BOTTOM LINE: A combination of strong story and genuine performances make this sci-fi comic book adaptation an entertaining outing in the X-Men franchise, although the fast editing and noisy soundtrack can get a little tedious at times.

THE GOOD: The X-Men franchise has suffered in the quality department with the most recent films in the franchise. X-Men: First Class bring the quality back, with its strong story, genuine performances and fascinating characters making for a rip-roaring comic book sci-fi tale which covers the beginning of the mutants we have come to know from previous films. What is remarkable about Matthew Vaughn’s direction is that he is able to juggle quite a number of storylines convincingly, and then merge them together as the mutants come to know of each other. The most confronting story is the origin tale of Erik/Magneto from his appearance in the Auschwitz concentration camp to the hunting down of his former Nazi captors; with Michael Fassbender hitting all the right performance marks, his story makes for compelling viewing. His tragic story is contrasted with the worry-free upbringing of Charles Xavier, played to British perfection by James McAvoy. Rather than professorial and fatherly approach taken by Patrick Stewart in the earlier films, McAvoy plays Xavier with fun, wit and smarts that make him both a compassionate and formidable character. The dynamic between Xavier and Erik is fascinating, given they end up as ideological opponents, but share a deep bond. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1960s and the subplot involving Kevin Bacon’s villain character Sebastian Shaw is a fun ‘re-interpretation’ of official history, particularly with its emphasis on the Cuban Missile Crisis. The inclusion of this element, and the multiple character arcs, give the film a large, epic scope that is beautiful to watch. And two fun cameo appearances from former stars of the franchise put the icing on the cake for this adventure. “X-Men: First Class” is film with a great story, good special effects and images, fascinating characters and strong performances from its cast.

THE BAD: In today’s world of distractions, it is no surprise that films like these have to rely on a faster style of execution, and as a result, the film suffers in places from the fast editing and overtly noisy soundtrack. Given the strength of the material, both in story and character, a more measured approach to the direction would have been most welcome, and would have punctuated the more dramatic moments in the film better. Instead, some of these moments lose their dramatic emphasis because they got lost in the sound, music and quick cuts. As a result, you get the impression that in some places, the filmmakers are trying to rush you through the story rather than allowing you to fully experience it.