First up, why wasn’t this called X Men: Origins? We’ve already had X Men Origins: Wolverine and this covers Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Mystique and some other characters so Origins would have worked.
Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) can read minds so when the CIA come asking for help from him and his companion Raven (Mystique) it’s an offer he can’t refuse. While tracking an international terrorist (Kevin Bacon) he encounters Erik, who can control all metals. Erik has a murky past and is on a personal mission of revenge. Will he put his quest aside to join Xavier’s fledgling team?
Set during the cold war Cuban missile crisis this serves as a fine introduction to the characters mentioned. Michael Fassbender is fantastic as Erik (Magneto) and James McAvoy is competent as the young Professor X. Kevin Bacon also puts in a great OTT performance as the despicable villain and there is even a small role for original V and Total Recall star Michael Ironside.
The problems here are the slow pace and the use of some uninteresting characters. Marvel have plenty of great characters to choose from who have been underused in the previous films. Where were Iceman, Gambit and Colossus? Instead we get Banshee, Havoc and Angel, all of whom are ok at best and then there’s Jason Flemyng as Azazel who looks, for all intent purposes, nothing more than a red version of Nightcrawler.
It’s reasonably enjoyable but boils down to a mediocre reboot of the franchise that really just put me in the mood for watching the original trilogy, questioning the need for it at all.
Ric’s Rating: 65%
Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) can read minds so when the CIA come asking for help from him and his companion Raven (Mystique) it’s an offer he can’t refuse. While tracking an international terrorist (Kevin Bacon) he encounters Erik, who can control all metals. Erik has a murky past and is on a personal mission of revenge. Will he put his quest aside to join Xavier’s fledgling team?
Set during the cold war Cuban missile crisis this serves as a fine introduction to the characters mentioned. Michael Fassbender is fantastic as Erik (Magneto) and James McAvoy is competent as the young Professor X. Kevin Bacon also puts in a great OTT performance as the despicable villain and there is even a small role for original V and Total Recall star Michael Ironside.
The problems here are the slow pace and the use of some uninteresting characters. Marvel have plenty of great characters to choose from who have been underused in the previous films. Where were Iceman, Gambit and Colossus? Instead we get Banshee, Havoc and Angel, all of whom are ok at best and then there’s Jason Flemyng as Azazel who looks, for all intent purposes, nothing more than a red version of Nightcrawler.
It’s reasonably enjoyable but boils down to a mediocre reboot of the franchise that really just put me in the mood for watching the original trilogy, questioning the need for it at all.
Ric’s Rating: 65%
Only 65%? I would give it a 90%! It was almost flawless in my opinion. Best blockbuster of 2011 so far!
ReplyDeleteI'd give it much higher as well. I really enjoyed the backstory and the interaction between the characters.
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeleteI knew I was going against popular opinion on this one, it wasn't terrible but I didn't think it was as good as any of the other X Men films.
Classid example of the old adage?
ReplyDeleteSometimes, less is more. Period.
Thanks for the review! I may skip this one.
I thought it was the second-best, right after X2.
ReplyDeletegreat, review, Ricks, I've read a number of reviews on the film so far, and I think I like and trust yours most! I don't like retro films, so I'm not overly excited about this one even though I love most of the actors in it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dez, the cast were good but it lacked the spark of the other films.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly had a lot to live up to. Standing alone it was a great film but with the backdrop of the trilogy it didn't stand above them.
ReplyDeleteGreat review as always!
Thanks Rich.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I thought the movie was good, but flawed. It could have been a lot better. Kevin Bacon and Fassbender were great, but you're right, the minor characters were inadequte and not canon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mariah, good to know I'm not alone in thinking the way I did.
ReplyDeleteIronside Rocks!!! But the film sucks *****!!!
ReplyDeleteNice review although this one of the few I've seen that weren't glowingly positive
ReplyDeleteThanks Timmy, I knew most reviews were raving about this so I was a little let down by it.
ReplyDelete