tinribs27
Posts: 11
Joined: 30/7/2011 From: Wellington, New Zealand
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It’s obvious to anyone who pays even the slightest attention to the industry that Hollywood has, over the past decade or so, become obsessed with comic book adaptations, and 2011 is choked with more of them than any year before. Thor kicked things off a few weeks back, and soon we will be seeing Green Lantern, Captain America: The First Avenger, Cowboys and Aliens, and The Adventures of Tintin, along with several other lesser known comic films. This week, Marvel Studios unleash X-Men: First Class, directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass), a prequel to the previous three X-Men films. Well, the first two anyway. This is in fact the second time we’ve had a movie this year which is the fourth in a series (not to mention the fifth in series Fast Five), and it is becoming hard to get enthused about the endless sequel/remake/reboot machine that Hollywood has become. So, what’s to get excited about in the latest X-Men film? As it turns out, quite a lot. Perhaps most importantly for many fans (myself included), X-Men: First Class makes almost no reference to the last film in the series, Brett Ratner’s execrable X-Men: The Last Stand, while subtly maintaining links to Bryan Singer’s excellent original two movies. Set in 1962, First Class tells the origins of Charles Xavier’s (James McAvoy) research into mutant genetics, the formation of his school for gifted youngsters (mutants), and the forging of his friendship, and ultimate rivalry, with Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender). Having Singer back in the fold as producer and co-writer really pays off, and only highlights how his lack of input on the film series he began effectively destroyed The Last Stand. Singer’s knowledge of the characters and mythology ensures that much that was great about the first two films is back on display, and this is clearly his film. While Vaughn does a competent job in the director’s chair, his sensibilities seem to be more suited to less co
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