X-Men: First Class (2011)

About X-Men: First Class

The film "X-Men: First Class" is a superhero movie that was released in 2011, and is based on the X-Men characters appearing in Marvel Comics. Set primarily in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the story focuses on the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto and the origin of their groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film incorporates a 'mutant' version of the historical events, portraying them as being influenced by mutants.

Making/Production

Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the script was written by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, and Matthew Vaughn. It took approximately $160 million to produce the film, and it was shot at various locations across the United States and England. The film made use of extensive special effects to illustrate the superpowers of the mutant characters.

Actors

• James McAvoy as Charles Xavier: Portrays the young university graduate Xavier who uses his ability of telepathy to promote coexistence between humans and mutants.
• Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr: Offers an emotional portrayal of Magneto, a Holocaust survivor with mutant abilities who seeks revenge against those who have performed atrocities against mutants.
• Jennifer Lawrence as Raven: She convincingly plays a shapeshifter who struggles with acceptance of her blue-scaled natural form.
• Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy: An advanced scientist with mutant abilities who crafts the Cerebro and becomes the iconic 'Beast'.

Trivia/Interesting Facts

• At first, 'First Class' was intended to be a sequel to 'X-Men: The Last Stand' but was later converted to a prequel of the X-Men Film Series.
• Jennifer Lawrence endured eight hours of makeup every day to transform into the blue-skinned Mystique.
• During shooting, James McAvoy shaved his head for the role of Charles Xavier, thinking the character was bald. The directors, however, wanted Xavier with hair for the prequel.

Awards

The film was nominated for numerous awards, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Art Directors Guild, and the Saturn Awards. It notably won the Scream Award for the Best Superhero Movie.

Quotes

• "Mutant and proud." - Raven
• "I believe that true focus lies somewhere between rage and serenity." - Charles Xavier
• "Peace was never an option." - Erik Lehnsherr

Music and Soundtrack

• The film score was composed by Henry Jackman, with additional music by various artists including Take That and their song 'Love Love' which was used for the end credits.
• Notable pieces from the soundtrack include 'First Class', 'X-Training', and 'Magneto', each reflecting different themes and characters in the film.