by Cal Wilson ‘14

Let’s get straight to the heart of the matter. “X-Men: First Class” blows away any comic book based science fiction movie preceding it. Everything from its plot to the acting performances to special effects contributes to a action film that enthralls the audience.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who also contributed to the screenplay, “X-Man: First Class” stars James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Eric Lehnsherr, and Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw.

“X-Men: First Class” is a prequel to the X-Men trilogy of films and explains the origins of Professor X’s X-Men and Magneto’s Brotherhood. When Charles Xavier becomes a professor on human mutations, he is asked to join the CIA in a search for a dangerous mutant criminal Sebastian Shaw, who is planning on starting World War III. During an operation he meets Eric Lehnsherr (Magneto), another mutant after Shaw, but with a different motive. They team up along with a multitude of other mutants to track down Shaw, but throughout the journey Eric and Charles’ relationship will be tested.

Audiences can enjoy the flick no matter their background knowledge of the X-Men team. The movie does a good job of keeping the progression of the plot at a pace that new fans of the story can follow without becoming confused. Even if the plot lines could overwhelm some viewers, the action alone will keep them engaged. Mixing it up, this prequel contains not only big explosions and mutants with cool powers but also sprinkles in laughs and romance.

In scenes with tables melting, hundreds of missiles exploding and giant submarines being lifted out of the water, “X-Men: First Class” makes full use of 21st century computer advancements and sports amazing special effects. The lasers and sonic sound waves emitting from the mutants truly look as if the actors produced them themselves. Audiences can be forgiven for forgetting that they’re watching a world of make-believe as the film’s effects look so realistic.          

Making the story even more believable, Vaughn does an excellent job of intertwining historical events with fictional events. In a concentration camp, during World War II, Eric Lehnsherr discovers his powers for the first time. Even major work events get re-imagined, and in the story told in “First Class,” the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, for example, was even more threatening and dangerous. There might not really have been mutants who have influenced the historical events of the past 70 years, but it sure does make for a great adventure flick.