Movie Reviews Blu-ray X-Men: First Class

Film Details

Director

Matthew Vaughn

Starring

Certificate

Genre

Blu-ray Extras

Cerebro: The Ultimate Mutant Database; replicates what happens when Charles locates mutants through Cerebro and allows you to learn more about various mutants, connect them to key events, decipher connections between them and much more (additional mutants can be unlocked through BD Live)

Children of the Atom – Multi-Part Documentary on the X-Men including the following elements: ‘Second Genesis’, ‘Band of Brothers’, ‘Transformation’, ‘Suiting Up’, ‘New Frontier: a Dose of Style’, ‘Pulling Off the Impossible’, ‘Sound & Fury’ and ‘Untitled Closing’

13 Deleted Scenes -

o Erik in Argentinean Airport
o Shaw with Cuban Generals
o Charles & Moira’s Tryst, Part 1
o Charles & Erik Recruit Angel (extended)
o The Russian Truck (extended)
o Erik vs Russian Guards (extended)
o Shaw’s Plan (extended)
o Havok Training, Part 1 (extended)
o Banshee Training, Part 1 (extended)
o Havok Training, Part 2 (extended)
o Banshee Training, Part 2 (extended)
o Hank & Raven in the Lab (extended)
o Charles & Moira’s Tryst, Part 2

Digital Copy

X-Men: First Class Hot

Editor rating

4.8

User rating

0.0 (0)

November 19, 2011 0Add

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender lead the cast of Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class

Charles Xavier, (McAvoy) a gifted Oxford University graduate with the power to read minds has been under CIA surveillance for some time when agent Moira MacTaggart (Rose Byrne: Bridesmaids,) tracks him down to help her recruit a team of mutants. Their mission is to take on Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon: Mystic River, Apollo 13), a megalomaniac supremacist plotting nuclear Armageddon between America and Russia.

Meanwhile Erik Lensherr (Fassbender) is on a mission to avenge the brutal murder of his mother whilst they were in a German concentration camp during World War II. Having mastered control of his incredible magnetic powers, he unleashes hell on all who stand in his way in his search for his arch nemesis, the same Sebastian Shaw.

Xavier and Erik’s paths soon cross and the two grow to be close friends, combining their powers to form a brotherhood of mutants …until the day comes where both are forced to make a decision that will change their lives forever.

The British dream team behind Kick Ass – director Matthew Vaughn and writer Jane Goldman - are joined by a stellar cast including James McAvoy (Wanted), Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man) and Jason Flemying (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) in one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.

X-Men: First Class introduces fan-favourite characters including Emma Frost (January Jones: Mad Men), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence: Winter’s Bone), Azazel (Flemyng), Riptide (Alex Gonzales), Banshee (Caleb Jones) and Havok (Lucas Till). The Blu-ray release includes over 4 hours of special features material including ‘Cerebro’ an interactive mutant database, a multi-part making-of documentary and thirteen deleted scenes.

Editor review

X-Men: First Class 2011-11-22 16:34:52 Christopher Herbert

Overall rating		4.8
Film		4.0
Picture Quality		5.0
Sound Quality		5.0
Special Features		5.0

Reviewed by Christopher Herbert November 22, 2011

Fantastic Mutant Fun!

X-Men: First Class has a certain pedigree to live up to. With the first two X-Men movies being in most Top Ten superhero movie lists, First Class could well have turned out to be a wet squid in comparison. Luckily it had several things running in it's favour. Firstly, the poor performances of X-Men: Last Stand and X-Men Origins - Wolverine (both of which are quite poor films), secondly the pedigree of the people involved. Bryan Singer returns as Producer, Matthew Vaughn (hot off of the success of Kick-Ass) behind the camera and in front of the camera the highly talented James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, January Jones...the list goes on. So, how did it do?

Amazingly! First Class takes the rather risky premise, the even riskier setting (it's set in the 60's) and just runs with it. Whilst it's not quite a touch down, it's bloody close. The script is brilliant, the dialogue is fantastic, the cast are stunning, the overall package comes together in such a way that is almost...uncanny.

The overall plot (Prof X and Magneto make friends, then become enemies) is pretty simple, but by adding the complex Cuba Missile Crisis and the Hellfire Club as subplots we are kept on the edge of our seat. Whilst we know, more or less, how it's going to turn out, we are still thrown a few curve balls.

I have a few pet peeves, such as the characters used (why not have Cyclops and the 'true' first class of X-Men?), but overall I'm extremely happy with this film.

The visual and audio transfer is beyond perfection. No issues whatsoever.

The extras are excellent. The Children of the Atom featurette is fantastic, the deleted scenes are brilliant and the interactive mutant database is incredibly fun, and easy to use.

Overall this is a fantastic package, with a great film and brillaint extras. A must buy!