The X-Men franchise returns with an origin story of its main character Wolverine, and the end result is a fun, action filled summer movie that gets the season off on the right foot.
James Howlett was born in the early 1800’s, a consistently sick boy; his father is murdered by vengeful neighbor who is father to his good friend Victor. Howlett in a rage attacks Victor’s father, stabbing and killing him with claws that appear between his knuckles on his hands. With the man’s dying breath, Victor and James learn that they actually share a father and the two begin to go on the run after James’ ability is revealed to the disgust of his family. The two then spend the next 130 some odd years living side by side, fighting in every “great” war over that time before eventually finding themselves in Vietnam. After an act of mutiny and being sentenced to death, they are recruited an hour or two after there execution had been carried out, both brothers posses healing powers, by an officer by the name of Stryker who has assembled a special team of similarly advantaged humans to carry out top secret missions. While on a mission in Africa, James has seen enough and leaves the team to live in seclusion in the Canadian Rockies. Living with a local school teacher for a number of years, James is forced back into the game after a series of events unfold and he participates in an experiment which laces his bones with an indestructible metal called adamantium; and takes on the code name Logan/Wolverine. Between the healing powers and his now indestructible skeletal system, Wolverine is a weapon unlike any other, seemingly impervious to death and hell bent on hunting down his brother Victor who’s actions have put Wolverine back into action.
Gavin Hood directs this origin story and for a first time big budget director, he does a pretty good job with the picture. The movie is a hair under two hours and that does the film a favor, as it never overstays its welcome. The pace is quick and the action is frequent and the set pieces are all fairly impressive. The humor in the film almost always hit and is not overbearing or out of place. It is all character appropriate and never a cheap gag out of know where. Actually one complaint I have is the lack of a couple more scenes of the two funnier and fun characters in the film. Wade Wilson and Gambit are not in the film nearly enough, and both are easily likeable and established characters that could easily carry their own films if given to them; both the actors playing them and the characters themselves.
The story holds together alright for the most part as well. A couple of third act issues where things begin to get a bit shaky with how they bring everything together being a bit throw together, but it holds true never breaking into absurdity; above and beyond the absurdity of a comic book film in the first place that is. In fact, all of the stuff with Wolverine’s origin up until the film needs another plot about half way through is very well done. One other minor complaint to Fox on this though, there are a couple of laughably bad effects shots in the film, which is almost inexcusable for this type of picture in this day and age. Especially a long take that focuses on his claws once donned with metal, that shot needs to look money, but it was the worst effects shot in the film. Also, some of the dialogue is a bit stale and stereotypical in a couple critical scenes, would have been nice to have had just a bit better writing and knocked out a couple corny lines.
What really helps this film is the stellar casting from head to toe. Danny Huston plays Stryker and is great as he always is in that not good but not bad role, and is very good at convincing people into his web of deception. Liev Schreiber is nasty and a lot of fun as Sabertooth/Victor Creed, just oozing charisma through the screen and a blast to watch work every time he was on screen. He gets arguably the second most screen time to Jackman, but you are left wanting even more. Taylor Kitsch breaks out of being Riggins on Friday Night Lights and I think will appease fan boys in the long awaited appearance of Gambit to the screen. He does a good Cajun accent, has the physical prowess and swagger needed for the character and is funny as hell when he needs to be; show me a Gambit movie! Speaking of spin-offs, Show me a Wade Wilson/Deadpool movie ASAP. Ryan Reynolds is hilarious and badass in the role and there was just totally not enough of him in the picture, as he is a part of Stryker’s team and is a non-factor for the most part once they disband. Dominic Monaghan is also solid in his brief appearances as a member of Stryker’s team, as is fellow Lost vet Kevin Durand who plays the Blob and has a couple of good lines and does a good job of looking like a badass even with layers of makeup on him. Lynn Collins is applicable as Kayla, Logan’s flame school teacher, as are the couple of other featured mutants who play a young Cyclops and Emma Frost. Finally, Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. No one else could play this character ever, I think, and he is a pitch perfect representation of the character. Funny, ferocious, and a bit of a son of a bitch, Jackman gets it, and for that we should be extremely appreciative.
In the end, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a successful summer action movie that does everything it is supposed to well. The story might be a bit weak in the later half, but the action is solid, fun, and plentiful. There is just the right amount of comedy for the characters involved and the films moves along at a nice whip pace. Any minor complaints are shaken from the sheer entertainment of it all and getting to see Jackman play Wolverine again. The cast is full of great actors and they all shine, and while this isn’t the best film in the franchise, hard to touch X2, it is a fine comic book film and might be the second best X-Men film.
Wolverine is a B-