X-Men: First Class

OPENING: 06/03/2011

STUDIO: Fox

RUN TIME: 132 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Witness the moment that will change our world.

Opening Statement
I’ve always had a bit more affection for the X-Men franchise than it honestly deserves. Prior to the release of X-Men: First Class, four installments of the series had been churned out; only one of which had actually been a really satisfying picture (that would be X2: X-Men United). Despite this, the immense potential lurking within the depths of the franchise is undeniable. Part of the reason that a film like X-Men: The Last Stand is so frustrating is that it’s obvious the film could have been a terrific summer blockbuster had it been handled better. Rather than actually re-booting the series, Fox decided to launch an in-continuity prequel which would explore the origins of the mutant superhero team. So, how does X-Men: First Class fare? Well…the series still has a lot of potential.

Facts of the Case
Our story begins in the 1940s, when young Erik Lehnsherr (Bill Milner, Is Anybody There?) is a prisoner in a German concentration camp. During his stay there, he’s tortured and experimented on by a Nazi scientist (Kevin Bacon, Sleepers) eager to learn more about Erik’s unique magnetic abilities. Fast forward to the early 1960s, as an adult Erik (Michael Fassbender, Inglourious Basterds) is on an unrelenting mission to hunt down the man who tormented him all those years ago. It’s during this process that Erik meets Charles Xavier (James McAvoy, The Last King of Scotland), a professor of genetics with his own set of fascinating abilities (of the telepathic variety, of course).

To make a long set-up short, Charles and Erik decide to join forces with a handful of other young mutants and aid the CIA in a mission to prevent nuclear war from breaking out. Over the course of this mission, the two men’s sharp philosophical differences begin to become apparent. How much longer will the vengeful Erik and the peaceful Charles be able to continue working together before their personal ideologies split them apart?

The Evidence
Obviously, the answer is, “not much longer.” We all know where these characters are going; it’s up to X-Men: First Class to make the journey there compelling. I suppose you could call it a success in that regard, as the film is rarely dull or uninteresting. Even so, this semi-reboot of the series gets an absurdly large amount of things wrong. It’s appropriate that the film opens with a scene mirroring the opening scene from the first X-Men, as this film mirrors the close-but-no-cigar quality level of that movie in a variety of ways.

There are a variety of problems with this flick, but the most immediately noticeable one is the screenplay by director Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller (“Too many chefs” and all that, I suppose). There’s an embarrassingly large of amount of flat-out awful dialogue in the film, much of which comes from scenes in which characters casually make up iconic names (“No, you’re not G-Men…you’re more like…X-Men”). On numerous occasions, I was able to silently quotes lines from the film before the characters even delivered them (sadly, this was due to by-the-numbers writing rather than recently-developed telepathic abilities). In addition, character development is an enormous problem. Several of the characters go through very abrupt changes without any proper set-up; perhaps they know what they’re supposed to be up to in the sequels. The blatant social commentary (an element used skillfully in the Singer films) is handled very awkwardly this time around; it’s as if the writers were completely disinterested in that element of the franchise and half-heartedly stuck in a few lame slogans just for the sake of it (“Mutant and proud!” becomes an increasingly ungainly catchphrase).

Additionally, the film’s attempt at period design is laughable; it’s very easy to forget that you’re watching a film set in the ‘60s. You’re suddenly reminded of the film’s era when a character casually slips the word “groovy” into a sentence or JFK turns up on the television or Kevin Bacon turns up in a silly ascot, but there are entirely too many anachronisms killing the retro vibe. This problem is perfectly symbolized by the end credits, which fuse a hip Saul Bass-style credit sequence with Henry Jackman’s thoroughly modern action score (save for a handful of occasional 007-ish twangs).

The film relies far too much on simplistic fan service; those cornball moments designed to generate applause in crowded theatres that will fall completely flat when viewed at home (though a fleeting cameo from a franchise veteran is a pitch-perfect delight). The film also suffers from being burdened with the task of doing a boatload of set-up, as it seems to spend nearly its entire running time setting the stage for other, more interesting films (the Cuban Missile Crisis-themed central plot of this outing proves a good deal less interesting to watch than it must have seemed on paper). There’s at least one gaping plot hole that many audience members will notice, too.

And yet, I remain interested in this incarnation of the franchise and those other, better films that it may produce. Why? As I said, there’s still a lot of potential. For all of the movie’s faults, you have to give it credit for spot-on casting. In particular, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy are superb as the future Magneto and Professor X, respectively. Fassbender sells some very weak material simply with the steely conviction of his performance, while McAvoy is even more disarmingly charming than usual as the bright, amiable Charles. In addition, Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man), gives a young Hank McCoy an effective Clark Kent-ish quality, while Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) turns in solid work as a conflicted young Mystique. Kevin Bacon has a ball hamming it up as the villain, January Jones’ stiff screen presence actually works well for Emma Frost and Rose Byrne is an appealing presence as CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert. The cast for a terrific X-Men is undoubtedly in place, and they’re what keep X-Men: First Class so thoroughly watchable throughout (Fassbender in particular commands attention every time he strolls onscreen; he’s as strong a presence in this film as Ian McKellan was in the others).

This is easily director Matthew Vaughn’s weakest film to date (and considering that he co-wrote the screenplay, he can be blamed for many of its problems), but he does bring a level of stylistic flair and energy to the proceedings that sets it apart from the others (Bryan Singer had much better control of tone, but his considerably more dour approach would have amplified this film’s weaknesses). For instance, an obligatory training montage is turned into frisky fun due to Vaughn’s impressively fluid use of split-screen techniques.

Closing Statement
Still, X-Men: First Class is a mediocre film rescued on occasion by surface-level pleasures. It’s kinda fun while you watch it, but it sours in retrospect and will likely fare poorly on repeat viewings. The stage is set for a splendid X-Men adventure if the filmmakers can muster one. One can only hope that the magic will actually happen next time.

The Verdict
6/10

Wanted

Opening Date: 06/27/2008

STUDIO: Universal

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge

Choose your destiny.

Opening Statement

Under a gorgeous full moon, the Los Angeles Film Festival kicked off tonight with a picture that unceremoniously shoves Jon Favreau’s Iron Man aside and grabs the summer box office by the balls. I’m referring to director Timur Bekmambetov’s Wanted, a mind-bending roller coaster ride who’s inherent replayability will draw audiences into the theaters in droves.

Facts of the Case

Wesley Alan Gibson (James McAvoy) is a schlub. He’s mired in a career he hates, his girlfriend is schtuping his best friend, and he’s suffering massive, uncontrollable panic attacks. But just when things look like they can’t get any worse, the universe throws Wesley a sucker punch, when a mysterious woman (Angelina Jolie) shows up in the drug store to save him from an unforeseen assailant. It seems our reluctant hero is descended from a long line of assassins, born into a secret society. The only problem is, one of their own has gone AWOL and begun vengefully picking off the rest, beginning with Wesley’s father. With our hero’s head on the block, it’s up to this reclusive cabal — lead by the intensely driven Sloan (Morgan Freeman) — to take in said schlub, unlock his full potential, and set him loose to destroy their former colleague (Thomas Kretschmann).

The Evidence

Wow… I saw the film hours ago and the buzz has yet to wear off. If you are averse to brutal violence, gun play, and cruelty to animals, Wanted isn’t your bag. For everyone else, strap yourselves in for one hell of a ride.

Bekmambetov taps into something universal here — our innate unhappiness as human beings. When has anyone not felt shat upon or treated like cattle to the slaughter, wasting our lives on unimportant bullshit because that’s what we’re supposed to do? Whether it be our families, partners, children, co-workers, or friends, our lives rarely seem under our own control; playing out each day very much like the last, like hamsters on a treadwheel. Wanted is a call to revolution, to break the bonds of our mundane, unfulfilled existence and do something important with our time, whatever that may be. Okay, so it’s fictional, but the empowering message is still the same…

“It a choice, Wesley, that each of us must face: to remain ordinary, pathetic, beat-down, coasting through a miserable existence, like sheep herded by fate, or take control of your own destiny and join us, releasing the caged wolf you have locked inside, with a key you already hold.” –Sloan

Based on the six-issue Top Cow comic book series by writer Mark Millar (Marvel’s Civil War) and artist JG Jones (DC’s Final Crisis), the screenwriting team of Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, and Chris Morgan — who gave us the remake of 3:10 to Yuma and The Fast and the Furious sequels — have taken a rather bombastic superhero vs. supervillains tale and grounded it in modern day reality. Jettisoning much of the original storyline, one might fear this to be a stale studio blockbuster with lots of flash and no substance. Thankfully, it’s not. The story takes interesting twists and turns throughout its 110 min runtime. Most work, some fail miserably, but by the time the picture ends, you really don’t care, because you’ve been taken places and seen things we’ve never experienced on film before. And that’s what the motion picture business is all about; something far too many studio executives and creative types have forsaken in their quest for big box office returns.

Russian-born Bekmambetov, the man who gave us Night Watch, Day Watch, and the forthcoming Twilight Watch is nothing short of visionary. His use of sound, light, and movement are so striking, it conjures sense memories of being in a movie theater for the very first time, where everything is a discovery. For example, I don’t recall a film where the character’s faces played such a dominant role, which puts a huge burden on the actors. They must be completely invested in the scene; actively listening, emotionally available, and presenting maximum exposure of the eyes to the camera at all times. These are three things drilled into us as actors and each is fully exploited here. Just focus in on James, Morgan, or Angelina at any given time and you’ll see what I mean. You can see and feel the mind churning behind those eyes.

James McAvoy does an exceptional job with a character that could very easily be ruined in the hands of a less gifted actor. He’s not perfect, and those moments stand out like sore thumbs, but the overall journey Wesley takes is what we’re hooked into. Morgan Freeman is as cool as ever, with some great one liners that are sure to wind up on t-shirts. And I’ve realized what it is about Angelina Jolie that’s so mesmerizing. She’s not drop dead gorgeous, but she’s so connected with who she is and what she’s capable of, that the character she’s portraying leaps right off the screen. It’s goddamn sexy and you can’t help but be drawn in. Even Terence Stamp, another actor who knows himself to his core, steps in for a brief yet effective role.

But the film is not without its flaws. Wanted does demand a healthy suspension of disbelief and an ability to forgive several story transitions that just don’t play. One of the most egregious is Wesley’s transition from doubt-filled trainee to prime time player. It’s awkward and forced, as if the screenwriting trio said “We need to pick up the pace here. Let’s plug in a Rocky-esque montage.” And yet, while that scene doesn’t work, once we’re onto the next sequence, you’ve already forgotten about it; which is one of the greatest compliments you can pay a film. We are so invested in these characters from the very beginning that we’re able to forgive missteps that would take us out of most any other filmgoing experience.

And what an experience this is. Props to Danny Elfman who rocks a score so seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the film there are times you don’t even know it’s there. Kudos to cinematographer Mitchell Amundsen who blends what he learned on Transformers and Transporter 2 into a Matrix-like world that’s even more believable than what the Wachowskis boys offered up. Part of this is due to its location shooting. I love the way Bekmambetov uses Chicago as a living, breathing character. Granted, this may be due in part to my trading my beloved hometown for the benefits of Southern California, but this is without question the best the city has looked on the big screen since Andy Davis directed The Fugitive. And special credit to editors David Brenner and Dallas Puett for never letting us rest too long between action set pieces. This is one film that will exhaust and energize you at the same time.

Closing Remarks

Raising the bar on the summer movie scene, Timur Bekmambetov and his team have delivered a guaranteed crowd pleaser. There’s part of me that sincerely hopes Universal will allow this picture to stand on its own and not attempt to milk a franchise out of it. But, regardless of what happens down the road, Wanted is a rock-em sock-em good time that’ll leave you grinning from ear to ear.

The Verdict

9/10