks until their paths are crossed and entwined through the whole of the X-Men lore. As a viewing audience, you're shown both the privileged lifestyle of Charles and it is juxtaposed against Erik's hardship of loss and his path of anger and pain. The film sets up these two individual greatly and when they cross paths there is a definite comparison between Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. and Malcolm X for these characters.

All of the mutant characters from the X-Men to the members of the Hellfire Club all had their reasons and motivations and the beauty of it all is that in the film you're given a taste of their ambitions. The unique thing about the film that it is a very neatly constructed character-driven film. All of the action sequences and all of the events are triggered by the characters in the film. This is very unique for a summer film to have this much depth. It's a testament to good story-telling. I can say that a lot of people are going to have their favorite pick of characters in the film, but this film provides you with just enough time for all of the characters. Enough to get to know them and like them in the beginning and love them as a band of mutants that form the X-Men as the story progresses to it's conclusion.

The unique thing about this film is that it does not dictate to you who to side with. Some of you will walk out of this film and see Magneto's side of the story and understand his reasoning. Some of you will walk out this film and understand everything that Charles Xavier believes and his reasoning. And some of you will walk out of this film and see straight down the middle exactly what both views for the two lead characters and you're given a crystal clear picture of the history between these two and their constituents whether they are the X-Men or the Brotherhood of Mutants. You are given three options with this film to choose how you view it and that is the beauty of the film and why it works so well with the audience. It never dictates.

One thing that sells the character-driven story is the story's emotional content. This film delves into the psyche of each character. You understand way Mystique hides, you understand Hank McCoy and his shyness and how he desires to fit into society. You understand Erik's hatred for humans and Charles's hopefulness for all of humanity (mutant and non-mutant). Each character is flushed out and you are constantly learning about them throughout the film or learning something new that adds to their motives or to their character. The journey these characters go on changes them. They saw themselves as being alone in the world with their abilities and now they have formed a group and are changed completely by the events that have taken place in the world and in their lives. No one is the same by the end of the film. Wherever they started in the beginning of the film, they are no longer those individuals but have evolved into something more or less depending on the circumstances.

In conclusion, I say that X-Men: First Class was not treated as a comic book movie, but as an ordinary motion picture film that happened to be in the realm of comics and it delivered a sincere story that has been considered one of the best comic-to-film adaptations made to date along side with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. This film was a definite 5 out of 5 and hits home on every mark. Definitely worth checking out in theaters.

Jonathan