X-Men: First Class (2011)
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In 1962, a young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr must navigate their differing ideologies while facing a mutant supremacist during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The story
Set primarily in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the film focuses on the relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto. As they navigate their differing views on the role of mutants in human society, they must confront the Hellfire Club, led by the mutant supremacist Sebastian Shaw. Shaw is intent on sparking a nuclear war, forcing the two rivals to decide whether they will work together to stop him or let their ideological differences lead to catastrophe. The story explores the origins of their respective groups, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants, as they deal with the threat of a common enemy.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1944, at the Auschwitz concentration camp, Erik Lehnsherr's powers manifest after his mother is killed by a Nazi officer. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier meets a shapeshifter named Raven. In 1962, Lehnsherr tracks the officer, while Xavier is at Oxford. A CIA agent, Moira MacTaggert, discovers the Hellfire Club and its leader, Sebastian Shaw, who plans to trigger a nuclear war to ensure mutant dominance. Xavier and MacTaggert team up to find Shaw, eventually recruiting a group of mutants including Hank McCoy, Angel, and others. During a mission to the Soviet Union, they learn of Shaw's plan. Shaw's forces attack their base, and he successfully convinces the USSR to place missiles in Cuba. During a confrontation at the blockade, Lehnsherr and Xavier fight to stop Shaw. Lehnsherr eventually kills Shaw by forcing a coin through his head. Following a battle where a missile is destroyed and a bullet hits Xavier's spine, the two men part ways due to their differing philosophies. Xavier begins his school for mutants, while Lehnsherr, now known as Magneto, leads the Hellfire Club.
- First release year
- 2011
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Matthew Vaughn
- Writers
- Ashley Edward Miller · screenplay; Zack Stentz · screenplay; Jane Goldman · screenplay; Matthew Vaughn · screenplay; Sheldon Turner · story; Bryan Singer · story
- Cast and characters
- James McAvoy · Charles Xavier; Michael Fassbender · Erik Lehnsherr; Jennifer Lawrence · Raven / Mystique; Rose Byrne · Moira MacTaggert; January Jones · Emma Frost; Oliver Platt · Man In Black Suit; Kevin Bacon · Sebastian Shaw; Nicholas Hoult · Hank / Beast
- Genres
- superhero; action; science fiction
- Themes
- identity; prejudice; friendship
- Tone and mood
- action-oriented; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- origin story; prequel; superhero
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- X-Men
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving positive reviews from critics, and grossing $353 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 65 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · winning films · win
- Production trivia
- The film's visual style was inspired by 1960s James Bond films.; The film features a cameo by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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