X-Men: First Class (2011)

All Critics (241) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (211) | Rotten (30) | DVD (8)

As X-Men films go, this one gets the job done and is certainly better than Last Stand or Wolverine. But there are still just too darn many X-Men.

October 7, 2011 Full Review

Leah Rozen

The Wrap

Top Critic

Looks and feels like a very cheesy Cold War-era B movie...

June 27, 2011 Full Review | Comments (57)

David Denby

New Yorker

Top Critic

It uses the themes of the previous movies to build an intelligent, fast-paced, and highly entertaining prequel.

June 3, 2011 Full Review | Comments (10)

Eric D. Snider

Film.com

Top Critic

This blazing "pre-boot" breathes new life into the sagging franchise

June 3, 2011 Full Review | Comments (24)

Richard Roeper

Richard Roeper.com

Top Critic

New decade; same ol' same ol'.

June 3, 2011 Full Review | Comments (15)

Keith Uhlich

Time Out New York

Top Critic

Lacking a single memorable joke or striking image, First Class is as perfunctory and passionless as would-be franchise resurrections get.

June 3, 2011 Full Review | Comments (78)

Karina Longworth

Village Voice

Top Critic

Good, clean summer movie fun where the money they spend is up on the screen - with actors and effects

January 8, 2013 Full Review

Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Magneto used to be a globe-trotting Bond-a-like and Xavier was a beer-chugging ladies man? Admit it, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart suddenly seem much more interesting.

September 25, 2012 Full Review

Matt Looker

TheShiznit.co.uk

As visually impressive as X-Men: First Class can be, Vaughn is a natural storyteller and he never loses sight of what the big picture is.

September 23, 2012 Full Review

Benjo Colautti

We Got This Covered

This new entry to the "X-Men" saga will please fans and non-fans of the comic book heroes alike, shaking things up by giving us a little something new from the franchise.

September 20, 2012 Full Review

Jeff Beck

Examiner.com

Matthew Vaughn still proves that he's a terrific and entertaining filmmaker, while still retaining a distinct style.

May 12, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

Austin Kennedy

Sin Magazine

Comic-book lovers, fans of alternate history, and fantasy-prone moviegoers in general are all sure to find something to love about X-Men: First Class.

January 3, 2012 Full Review

Jason Buchanan

TV Guide's Movie Guide

One of the five worst films of 2011. Inexplicably acclaimed, incredibly dumb.

December 30, 2011 Full Review | Comments (16)

Fr. Chris Carpenter

Movie Dearest

A first-rate action film with great special effects and an effective origin tale to tell--perhaps the best of the X-Men series so far.

December 29, 2011 Full Review

James Plath

Movie Metropolis

With so many characters to introduce or reintroduce, Vaughn has a lot of ground to cover, and he does it in a way that at once feels retro and modern.

December 28, 2011 Full Review

Greg Maki

Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)

There's something to be respected about a film that doesn't spend most of its time in mindless action

October 20, 2011 Full Review

Bruce Bennett

Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

While it never reaches the intelligence or character richness of the first two X-Men films, it's still the superior superhero spectacle of 2011 to date.

September 15, 2011 Full Review

Sean Axmaker

MSN.com

As a story of the founding of the mutant academy, First Class delivers on the double meaning of its title, twice.

July 15, 2011 Full Review

Chris Knight

National Post

In Matthew Vaughn's pitch-perfect, fluid, sparklingly edited movie, we learn about demons. And wouldn't you know it? It's all about Jewish revenge.

July 14, 2011 Full Review | Comments (5)

Jordan Hiller

Bangitout.com

Its attributes and weaknesses can be broken down into two categories: the relationship between Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender), and everything else

July 9, 2011 Full Review

Gabe Leibowitz

Film and Felt

In a summer unfortunately glutted with superhero movies, every one an origins story, X-Men: First Class not only eclipses its competition, but also each of its franchise predecessors.

July 6, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

Brandon Fibbs

BrandonFibbs.com

First Class might even be too good for its predecessors' comfort. An unintended consequence of its sure handed grip on character is the retroactive tarnishing of the original films.

July 6, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

Ed Whitfield

What Culture

Not only the best X-Men film to date, but the best superhero flick yet.

July 4, 2011 Full Review | Comments (13)

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

It speaks to the pathos in front of and behind the camera that so much is done with so lethargic a script.

June 26, 2011 Full Review | Comments (2)

Rob Humanick

Projection Booth

• 1. Professor Charles Xavier: But I'd rather ask you about the Jupiter missile's that America is currently putting in Turkey.
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)
• 1. Sean Cassidy/Banshee: Man i wanted to be Mystique!
  2. Raven Darkholme / Mystique: Well tough i called it.
  3. Raven Darkholme / Mystique: And i'm way more mysterious than you.
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)
• 1. Colonel Hendry: I knew better than to trust you. Now you give me back my money or I will pull this pin and we all die.
  2. Sebastian Shaw: Go ahead, pull it.
  3. Colonel Hendry: I swear to god I'll do it.
  4. Sebastian Shaw: No you won't but I will.
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)
• 1. Sebastian Shaw: The telepath?
  2. Azazel: Not here.
  3. Sebastian Shaw: Well that's a shame. Well at least I can take this silly thing off.
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)
• 1. Levene: So now what?
  2. Moira MacTaggert: We call in a expert.
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)
• 1. Beast: Don't mock me!
  – Submitted by vijeyta R (37 days ago)