Excited to see Matthew Vaughn’s take on the franchise – I loved Layer Cake – I was thrilled to learn he was on board for this new X-Men prequel.  And, I should say, I really, really, really enjoyed the majority of this film and I really wanted to give it a five out of five, spoilers ahead.

We begin in a recreation of Bryan Singer’s concentration camp where the Nazis separate a young Eric from his parents. The well known on film child molester, Kevin Bacon, enters as Sebastian Shaw a twisted evil Nazi mutant offering chocolate and ultimatums (Willy Wonka?). Shaw wants to see how far the young Eric can push his magnetic abilities and we are given a satisfying Magneto origin story. A thousand times more satisfying than Charles Xavier’s back story but I figure those making this film knew Xavier’s childhood wasn’t as compelling so they treated it as an after thought. The young Xavier fits perfectly with the early jet-setting 60’s vibe Vaughn establishes, with many undertones from Michael Caine’s character in Alphie, charms the socks of women by waxing on about how groovy genetics are.

The film really picks up speed when James McAvoy enters as the full-grown Xavier in a remarkable performance. The contrast of Eric’s character is also handled perfectly, played by Michael Fassbender. Eric is a multi-lingual James-Bond-Nazi-Hunter (Why is there not an entire movie of Eric hunting and killing Nazis?) and Vaughn executes these next scenes – Xavier and Eric meeting, the government discovering mutants, and the forming of the X-Men – with the appropriate amount of style and tension. Nicholas Hoult, playing Hank McKoy more commonly known as Beast, steals the scene out from under the other actors as Xavier accidently outs him as a mutant to his boss to which McKoy responds, “You didn’t ask so I didn’t tell,” which got a great reaction from the audience! What troubles me is that in that moment, the writers seem conscious of the social implications of the X-Men. And then, all of a sudden, they don’t.

So this film takes place in the 60’s in the midst of the Bay of Pigs, and the main reason that I’m interested in this chapter of history is that my parents were growing up then. They were both Black and proud, or as Raven would say, “Mutant and Proud” (Raven is better known as the blue and naked Mystique played by Jennifer Lawrence.)  Anyway, the 60’s – with the Civil Rights movement  - and Martin Luther King and Malcolm X – both household names for different reasons. The first X-Men film plays this historical fiction up by positioning Charles Xavier as the peaceful intergrationalist, MLK, and Magneto as the feared segregationalist who will achieve equality by any means necessary, Malcolm X.  In this film there is not only no mention of Martin or Malcolm but absolutely no reference to the civil rights movement at all. If you can fit in the line “You didn’t ask so I didn’t tell,” you can squeeze in a line about civil rights. Despite the Fox news re-education we’re going through today the civil rights movement was HUGE in the 60’s and 70’s and it still is today.  To be honest though, this apparent oversight is not actually what took me out of the film. There were several critical errors that will keep this film from being truly great.

Spoiler Alert

Kevin Bacon and his evil mutant flunkies attack a CIA compound to get to Xavier’s new X-Men recruits. They kill a lot of people to do this and scare the crap out of the mutant kiddies.  Kevin Bacon preaches to them about how it’s stupid to fight for the man when the man is out to get them. “The man is going to keep you down, man” he says as he looks at Zoe Kravitz. “The man is scared of you, man!” he says as he looks at a random mutant. “The man wants to keep you ENSLAVED, man,” he says as he looks at Darwin. The black guy. And then the camera lingers on Darwin. The black guy. “GET IT MAN???!!! CAUSE YOU’RE BLACK MAN!! AND BLACK PEOPLE WERE SLAVES MAN!!!” And then, the argument cannot even be made that this scene is the film’s attempt at social commentary after what happens immediately following. Kevin Bacon does the Jerry Maguire thing and asks, “Who’s coming with me?” Zoe Kravitz joins him (thank you, one out of the two people of color in this film, for joining the dark side) and then Darwin (The Black Guy played by Edi Gathegi) who’s a mutant with the power to evolve and adapt in order to survive, decides to try and save the day. And we all know what happens when a Black guys says he’s going to save the day. Kevin Bacon kills him. Darwin even has a great “I’m Darwin the noble black guy who risked his life for everybody else” death, but I’ve seen it my whole life. Both on screen and unfortunately off. Mutant and proud huh?

How good could the movie have been if it had dealt with race like it dealt with everything else, intelligently with love and care? Especially because it’s the X-Men. Who are, correct me if I’m wrong, analogies for the minority experience. If you’re a gay, lesbian, or trans teen, heck if you’re a gay, lesbian, or trans adult watching this film, you’re siding with the mutants. And if you’re aware of how important this is – as a writer – why not be aware of other people who need the “They’re fighting for me because they’re like me” message? In this time of “post race” this and “post race” that, the President of the United States of America is still treated like a mutant. Much of the media would have you believe that Barack Obama’s not to be believed or trusted, he’s not like us, and he’s foreign. It’s just plain depressing to be black and see that’s how your country treats it’s own leader. I need a mutant who speaks for me; I need a superhero who continues to fight the good fight despite bigotry and oppression.  And unlike Martin and Malcolm I want to see this one ride off heroically into the sunset. I’d like to see him or her suit up and take part in the big climatic battle in the end. I’d like to see him or her fight on the side of good, and not die halfway through the film.

I keep thinking of the marketing campaigns Thor and Green Lantern have. You can’t walk into a store or fast food restaurant without noticing all the toys and other merchandise attached to the films. They have plastic hammers and Viking helmets for kids to wear, glowing green masks and rings. Isaiah Mustafa (the Old Spice guy) made a fake trailer for the not yet made Luke Cage film. He stars at the titular character. How would the merchandising work for a guy in a dirty, torn wife beater and jeans? Would Hanes or Fruit of the Loom have specials on Luke Cage tank tops for kids?

If Darwin’s mutant ability was to evolve, then it’s a shame he was killed so early on because perhaps he could have lead the way for all of the filmmakers who are still way behind the times. X-Men: First Class was a good movie, but it’s not progressing a condition that’s way overdue for an overhaul.