X-Men First Class

I just got back from seeing X-Men First Class and, I have to say, I had a good time. I don't know what the "purists" might think of this movie, but I thought it was a great deal of fun.

It's set in the rollicking '60s, when Charles Xavier, with the ability to walk and a full head of hair, spends his times trying to pick up chicks with talk about mutations (Seriously. This happened. And it was actually kind of funny). Erik Lensherr is a Holocaust survivor out for vengeance against a Nazi scientist who . . . well, I won't get into that right here. Suffice it to say Erik has a legitimate gripe against him. Their paths cross as both men try to take the villain, named Sebastian Shaw, down. The problem is, the bad guy has a team of mutants to protect him, such as Emma Frost, Azazel, and Riptide.

So naturally, Xavier and Lensherr need a team of their own.

They collect a group of fellow mutants and begin training them to face off against Shaw's team, especially since Shaw is trying to start World War III by getting the Soviets to place nukes in Cuba.

Seriously. This movie uses the Cuban missile crisis as a backdrop. And I have to say, it worked.

Sure, there were some silly things that made me roll my eyes. And personally, I think everything got wrapped up a little too neat-and-tidy in the end (basically, any question you might have about the early years of the X-Men are answered). It would have been nice if they left a few things up in the air, allowing for more stories to be told.

But I still enjoyed it, especially because of one cameo appearance. That's all I'll say about it, but it was a beaut.

Anyway. I had fun. And if you like comic book movies, you probably will too.