Reviews

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Houston, Taylor Kitsch, Ryan Reynolds
Directed by Gavin Hood
Rating: M

Since his first comic appearance in 1974, Wolverine has been a favourite of X-Men fans. X-Men Origins: Wolverine takes us back to Wolverine's past in the first chapter of the X-Men saga.

The film begins with the sick childhood of Logan (Jackman), a.k.a. Wolverine, when he first realises he has extendable bone blades in his hands after a traumatising event. He and his brother Victor Creed (Schreiber), a.k.a. Sabretooth, run away and spend the next century fighting back to back as an invincible duo in numerous wars.

They are eventually imprisoned for their freakish abilities, until William Stryker (Houston) (introduced in X2) recruits them for the elite Team X – a secret team of mutant assassins.

It is clear from the beginning that Logan's conscience will continuously plague him throughout his life, despite his aggressive flair and rough tactics. Victor on the other hand, spirals out of control on what could be described as a massive power-trip, while his super human powers slowly eat away his moral conscience.

When a Team X mission goes horribly wrong, Logan simply walks away, leaving Victor feeling abandoned and angry.

When the remaining members of Team X are horribly murdered, Stryker once again tracks down Logan, who this time has retreated to a peaceful mountain house with his girlfriend.

Stryker convinces Logan to participate in the Weapon X experiment, which will make him indestructible by fusing the legendary adamantium metal to his skeleton. The experiment is suicide - it will destroy him to make him stronger. But the result is the more powerful and indestructible super-mutant we know as "Wolverine", who now wields metal claws capable of cutting through anything.

It seems no matter what good Logan does in his life, things always turn the wrong way and he is constantly caught in the ugly middle. He is continuously betrayed by family, friends and loved ones, even his own brother. You can't help feeling sorry for Logan, whose life is plagued by loneliness underneath all that aggression.

The plot is packed with enough twists and turns to make you feel as though you're being thrown around on a violent rollercoaster. The storyline pummels through its 103 minutes, feeling rushed at times and never taking the time to explore any of the characters, especially that of Logan. From the beginning of the movie it hits the ground running and doesn't stop until the credits roll.

What small fraction of the movie is dedicated to exploring Logan's issues is quickly overpowered by excessive action scenes - and this movie is all about the action! The combat scenes provide plenty of opportunities for each mutant to showcase their abilities. At some points the computer graphics have been overused in this movie. It's not to the detriment of the overall viewing experience, but it tends to get irritating scene after scene.

As with the other X-Men movies, the film is riddled with witty comments and comic relief provided by Wolverine and some of the other mutants. There seems to be endless opportunities to show Hugh Jackman's buffed body and bare torso, which will keep any female viewer interested.

Fans will be delighted by the long awaited debut of Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit, played by the charismatic Taylor Kitsch. He doesn't disappoint. We are also very briefly introduced to Emma Frost (White Queen), a young Scott Summers (Cyclops) and some other mutants. But they disappear almost as quickly as they are introduced.

The cast has been well chosen. Liev Schreiber is a standout as Victor Creed, perfecting the character's ferocity, anger and strength. Danny Huston is convincingly as Stryker. Ryan Reynolds is amusing as Wade Wilson, the katana-wielding, fast-mouthed mercenary. Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) has lived up to the hype of Gambit's debut with a charming, witty portrayal.

Fans of the X-Men comics will no doubt poke holes in the story line of this movie. Fans of the other X-Men movies will find it to be a sufficient, entertaining prequel. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a good overall movie experience that will be best seen on the big screen to fully take in the epic sets and story.