X-Men: First Class portrays younger versions of characters from previous Marvel movies, as well as introducing mutants not yet seen on the silver screen.
Set during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, First Class shows Dr. Xavier (played by James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) as contentious allies, training mutants to harness their newfound powers and eventually intervening in the seminal Cold War conflict.
Even the casual X-Men fan doesn?t need the dialog from the movie trailer (above) to know that eventually Xavier and Magneto?s worldview on how to treat humans ? coexistence versus elimination, respectively ? drives them apart.
Besides these two Marvel figureheads, recent First Class character trailers (below) introduce other supermutant stars of the film, which hits theaters June 3. The clips offer a glimpse of the balancing act undertaken by the screenwriters and director Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass) as they tilt between artistic license and direct homage to the comics.
Mystique
Like Magneto, Mystique plays the role of X-man, not villain, in First Class. Jennifer Lawrence does her best to live up to Rebecca Romijn?s sexy on-screen rendition of the character from previous X-Men movies, but the trailer is unclear about what plot elements contribute to the shape-shifter?s eventual switch to villainy. The clip includes Magneto imparting wisdom as Mystique trains in the X-Mansion alone ? a nice reference to alliances to come.
Mystique is also shown starting a romance with a still-human Dr. Hank McCoy, aka Beast. While a departure from the comic history of the two characters, one can perhaps understand a certain inherent kinship between two mutants fated with solid blue skin.
Banshee
Banshee?s introduction to the X-Men (in 1967?s X-Men No. 28) came by way of being captured by the evil Factor Three. He eventually teamed with the X-Men to defeat the subversive mutants.
First Class alters this history and shows a young Sean Cassidy coping with his sonic-scream mutation as a teenager ? a theme that pervades each character in the movie. While Banshee was often portrayed as a strapping Irishman in the comics, faithful X-Men readers will have to get used to scrawny but endearing Caleb Landry Jones as the screaming wonder.
Havok
While it?s a little strange noting Alex Summers, who first appeared in X-Men No. 54, in the cast credits of an origins-themed X-Men movie without his older brother Scott (Cyclops), Havok?s plasma-blasting and personality traits in the trailer feel true to the comic?s character. The clips show a younger, brooding Havok (played by Lucas Till) in sleeveless shirts harnessing his deadly red projectiles, then grinning broadly as he cleaves dummy targets in half.
It?s worth remembering that Havok spent time as part of the Brotherhood of Mutants in the comic books. Till recently commented on the potential ?dark side? of this particular Havok: ?He doesn?t want to accidentally kill people, and that?s something he?s always got to deal with,? he told IGN. ?He likes the power but he doesn?t like the lack of control he has over his ability.?
Polaris is also not listed in the cast credits of First Class, so we?ll assume Havok?s romance with her is being saved for another installment.
Beast
First Class couldn?t be complete without at least one original mutant, besides Xavier, from X-Men No. 1. Though Hank McCoy?s love interest in Mystique is a departure from his character?s history, Beast is otherwise portrayed in the trailer as the brilliant young scientist with the mutating gorilla-crossed-with-feline body that we all know.
Is his rather corny exchange with Mystique about feeling ?normal? (they say the word together) indicative of their romance in the movie? With any luck, no. But either way, the X-Men rarely feel complete without Beast?s weighty intellect (previously voiced by Kelsey Grammer), keeping the fantastic action and wild superpowers grounded.
Let?s hope First Class maintains the contrast.
Source: http://feeds.wired.com/~r/wired/index/~3/TYxvGv_zXTM/
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