a first class film

April 3, 2024 / 4 Minute Read

a first class film

Warning: Spoilers alert for X-Men First Class.

So I recently watched X-Men First Class for the first time since seeing it in theaters 13 years ago.

And it was exceptional.

I’ve personally never been much of an X-Men guy but this film might have turned me into a believer. I’ve always liked this movie, but seeing it again from an “adult” point of view put everything into perspective.

Throughout this article, we’ll be discussing why X-Men First Class is a great film.

history is fun

First off, I love the historical aspect.

Not necessarily the actual context of it being based on the Cuban missile crisis, as I truthfully don’t know much about that part of history. Not yet at least.

I more so love the fact that it takes history and makes it…cool. There are few greater joys than learning while being entertained. Franchises like Assassin’s Creed and God of War also employ this tactic. And I think it’s fantastic.

I also love the hidden history they sprinkle throughout. The presence of the Hellfire Club, (which is a real secret society) and the implication of Shaw being part of Project Paperclip, which was a CIA initiative that brought Nazi doctors to America, were superb details.

And who knows?

Based on the history of the American government and CIA, mutants influencing world events doesn’t seem so far-fetched to me.

problems not peace

The second thing I love about this film is Magneto. More specifically, his attitude towards killing his nemesis Shaw.

It’s just so…

Simple.

Shaw killed his mother, so now Magneto is going to kill him. Period.

While many may perceive this to be villainous, I honestly think there’s something, dare I say, righteous about this mindset. His best friend and goody two shoes Charles gives him the classic “revenge won’t solve anything” spiel, and Magneto simply ignores it. I’ve seen many films where the protagonist struggles with a choice like this. Will he? Won’t he? Revenge or forgiveness? Magneto doesn’t suffer from such double mindedness.

Also, in Magneto’s defense, it’s not like Shaw became a better person or saw the error in his ways. He was a Nazi at the beginning of the film and a terrorist at the end. So you were a Nazi, killed my mom, and became a terrorist? Yeah, you deserve death.

We all like to think we’re Charles, but deep down we all have a little Magneto inside of us.

This is one of the benefits of having two main characters. By employing this tactic your able to explore the extreme side of the behavioral and emotional spectrums that we are all subject to. I found myself identifying with both Eric and Charles, which means either the film was great, or I’m Bipolar.

love yourself

Third, I love the character arc of Hank McCoy, aka Beast.

Hank suffers from self-hate and body dysmorphia, leading him to try to change himself. It’s pretty ironic since he has one of the milder mutations in the whole series. It literally only affects his feet. Yeah, you might not have fun at the beach, but monkey feet seem pretty tame compared to blue skin or fairy wings. However, as someone who’s struggled with a poor-self image; I can’t say I don’t understand his complaints. In fact, I actually had a very similar situation to Hank.

I was born with an outie belly button, and after being bullied I decided to get corrective surgery to fix it. Like Hank, I wanted to go to the beach. But unlike Hank, my cure actually worked. Hank’s cure had the opposite effect of it’s intent, enhancing his mutation instead of suppressing it. He goes from a regular guy (aside from his feet) to a full blown blue monkey man. In a society full of self conscious narcissists, BBL’s, and makeup, I think it’s more relevant than ever to take a lesson from Hank.

Be grateful for what you have, lest in your pursuit for perfection you become a true monster.

I also really like Beast’s design! It reminds me of The Wolfman (2010).