-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
my one gripe was the true identity of Sebastian Shaw, because of who he really was doesn't that make Magneto hatred of humanity slightly misplaced? and i call fowl about how and who he *Magneto* acquired his trademark helment from. seeing as who it belonged to originally would he be disgusted to don it?
-------------------- Judging yourself right is a destination, i'm just on a journey
I suppose hatred of anyone is misplaced. People who hate rarely stop to analyze the logic behind their feelings.
If one finds a gun on a battlefield, would one avoid using it for protection because it belonged to an enemy? Magneto probably saw the helmet, which shielded him from both Charles and Emma, in the same way.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I agree that having Shaw be Click Here For A Spoilerthe Nazi who tortured Magneto and shot his mother does make it seem like Magneto shouldn't have any special hatred for non-mutants. But the treatment of them by the US government could offset that. And Professor X, due to his telepathy, would be more in tune to realizing that the government people are reacting out of fear than any wish to hurt.
Magneto's helmet. I would say that Magneto can be a pragmatist and knowing that Professor X will be opposing him and that the helmet does block his telepathy would allow Magneto to use the helmet. He may also look at it as a spoil of war or a trophy.
-------------------- Five billion years from now the Sun will go nova and obliterate the Earth. Don't sweat the small stuff!
From: Boston | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought it was brilliant how the filmmakers worked Shaw into the story. Plus Click Here For A SpoilerKevin Bacon is awesome in every role I've seen him play.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Click Here For A SpoilerI'll allow that Bacon has probably had his fair share of bad roles over the years. But everything I'm seen him in--from "JFK" to "A Few Good Men"--has showcased his talent and flexibility as an actor.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I liked this movie. It certainly hinged on the friendship between Prof X and Magneto and those two actors delivered. From Erik's childhood, to his hatred as an adult, to his role as mutant revolutionary, it made a lot more sense in one movie than three movies of Annikan Skywalker whining about how he wants his mommy.
Similarly, I also felt for Mystique in her journey from Prof X's "sister" to Magneto's consort.(it certainly sheds a different light on a lot of scenes in the rest of the franchise, but in my mind this is a reboot anyway - has it been officially described as total continuity reboot?) It felt just a bit rushed, but still, very compelling. It played out as well as Pyro's turn in X2.
On the other hand, the actors playing Havok and Angel were a snoozfest. They may not have had a lot to do, but good actors have made more from less in the past.
I also really liked their use of the time period. It gave the perfect context for the White Queen's outfits and totally captured that James Bond cheekiness without becoming camp.
And this film definitely made good use of their one F-bomb allowance for a PG-13 movie!
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by DrakeB3004: I liked this movie. It certainly hinged on the friendship between Prof X and Magneto and those two actors delivered. From Erik's childhood, to his hatred as an adult, to his role as mutant revolutionary, it made a lot more sense in one movie than three movies of Annikan Skywalker whining about how he wants his mommy.
Agreed. There's a moment toward the end of the film in which the differences between Erik and Charles become all too crystal clear. When Charles says of the U.S. forces that they are just doing what they were ordered to do, in his mind this lets them off the hook because he believes that following orders is good. But Erik's experiences result in a very different reaction towards those words, and that's why he can't let the soldiers (and, in warped sort of logic, humanity as a whole) off the hook.
Charles comes off as somewhat naive, but he's a product of his own upbringing as much as Erik is a product of his. Earlier in the film, when Erik sees the mansion in Westchester for the first time, he teases Charles over the "suffering" he's had to endure. It's a cheeky moment, but it drives home the very real differences between these two men.
Paradoxically, I sympathized with both of them in a way I never had before.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I honestly haven't seen it. Tight economy, small interest, more in somethings new (GL and Thor). But I'll get the dvd I'm sure. Hope its as good as you guys say.
-------------------- Damn you, you kids! Get off my lawn or I'm callin' tha cops!
posted
I know what you mean, Rick. Limited finances have prevented me from seeing Thor yet and I'm still trying to decide whether Green Lantern is worth a go.
I'm surprised, though, that there hasn't been more of a buzz about X:FC. The changes from canon (both in the comics and in the previous films) alone should have been enough to generate controversy.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think the sting of X-Men 3 is still too fresh. I know that kind of took the wind out of my sails in terms of my enthusiasm for X-movies. Plus, I know Marvel itself isn't overseeing the X-films like they are with Iron Man, Thor, Avengers, etc.
My schedule is so tight as it is that I can only see a movie every so often. I chose Thor a few months ago (worth it!) and the Hangover 2 two weeks ago (not really worth it). I'm hoping to maybe squeeze in GL but not sure if I will. So X-Men First Class probably won't get viewed until its on DVD or On Demand.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
I was looking forward to it because I've heard it was so good.
The first half hour was really enchanting, love Michael Fasbender as Magento.
I thought Mystique's origin was weird and don't see how she could end up to be such a bad ass with that origin.
I'm pretty bored with the rebooting of franchises, I don't see what the problem is really that necessitates new origins besides writer's failings. seems like everyone wants to tell the origin or create a franchise rather than just telling a story in a series.
Recasting sure, but I thought the retelling of the origin of the X-Men, especially the schooling and training part was redundant and long since the previous franchise is still current.
I also thought all the sixties clothes and references were distracting and campy. The movie was a bit funny but still, and supposed to be funny but I thought some of the sixties set and clothes looked cheap or a bit like an Austin Powers movie rather than a sexy 60s movie about mutants.
January Jones .... ruined Emma Frost, IMO she could barley say her lines much less come across as the funny/sexy/intelligent/dry and ruthless Miss Frost.
James McAvoy was good but, dosn't quite have the gravitas to carry off a character who has been called the mutant MLK Jr. I also felt a bit robbed of a cultural icon since they made Prof. X british, he's not british. Patrick Stewart is. But Patrick Stewart also has a transatlantic accent. and is awesome.
otherwise, I didn't know who Riptide was until about an hour after the movie.
The plot was ok overall, cuban missile crisis, mutants save the day, the ship scenes with the US and Soviet crews were a little campy and cheap as well. (Even Harry Potter dosn't pander to kids so much) Oh well, I guess these movies are partly for kids.
But, I never felt pandered to as a kid reading the comics.
I thought this with Thor too, that X-Men First Class straddles the line between kids movie and adult movie. Unfortunately, not to it's benefit.
overall I was disappointed because of the killer trailer and buzz ... especially as a hopefull X-Men fan.
I wanted to see Rose Byrne pull a Scottish accent because i think she's a pretty great actress, from her work on Damages. It would've been great to see the geneticist as well, rather than the token human placed int he movie to show that yes humans can be nice and not bigots.
If i gave out stars I'd put this in the 3 range, and behind the first three movies which i found had a better energy and were more in the spirit of the comics.
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
future king
Excuse me but can you please direct me to the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles?
posted
I dunno .... I really liked this movie.
Maybe its the freshness of seeing this little-to-zero know actors getting their time in the spotlight or the boldness of this skewed origin story, but I liked the finished product. I found the story quite well done and the acting was believable.
I know people are going to have their own opinions about it but it scored for me. Even my wife really liked it and she's a hard sell with anything of a science fiction nature.
It's a sure bet that we'll get at least 2 more of these movies with this same cast in the coming 3 or 4 years (since most of the young actors all signed a three picture deal), so at least the fun will last for some time to come.
From: ontario | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
I finally watched it last night on Blu-Ray and enjoyed it quite a bit! I put off seeing this one for similar reasons that Cobie states as I still felt burned by X3 (though I initially liked it, I later realized I was mistaken). This one doesn't contradict anything in the original trilogy, so it serves as an apt prequel.
What sells the movie is the dichotomy of Professor X and Magneto and the wonderful performances of McAvoy and Fassbender in those roles. These two really draw you in and help overpower some weaknesses found elsewhere in the movie. I liked seeing Charles Xavier as a young, vibrant man (with HAIR!!!) and Magneto as the driven, sympathetic character he is at his core. Fassbender was just exceptionally awesome in scene after scene.
Yeah, X-buffs won't find much continuity porn to connect X:FC with their beloved comics franchise. Stuff has been changed in numerous ways to both make it fit in with the other X-films and to suit the story they were telling. The most important thing to me was that the essence and pathos of what makes the concept relevant and memorable were done well. I could nitpick this (and really any other superhero film) to death, but I choose not to. If it entertains and does the basic concept justice, then I'm not gonna pick it to pieces.
I just wish they hadn't felt so beholden to the earlier films and had treated it as a true reboot instead. It probably would have been much better with the original five X-Men in place instead of mostly second- and third-tier X-characters. I believe Fox wanted to keep the possibilty of a X4 alive with that franchise's success and all of the A-list actors involved. I will say one thing...there's a priceless laugh-out-loud cameo in this movie that treating this film as a true reboot wouldn't have allowed. (Oh god, it was HILARIOUS! )
Overall, this was a fun film with an extra layer provided by the performance of the film's two leads. It was exciting and had plenty of humor to lighten up some of the heavier material. I can see the complaints about the portrayal of Emma Frost, and I would add that the effects on her diamond form were pretty crappy. I also wasn't pleased with the choice of the member of the "class" who was killed off in the middle of the film. But it was still a very entertaining movie.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic | Subscribe To Topic
![[ROTFLMAO]](graemlins/rotflmao.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[LOL]](graemlins/lol.gif)
)
