After three main movies and one spin-off in since the turn of the millennium, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Marvel’s favourite cast of mutants had run out of steam or at least run out of chances following Brett Ratner’s abominable X-Men: The Last Stand and the seriously clunky Hugh Jackman vehicle X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But indeed the X-Men are back and though it might seem difficult to believe given past stains on the franchise, X-Men: First Class brings the mutants back to where they stood after 2003’s peak performance in X2; cool, clever and thank-fuck-fully interesting.

As any self-respecting X-Men fan will be quicker than Quicksilver to tell you the mutants’ film universe was essentially left in ruin following The Last Stand – literally and figuratively – and with nowhere worth going beyond that timeline the creators of First Class have done a wonderfully sensible thing in taking the franchise into the past for an intriguing origins tale. And also returning to the X-Men fold is director of the first two films Bryan Singer, now in the producer’s seat while Kick Ass helmer Matthew Vaughn takes the lens for directorial duties.

The pair take First Class back to perhaps the most interesting part of the X-Men mythos, namely the initial union and then dissolution of mutant figureheads Magneto and Professor X, or as they’re known in First Class Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier played by Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy respectively. Coming together to lead the first incarnation of the X-Men against mutant terrorist and leader of The Hellfire Club Sebastian Shaw (the ever so smarmy Kevin Bacon). Fassbender and McAvoy both inhabit their characters so well that any lingering shadows of Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart are thrown off and the two also possess recognisable chemistry together, the kind that sweeps you up along with the two protagonists as they charge towards the grim fate that you hope never materialises.

Indeed, the two leads are so effective in carrying the story that the band of supporting players seem to just be sharing their screen for much of the movie. The skeleton crew of Mystique, Havok, Beast, Banshee and briefly Angel and Darwin that comprises the original X-Team are all solid, with their character introductions in the recruitment montage feeling particularly fun. But besides Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique they end up mostly overshadowed by the two powerhouse leads. Faring even worse are Sebastian Shaw’s henchmen Azazel and whatever random tornado hands is called, both of whom are definitely undercooked. And January Jones is likewise a humourless version of Emma Frost, The White Queen of the Hellfire Club. But perhaps that’s the point.

While First Class certainly is not without its camp moments and is guilty of continuing to play fast and loose with which mutants it converts from the comics to the screen, the film is extremely watchable and overall really great fun. The ‘60s back drop and stylisation works well and the subsequent allegories to the civil rights issues of the times – the backbone of Stan Lee’s original stories – isn’t overplayed. And you’ll do cartwheels at the sneaky cameos in there too. Ultimately though First Class is Fassbender and McAvoy’s film. They dominate it. I would’ve happily watched 90 minutes of Erik Lehnsherr: Nazi Hunter as First Class first begins as because Fassbender is a total bad arse. And McAvoy is charming and engaging as the young and idealistic Xavier. Because of them – and director Vaughn – the X-Men are back.

X-Men: First Class is in cinemas now.