'X-Men: First Class' review round-up: 'First Class' is right

The "X-Men" franchise is getting another installment in 2011 with "X-Men: First Class" and this time it's all going back to the beginning. Set during the 1960s, which includes the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Civil Rights Movement, the movie focuses on Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr before they were Professor X and Magneto, respectively.

Other "X-Men" joining the fray are Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Moira MacTaggert, Beast, Mystique, Angel, Banshee, Havok, Azazel, Darwin Riptide. So what are the critics saying? Almost universally they are giving it the thumbs up.

Peter Howell of the Toronto Star writes, "We interrupt this summer of blah sequels and pointless remakes for some astonishing news. It turns out even cash cows can moo intelligently."

The Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore says, "It's good, clean summer movie fun where the money they spend is up on the screen -- with actors and effects -- so that we won't mind spending our money on it."

Justin Chang of Variety writes, "Still, it's remarkable how many things 'First Class' gets right, whether it's the decision to have characters speak different languages as the film's frequent globe-trotting dictates, or the casting of Fassbender and McAvoy, who ... perfectly capture Charles and Erik's symbolic might-vs.-right dynamic ... Despite a somewhat hefty 130-minute running time, 'First Class' feels swift, sleek and remarkably coherent; an even longer, more fully fleshed-out version would not have been unwelcome."

The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy says, "Audacious, confident and fueled by youthful energy, this is a surefire summer winner for a wide global audience."

So there you have it. It sounds like "X-Men" is going to be a lot of fun. Will you be checking it out this weekend? "First Class" opens Friday, June 3 nationwide.