X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Review)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Directed by: Gavin Hood
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Ryan Reynolds, will.i.am


What’s It About

The origin story of Marvel’s most beloved character. Read on…

Thoughts

Dear 20th Century Fox- When it was announced that Wolverine would be receiving his own origin story, I (like many other fanboys) almost wet my pants. “I’m sure they’ll take the Nolan route (Batman Begins and Dark Knight. Have you ever heard of these two films?) and make it dark and serious.” I thought. You then announced that Gavin Hood, the man behind the Academy Award winning Tsotsi, signed on as the director of this project. “Fox is taking this project seriously!” I kept telling everyone. Then I heard you were making Mr. Hood angry by telling him how to make this movie. You kept butting in as you felt you had the right to make as many changes as you wanted to just because you own the rights to the property. I still had faith the size of a mustard seed; even after reading all the negative reviews a couple of days before the release of Origins. Well, I just finished watching your film.

While watching Origins, you get the feeling that it was directed by two different directors. On one side, you have the director who is trying to tell an engaging story about a man who was thrust into the life he leads, until in a moment of clarity, he walks away to turn his life around only to be thrown back in due to circumstances, but this time he fights for what he believes in (I’m going to assume those parts were Gavin Hood’s scenes.). On the other side, you have some inexperienced kid who watched way too many early 90’s action flicks, has no idea that having lines like,”Look what the cat dragged in.” have been used to death, and feels that there needs to be as many Marvel Universe characters in there as possible because that would be cool (That kid would be you, Fox.).

There are many problems with the CGI. It’s bad enough that the last battle sequence is staged in an obvious CGI set piece, but when little things like Wolverine pulling out his adamantium claws in the bathroom and the claws look unfinished, it makes one think that there was no love in the making of Origins at all. So with that, why should we be asked to care?

Hugh Jackman has been in Wolverines claws now for three films, so coming on board to reprise his role seems to have become like a walk on the park for this Aussie. Joining him for his origin story is Liev Schreiber as his half brother, Victor Creed, a.k.a, Sabertooth. Those two, along with decent short performances by Ryan Reynolds as Wilson Wade and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit , are the only reason why Origins gets any positive points.

It’s a real shame that a film like this was given no respect given the potential it had to becomes this summer’s biggest blockbuster. It’s even a bigger shame that you, Fox, don’t care. Everyone knows you’re all about making a buck and not making something that someone can take with them. So my blame is not on the actors, nor the director. It’s on you Fox. Shame on you for ruining what could have been a wonderful trip to the movies.- Will

Memorable Moment

Wade Wilson’s attack on the drug lord’s henchmen. Sweet!

FYI

There are multiple secret endings for this film depending on what theatre you go to.

Score

4 out of 10