Does X-Men: First Class hold up?

Let’s find out:

 So we start off the way that X-Men did: Erik Lensherr is separated from his parents and he uses his abilities. Erik is then sent to Doctor Schmidt (Kevin Bacon). Schmidt tries to play nice until he tries to get Erik to move a coin. When Erik can’t, Schmidt threatens Erik’s mom. Erik still can’t; so, Schmidt shoots Erik’s mom. In response, Erik makes a mess of Schmidt’s office and he offs Schmidt’s guards.

We then transition to young Charles Xavier finding young Raven in his house. Charles is all “You can stay” and Raven becomes his stepsister.

Years pass. Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is at Oxford while Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) is working as a waitress. 

We then reunite with Erik (now played by Michael Fassbender), who is going after Nazis. 

We then transition to Las Vegas. Moira McTaggart (Rose Byrne) is looking into a casino. McTaggart is looking into Colonel Hendry because the CIA thinks that he is involved with the Russians (remember the time period). However, it turns out that Hendry is involved with the Hellfire (no relation to Judge Frollo) club. The Hellfire club is a mutant clan and Schmidt (now known as Sebastian Shaw) is in charge. We then meet Emma Frost (January Jones). 

Moira finds out that Shaw is trying to get Hendry to put nuclear missiles in Turkey. Hendry is (obviously) reluctant; but, Shaw pressures him. 

McTaggart’s superiors are giving her a hard time; so, she gets Charles and Raven so that they can explain the mutant way of life. Charles demonstrates his abilities and The Man in Black (Oliver Platt) shows up. The Man in Black believes in mutants the same way that Peter Pan’s audience believes in fairies. The Man in Black has Raven and Charles go to his facility.

The CIA and Magneto are both after Shaw; but, Emma Frost punches Magneto. Magneto tries to stop Shaw; but, when Magneto starts to endanger his own life, Charles talks him out of it.

Erik and Charles then start working on a team of mutants to stop Shaw. Charles accidentally reveals Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult) as a mutant. Hank reveals that he is working on a cure and Erik encourages Raven to embrace the mutant lifestyle. Charles then finds out about Cerebro and he uses it to find mutants for a team for the CIA.

Charles and Erik get Sean Cassidy (Caleb Landry Jones) for the team. They also get Havok (Lucas Till), Darwin (Edi Gathegi) and Angel (Zoë Kravitz). Charles and Erik also try to get Wolverine/Logan (Hugh Jackman) for the team and we get the famous Wolverine dropping the F-bomb scene.

Frost gives Shaw a Previously on X-Men update and we find out that Shaw has technology that blocks mind reading. Charles and Magneto are currently occupied; so, Shaw and company off some CIA (including the Man in Black). Darwin dies and Angel switches sides.

Xavier regroups and takes everyone to his mansion for Shaw battle training prep work. Havok preps and Cassidy falls off of stuff. Xavier shows Erik a memory of his mom and he tries to Aunt May in Spider-Man 3 Erik out of taking revenge against Shaw.

Shaw is trying to start a nuclear war to get rid of humans (I dunno why he thinks that the mutants would survive that). Hank offers the cure serum to Raven/Mystique; but, she has adopted Magneto’s way of thinking. Hank tries the serum on himself, he turns into Beast and he wins The Worst Science Experiment Since Seth Brundle Award. 

Sidebar/Salad Bar: This does sound like a medicine commercial. Serum will stop you from having a feet problem. Side effects may include turning into a beast.

Anyway, Shaw is still trying to start a war and Xavier is trying to stop it. Magneto sends Shaw onto a beach. Shaw tries to give Magneto a “I made you and I’m so proud of you” villain talk.  In response, Magneto sends the aforementioned coin through Shaw’s skull.

The Americans and the Russians then try to off the mutants; but, Magneto puts a stop to this. Moira McTaggart stops Magneto from going after the fleets; but, in the process, Charles gets injured. Magneto is upset by Charles’ injury and he (Magneto) and Raven depart. 

Time passes. Xavier is now in a wheelchair. He shows Moira around the Institute and he gives Moira a memory-wiping kiss (Superman should sue). 

We end with Erik introducing himself as Magneto and staging a prison break for Emma Frost.

X-Men: First Class is a mixed bag. Parts of it drag. It kind of reminded me of a better-acted young X-Men series for the CW. There are some good parts.

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