![X-Men: First Class (+Digital Copy) [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/e/e9/50x50px-ZC-e96bd2ab_xmen.jpeg)
Matthew Vaughn and his crew of filmmakers have done a smashing job of providing a credible and involving backstory for the mutants we know and love in X-Men: First Class. Giving us a sobering, humane look at the beginnings of the relationships between the characters so familiar to international filmgoers through the X-Men movies, the film has also cleverly tied its fictional origin story to a riveting moment in world history turning this rousingly into a piece of historical comic book fiction that’s both entertaining and moving. In terms of quality and talent, this ranks right up there with the first two movies in the franchise.
X-Men: First Class (Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Year: 2011
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 1080p AVC codec
Running Time: 132 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English; Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish
Subtitles: SDH, Spanish
Region: A
MSRP: $ 39.99
Release Date: September 9, 2011
Review Date: September 9, 2011
The Film
4/5
After killing his mother in a concentration camp in Poland in 1944, Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) has made an enemy for life of Erik Lensherr (Bill Milner as a boy, Michael Fassbender as an adult). The mutant boy grows into a embittered man who feels he’s alone in the world with his special powers that can control metal, so he’s shocked when he first meets the wealthy and privileged Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) with his powerful mind reading and controlling abilities and his adopted sister Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) who can morph into the visage of anyone she has seen. It’s 1962, and Cold War tensions between America and the Soviets have reached a fever pitch. CIA operative Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) feels the mutants can serve some useful purpose in global affairs, but the remainder of the federal government personnel’s feelings run from mistrustful to downright disgusted. A few other mutants have been gathered together including Alex Summers/Havok (Lucas Till), Darwin/Armando Munoz (Edi Gathegi), and Hank/Beast (Nicholas Hoult). But Sebastian Shaw has his own plans. He wants to start a mutant army and have the world’s two superpowers destroy each other so there will be nothing any longer for the mutants to fear. Xavier not only wants to stop him but feels if the mutants can show the government what valuable powers the mutants possess and how helpful they can be in the upcoming conflict, he thinks they’ll be more readily accepted into the fabric of mainstream America.
By setting the origin story of the mutants in the middle of the well-known Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn has a ready-made nail-biter backdrop against which to play out his story, And what a rousing story it is (co-written by original X-Men director Bryan Singer) with a genuinely heartfelt tale of friendships gone sour between Xavier and Lensherr and investigations into the wonderful powers of same familiar and unfamiliar mutants. In fact, one of the film’s most entertaining sequences involves our watching the young mutants training to hone their skills as they make mistakes, cheer each other on, and genuinely bond through their uniquely special gifts. This also sets up the really moving last act of the film as certain characters choose one side over the other and some of the characters morph into roles we’re more familiar with from viewing the previous movies. It goes without saying that the special effects are dazzling, but much of their use seems much more practical this time out and less simply for a bombastic show and lots of spectacular noise. Though the film runs over two hours, Vaughn’s slick direction speeds things along, and the pace never drags. It’s also remarkable that he’s able to cram so many characters so well realized into a thickly-plotted story and manage to keep things amazingly clear and concise.
Because the original films used two of the world’s most talented mature actors to play Professor X and Magneto (Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen), it makes perfect sense to cast two of the world’s most talented young actors to play their younger counterparts. Michael Fassbender exudes hyper-intense feelings from the moment he appears before the camera, and his tortured Erik Lensherr is the film’s most magnetic performance (no pun intended). James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier seems altogether right as the privileged, open-hearted character whose brotherly affection for Erik ends in hurtful estrangement. Kevin Bacon makes for a wonderfully evil villain with January Jones as his blankly icy right hand (wo)man equally effective. Jennifer Lawrence’s Raven is a believable younger version of the character played in the first films by Rebecca Romijn capturing the quiet shame of her gift that even the love of Charles and Erik can’t quite erase. Look quickly and you’ll see a couple of cameos from original X-Men actors that are very enjoyable indeed.
Video Quality
5/5
The film’s Panavision aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is presented in 1080p using the AVC codec. It’s a reference quality transfer with stunning clarity filled with mounds of detail in skin, clothing textures, and surrounding terrain. Color is deeply saturated without ever going fluorescent, and flesh tones are natural and appealing. Black levels are rich and deep, and there are no compression artifacts to mar the viewing experience. The film has been divided into 32 chapters.
Audio Quality
5/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sound mix is also of reference quality. Dialogue has been well recorded and placed in the center channel. Otherwise, the remaining channels are alive with almost constant ambient sounds with frequent pans across and through the soundstage, and explosive use of the LFE channel. Henry Jackman’s bombastic music score also contains great range through the entire soundstage and the subwoofer.
Special Features
4/5
All of the bonus featurettes are presented in 1080p.
“X” Marks the Spot is an interactive viewing mode which the user may choose upon first playing the film. With it, the film allows the viewer to segue into eight featurettes which extend information about a specific scene in the movie. One may also choose to view the featurettes apart from the film, so they’re also available from the bonus features menu. They can be played individually or in one 20-minute grouping. They deal with the individual introductions of Erik, Charles, and Raven, Hugh Jackman’s cameo, the sound design, the climactic roket sequence, and the design of the credit sequence.
The disc offers an isolated score track (in DTS-HD MA) which can be chosen from the bonus features menu.
“Cerebro Mutant Tracker” is another interactive bonus feature in which the viewer may choose individual mutants who have been shown in the five X-Men films and watch montages of scenes featuring those mutants from all of the films.
“Children of the Atom” is an expansive making-of documentary dealing with many of the aspects of the movie including the writing of the script, the casting, the special effects, the music, the costumes, and the make-up. The eight featurettes may be watched individually or in one 69 ¾-minute grouping.
There are thirteen deleted/extended scenes which may be viewed individually or in one 14 ¼-minute bunch.
The disc is BD-Live Ready. Two bonuses offered here and not on the disc are the theatrical trailer (2 minutes) and “Dogfight” (2 ¼ minutes) which shows the aerial preparations for the flying stunt people used in a spectacular flying sequence late in the movie.
The second disc in the set is the digital copy of the movie with enclosed instructions for installation on Mac and PC devices.
Also enclosed in the package are instructions for accessing free X-Men digital comics (ten in all).
In Conclusion
4.5/5 (not an average)
Returning to the quality and humanity of the first two X-Men features, X-Men: First Class is an enjoyable and enlightening superhero film. Blu-ray offers reference picture and sound quality and a host of bonus features that fans of the movie will surely enjoy. Highly recommended!
Matt Hough
Charlotte, NC
