First Class Should Not be Dismissed

A revenge-fueled mutant man befriends an optimistic dreamer who can read and control minds. Their views of mankind’s nature and possibilities for the future come under sharp scrutiny and stand polarized as they deal with a world of prejudice, mistrust, and ill-intentions. Is there an option that walks a tightrope between their opposing worldviews? Although filled with fanciful fiction, this film provides an intriguing reflection of our fears, our view of protagonist/antagonist, and what – if any – hope we have.

I spoke on X-Men: First Class in North Seattle after a viewing of the well-received film and got to speak to its obvious narrative themes that have existed in X-Men since they were first created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1963. It’s appropriate that this film places the backdrop a year prior in 1962, as the comic characters were essentially masked, mutated metaphors of the world events Stan and Jack inhabited. Turns out the themes still hold just as true today.

(WARNING: the audio talk contains spoilers).

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