A Reel Opinion: The X-Confusion

The release of X-MEN: FIRST CLASS this past weekend has fueled debate over the internets over just what the film is supposed to be; A Prequel, or a Reboot?

Both approaches have become more and more common, and overused in the recent decade. In nearly (ahem) all cases, it’s very clear what every film is trying to do. A Prequel looks to set the backstory to an already established film (George Lucas’ STAR WARS films, for example), while a Reboot wipes the slate clean by completely ignoring the established films (like Christopher Nolan’s BATMAN films).

In 2009, J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK film managed to serve as both a Prequel AND a Reboot. By using a clever time-travel plot-device, Abrams managed to set a new stage while keeping the storylines of the original films intact.

With no time-travel in the X-MEN world (at least not yet), most of, if not all X-fans went into the film thinking they were in for a Prequel. Well, they kinda got that, along with a lot of confusion.

The film did a lot of things that screamed Prequel; A scene from X1, a character (played by the same actor) from all four previous films makes a cameo, and a major setting from all four films is utilized heavily.

And then things got messy. Many happenings directly contradict the established films; facts are changed, and two major characters reach their arcs seemingly way too early. Aside from the continuity breaks, with those two characters reaching those points so early, it’s got to be difficult for future entries in this “new” franchise to find anywhere to go.

This blogger has no answers as to what FIRST CLASS is supposed to be (other than a shittin’ mess), but can only offer this point: FIRST CLASS feels like the filmmakers (producer Bryan Singer and director Matthew Vaughn) wanted to make one movie, and the studio wanted to make another. The end result is an off-balanced compromise. Studios interfering with the directors and producers is nothing new, and it is the arrogance of said studios that is the real problem. They obviously feel that that with the right names, the public will eat up any crap that they churn out.
People who care about their movies certainly deserve better.

What say you?