Where are the heroes?

This on DVD today, and because I wrote this and forgot to post this back when the movie actually came out, I figured I might as well post it now.

X-Men: First Class has a classic story arc, above average performances, and it does a pretty impressive job of weaving its own story into that of the (inarguably compelling) Cuban Missile Crisis. Unfortunately, the virtues that make the X-Men so interesting fifty years later–tolerance, celebration of diversity, and self-acceptance–are embraced, it seems, only by the villains.

Though we are always meant to sympathize with Magneto (who can blame a Holocaust survivor for losing faith in humanity?), I’m a little baffled by the idea of recasting him as the hero for mutants. His violent methods should hurt the mutant cause more than they help it. Everything he does reinforces the  stereotype that mutants are dangerous, and inflames public sentiment that mutants should be hated and feared. And yet, by the end of this movie, the audience is with him.

And this is why the movie ultimately fails. [Cut for spoilers.] Read more »