First Class Performances Hold Together Second Class Writing

The moment Michael Fassbender, playing a young angry Magneto, and James McAvoy, playing a young Prof X with working legs, are given a scene in the film, they set a standard so high for X-men: First Class that the rest of the film has trouble meeting it. Fassbender first shows us Magnetos furious side wile hunting down the Nazis that murdered his mother and from the beginning steals the show. Fassbender easily brings an impressive display of depth to the otherwise calm villain, his performance being reason enough to see the movie. Then McAvoy joins him, giving a charming portrayal of Prof X as a young suave bachelor, and the chemistry between the two adds a unique brand of humor to the film. The lead characters are surrounded by a cast of many, including Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Lucas Till and....was that really Kevin Bacon? While the supporting cast does not do a bad job in the film, no performances in particular stand out. The action sequences in the film are great and the story moves along at a decent pace. The writing and dialogue could have used some revision, often moving side plots along to quickly and filling "emotional" sequences with corny lines, but is NOT a reason to skip seeing this one in theaters. Overall I give this film a 7.5 out of 10. I recommend seeing it in theaters, if only to watch Fassbender control the screen.