I recall being very upset when I attempted to see this film on the big screen for my birthday back in July but could not because it was no longer showing on any local screens.
After renting and viewing this film at home, I have an understanding of why it did not remain in theaters very long. It was cool to see how Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique, among others, became who we see them as in the first films, but I found X-Men First Class to be, for lack of a better word, corny.
So much of it didn’t make sense.
First of all, I was not at all in love with Kevin Bacon being cast in this film. He stuck out like a sore thumb. Kevin Bacon as a bad guy does not do it for me.
There is also a mutant that has hands for feet (Ewww!) that later becomes known as Beast after he injects himself with a chemical that’s supposed to make him appear normal.
That made no sense to me because his only physical “deformity” was having hands for feet and after the injection he becomes blue and furry. Okey Dokey!
I also thought the mutant, Angel, played by Zoe Kravitz, that has fairy wings and spits fire was very unnecessary.
The coolest thing about this film is the cameo by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. His one liner is priceless.
There was also a negative thing that stood out for me in regards to the only Black male mutant in the film. He gets killed! Are we back to the “kill the Black characters” formula? And, before he dies there’s a reference made to slavery and the camera instantly zooms in on his face. Fail!
If you follow the X-Men series I suppose it’s a must see, but if you’re not really into it, skip it. I certainly could have.
