X-MEN: FIRST CLASS - Grading+Discussion **SPOILERS!**

I said back early in this thread that we might get an announcement on a X4 sometime this year...but now that a sequel has been confirmed for First Class, maybe they're finally putting it on hold or not considering it any more.

 

Honestly, at this point I'd rather see them just make the the First Class series a true reboot and introduce new versions of the main characters from the fist three movies.

 

Thanks, Admiral (and Jackson, too). I had a moment of inspiration . . .

 

I don't think this will happen consider FOX's factory machine mentality towards the "X-men" movies

But

I would like the character focus/spotlight to be worked on.


We all saw in the original trilogy how Wolverine and Storm stole the focus

And then "Wolverine" dropped so many cameos that you barely connected with the characters

And then "First Class" with Banshee

 

So many people seem to be disappointed with X3 that the producers probably think X4 would be a failed cause. If first class was a huge success why go back and pick up after an older story noone liked?

 

X4 was being discussed by Fox studio execs as late as last year. Laura Donner stated I believe in March of last year that it was still being discussed and they very much wanted to do it. X3 still made money. It just happens to be critically trashed by fans for the most part.

 

X-Men Unlimited

 

I've thought so for a while now. And as you say, the fact that they're moving ahead with a sequel to FC seems to confirm it.

Ironic that Fox takes the view that the way ahead with the X-Men movies is in the past; prequels all the way. But then again, given how much better FC was than X3 (and X1 or 2 for that matter, IMHO), I have no problem with this.

 

I didn't get the impression from earlier interviews that the projects were considered mutually exclusive.

 

^ They'd be over-fishing the pond. You can't imagine Paramount continuing to make alternating TNG movies and JJ-Trek movies, can you?

 

I guess it all depends on what they wanted to do for a X-Men 4. If it is too similar in concept to what First Class is doing, they may wait. If it is different enough where they feel it could sustain itself, then they'll push it into production.

 

Just saw this Friday. Excellent movie with a well thought out plotline. Surprised it didn't do better at the box office.

 

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2012/02/16/x-men-first-class-sequel-simon-kinberg-interview/

Writer Simon Kinberg suggests that the sequel will be Magneto-centric (well, given how Fassbender's star is rising, that's hardly a shock)

 

That's like saying after the first X-Men movie that the sequel will be Wolverine-centric.

"Well, yeah. So was the first one."

 

After GR2 last night my friend and I came home and rewatched XM:FC

A few points we hadn't thought before.

Charles, knowing Eric wasn't listening to him and that he'd kill him most likely, could've given Shaw a fighting chance in the sub if had just released him. Charles is as guilty of Shaw's death as Eric really.

Shaw's death: Every time I've seen it I've been so caught up in the personal connection of the death(not to mention excellent execution of the lines) that another thought occurred to me last night. Not sure if I've ever seen this thought mentioned but here goes. Shaw absorbs kinetic energy thus not allowing for physical bodily harm. We've seen it when even fists were thrown at him. The coin HAS to move at a nearly non negligible speed. Otherwise any energy the coin creates would just be absorbed/deflected even with Charles freezing him.
I don't think this was intentional. I fully believe it's a lucky coincidence. They wrote the scene for dramatic affect as a bookend to that tragic opening moment. Anyone else ever have a thought on this? Heard of this brought up?

 

But then Shaw would probably have released all the stored up nuclear energy and Xavier couldn't risk that. Of course it makes me wonder what was Xavier's plan for dealing with Shaw? Kiss him so that he would forget that he is a mutant?

 

That's an excellent observation and I think you're right that it was merely coincidental that it worked that way.

 

The coin has to have some KE or it can't move into Shaw's brain when he absorbs nuclear energy. (Although it is quite unclear how his body handles gamma radiation, which is electromagnetic, not material, and therefore has no KE.) There seems to be some sort of borrowing from the shields in Dune (and in Poul Anderson's novel Shield and SG1) in which the shield only deflects high KE objects. Unfortunately it is established that Shaw can deflect low KE objects such as alpha rays and beta rays. Each of these particles has a relatively low KE because they are so tiny. Yet, like a lady's stiletto heels they are quite damaging.

In terms of what's on screen there is no plausible way for Shaw to have been killed by Magneto alone. It must have been Xavier if the scene is to be possible by the movie's premises. Yet the scenes simply do not play as if Xavier was equally responsible, which is why I regard First Class as just another sequel inferior to the original.

 

It's possible, at least in the movie-universe a degree or two of "will" on Shaw's part has to take place in order to absorb energy much like Magneto has to use a degree or two of "will" to use his "magnetism" powers, he doesn't just attract all metal everywhere and anywhere whether he wants to or not. He has to make a decision and even exert some form of effort (either physically, mentally or both) to manipulate metals.

Shaw could be the same way, he doesn't absorb all energy everywhere and anywhere no matter what he has to want to absorb it and exert some kind of effort to do so. Now, as Magneto has gotten more adept at using his powers over the years from manipulating metals almost randomly during times of emotional outburst, to being able to manipulate small metal objects at will to being able to lift submarines out of the sea, Shaw also has learned to absorb energy almost without thought or "trying" but it still requires some-kind-of thought on his part to do it.

Since Xavier had Shaw under his control during the scene it's possible Shaw could no longer exert any will on his powers so he was pretty much vulnerable to the coin's kinetic energy. (Much like how we see Mystique revert back to her "true form" after being knocked out in X1 or similar times in the movies where someone is knocked out and and their powers stop working.) Hell, the only person I can think of off-hand whose powers don't require "will" is Wolverine whose powers seem to not be an at-will one but just a very-advanced form of a natural biological process. (Thus, Wolverine heals even when knocked out.)

 

Yea, that's the way I took the scene, Shaw has to actively engage his power, and while Erik was actively engaging Shaw from the front, with attacks he fought off, Erik, slipped through the back door with the coin Shaw didn't see coming, and didn't have a chance to defend himself against.