Consimema Capsule Reviews: X Men - First Class

Rating: 3.5 Popcorn Bags

Title: X Men - First Class

Director: Matthew Vaughan (Layer Cake, Kick Ass)

The Pitch: Okay, Patrick Stewart's getting too old and Ian McKellen just signed on for Hobbit VI; let's get some NEW actors and do  PREQUEL!

Plot Summary: Mutants cause and then avert the Cuban Missile Crisis, annoy each other, and split up..

The Verdict: Let's just review our checklist of essential superhero movie prequel clichés, shall we?
- the hero who will later become a monklike figure of virtue is revealed in his youth to have been a bit wilder? Check.
- the villain(ess) who is revealed in youth to have a been a much nicer person, but who Turns Against Humanity in Embitterment? Check.
- The tongue-in-cheek references to the character's future for fans in the know (the young Charles Xavier remarks "I suppose I am a professor now. Pretty soon I'll be going bald.")? Check.
- The "Oh, THAT'S how he got that injury!" moment? Check.
 - Evil Nazis AND Evil Commies? Check!

Yep, it's all there.

What shines? The successful evocation of cheesy Marvel-style image and composition, partly homage and partly parody

What sucks? The absolute lack of appeal on the part of the neX generation. The Star Trek Prequel last year got it right - interesting performances in their own right, with amusing glimmers of the familiar characters they would become. This lot? Not a scintilla of charisma.

Watch For: A hilarious three-word cameo by a future X-Man - best part of the movie.