Movie Review: X-Men: First Class

I just got back from watching X-Men: First Class. Long story short- the movie is amazing. Matthew Vaughn has rescuscitated the franchise after the awful Wolverine movie. This movie which is a sort of origin story of the X-Men resets the timer for hopefully more movies to come in the franchise.There are a lot of reasons why the movie works and it all starts with the casting. The casting is top notch. It has a mix of known and unknown faces which makes the performances all the more compelling. Michael Fassbender is fantastic as Erik, soon to be Magneto. James McAvoy feels like Charles Xavier and a younger Patrick Stewart. The rest of the cast ranging from a delicious villainous turn for Kevin Bacon to the vampish Emma Frost played by January Jones are spot on.The premise of the movie is the origin of X-Men. It deals with how Magneto came to being the most dreaded mutant on the planet just as Charles is mankind's only meaningful hope in the mutant world. As a fan of the comic world, I found the story offering a unique perspective on the lore without being boggled down by too many details. The basis for the movie is the Erik-Charles relationship which is extremely well handled in the movie. The special effects are good and what one would expect from a summer blockbuster. The plot setting in the midst of the Cuban missile crisis elevates and humanizes the plot line.Overall, the movie is a great summer blockbuster meant to be enjoyed in the theater and in subsequent home bluray viewings. Watch it!