"X-Men: First Class" (2011) -- Initial Thoughts

I went to see this two weeks ago, but haven't been able to motivate myself to blog about it until now.  I think I needed to let my thoughts about it sort themselves out, because at the end of it, I wasn't sure if I liked it or if it was just okay.

So, here's what I think:  the movie as a whole works quite well in and of itself, but as a prequel to the previous X-Men movies, not so much.  The three X-Men movies and Wolverine all maintain a pretty coherent storyline and time line continuity with each other, even if they don't always jive with the original history portrayed in the comics.  So my main quibble with this movie is that it screws up the continuity the other four movies created.

Also, Kevin Bacon?  Really?  In an X-Men movie?  His presence just felt weird, though I'm not sure why. I've seen 3 or 4 Kevin Bacon movies before, and I like him okay, but it just seemed weird to see him in this.

The majority of the mutant characters were acceptable, if not stellar.  The one exception to this was Michael Fassbender as Magneto/Eric Lensherr.  I found him quite compelling, and actually kind of ended up rooting for him against the decidedly bland incarnation of Charles Xavier, James McAvoy.  (McAvoy, to me, looks like the love child of Shia LaBeouf and Tobey Maguire.  Bored now.)  Fassbender's portrayal of Eric Lensherr dripped with anger, regret, and smoldering vengeance.  YUM!

Michael Fassbender as Magneto

Also, I could totally see him growing up to be Ian McKellan.

Sir Ian McKellan as Magneto

But, is it just me, or does Michael Fassbender have a thing for being shot/photographed at a near-sideways angle?  I'm just sayin'.