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Imagine a world that is populated by mutants--people with certain genetic codes that allow them to do amazing things. If you're a fan of superheroes and their movies, then you've probably already seen some or all of the X-Men films, making a world like that pretty easy to imagine. Now imagine that world fifty years ago, during the wild and tumultuous 1960s, when the world was first beginning to learn of the existence of mutants and was living with the threat of nuclear war looming over them. Welcome to X-Men: First Class, the tale of how it all began, and of how two men with common interests gradually went from being allies to enemies. If you haven't yet seen First Class and are unsure of how it will compare to the comics or the previous films, read on to find out.

Diehard sticklers for comics continuity should be warned about X-Men: First Class. If you're looking for a movie that adheres to the story and character details in the comics in every aspect, then First Class is not the film for you. In fact, if you're looking for a movie that completely fits in with the continuity of the previous X-Men films, then First Class is also not the movie for you. But if you're looking for a good summer movie that combines intense sci-fi action with complex characters, strong actors to back them, and intriguing questions about life and morality, then head over to the nearest movie theater and watch X-Men: First Class right now, because you will not be disappointed.

The film focuses on a much younger Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) when they were friends working together, before they became the elderly arch-rivals that they have always been in the comics and other movies. Professor Charles Xavier begins recruiting a team of mutants to fight the Hellfire Club, a secret group of evil mutants. However, Erik, who eventually becomes the villain Magneto, believes that the real enemy is humanity and that mutants would one day rise up to conquer them all. Both McAvoy and Fassbender give life to their characters with strong acting and perform in such a way that truly captures the essential conflict of the film. 

Xavier's recruits come from all different eras of the X-Men comics and include some lesser-known characters; his initial team consists of himself, Magneto, Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Havok (Lucas Till), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Tempest (Zoë Kravitz; called Angel in the movie), and Darwin (Edi Gathegi). The line-up is quite different from the one in the earliest X-Men comics (and from the one in the comic series X-Men: First Class), and some of the minor characters seem like odd choices and are underdeveloped in the film; others, however, are explored more deeply and showcase some poignant, powerful moments of emotion and character development.

Comics fans will also recognize other familiar names and faces, such as Xavier's ally and lover Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), the villainous Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), leader of the Hellfire Club, his righthand woman, Emma Frost (January Jones), a villain called Riptide (Álex González), and the demon-like Azazel (Jason Flemyng), who was the father of Nightcrawler in the comics. 

Like the other X-Men films, First Class deals with a group of people who are looked down upon and even persecuted just for being different, and in doing so explores some important moral and spiritual themes as well. Christian audiences and younger viewers should use discretion when watching First Class; it contains some strong language, more than a few shots of scantily clad women, and about as much action violence as one would expect from a typical modern superhero movie. However, for discerning viewers who are able to handle the surface content and analyze the deeper themes underneath, First Class should be a rewarding experience.

We see in many mutant characters a natural desire for love and acceptance which they have rarely, if ever, received in life. This desire presents itself in Hank McCoy, a young boy with enormous feet (who later undergoes some other changes as well), and in Raven (a.k.a. Mystique), a shapeshifting girl whose true form is blue and scaly. However, the reaction against prejudice and persecution is most prominent in Erik, the master of magnetism, who grew up as a Jew in Nazi Germany and has been a victim of hatred and violence all his life. Erik believes strongly in mutants embracing their true identities and flaunting their power for all the world to see. 

Raven longs to feel beautiful and loved for who she is, but she is self-conscious about her true blue form and doubts her own self-worth. Sadly, her teammate Hank does not make things any better for her when he tries to develop a formula to normalize the appearance of mutants, telling Raven that the mutants' unique physical qualities will never be considered beautiful by the world. Erik, however, is more accepting. He makes Raven feel beautiful and encourages her not to hide who she truly is. SPOILER WARNING: It is no surprise, then, that at the end of the movie, when Charles and Erik go their separate ways and the other mutants are forced to choose sides, Raven chooses to go with Erik, who showed her kindness and acceptance. Having sided with the evil Magneto, Raven later goes on to become the villainous Mystique as she was seen in the previous X-Men films.

Unfortunately for the heroes of the film (but fortunately for the quality of the story), Erik's kindness and acceptance to Raven show only one side of his multifaceted personality, and much of what he does is driven not by love but by bitterness and revenge. Though he may be kind and accepting of other mutants, he hates and fears all normal humans just as many humans hate and fear mutants. Being a lifelong victim of hatred and persecution, he responds in the only way he seems to know how: by seeking revenge on those who have hurt him and violently retaliating against humanity with the same kind of prejudice that he has always experienced. Erik is a sharp contrast to Charles Xavier, who desires peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants and tries to make Erik see the error of his ways. While Erik believes that his mutant powers make him inherently better than normal humans, Xavier stresses that mutatns, though hated and persecuted, should strive to be the better men by showing morality, respect, and love, even to their enemies. 

Xavier's model is a good one for Christians to follow, as we are also a peculiar people (I Peter 2:9) in a world that has all but abandoned faith and looks down upon those who still cling to it. Some calling themselves Christians try to fight back against the world, preaching hatred and judgment upon sinners and exclusive rights reserved only for God's holy people. However, this tragic version of Christianity--if it can even be called that--only confirms the negative stereotypes that the world has toward religion, and does not bring peace or satisfaction to either side. Instead, we as Christians should follow the examples of Charles Xavier and of Jesus Christ Himself, both of whom led with gentleness, kindness, acceptance, and love. Instead of being the angry bigots who the world often sees us as, we should be the kind of people who others want to turn to for love and acceptance. If the Ravens of this world have to look to the bitter, angry Eriks to find some semblance of love and self-worth, then Christians are not doing their jobs correctly.

Despite its flaws and inconsistencies in the bigger picture of Marvel continuity, X-Men: First Class is an enjoyable and thought-provoking film that some have called the best in the entire X-Men franchise to date. It gives us a deeper look into the shaping of characters we already know, and challenges us to think about relevant social and moral issues that divide the real world as well as the comic book one. So if you think you can handle it, go watch X-Men: First Class and judge it for yourself. Feel free to evaluate the story, the acting, and the character choices. But more importantly, evaluate your own life in light of the lessons that First Class can potentially teach you. Decide whether you as a Christian will shun others and seek only power and glory for yourself, or whether you will reach out with kindness to a dying world yearning for peace and love, despite whatever differences may separate you and them. Decide whether you will be a Magneto or a Professor X--a bitter hypocrite or a truly loving follower of Christ.