Let me start by saying that any bad reviews you’ve seen about X-Men Origins: Wolverine should be completely ignored. Anyone who likes comic books, comic book movies, action movies and blockbuster popcorn flicks in general will enjoy this movie. My expectations were not that high for this movie with all the negative press surrounding it, but I’m happy to report that I really enjoyed it. In fact I liked it better than any of the other X-Men movies and I’m a big fan of those.
First up the acting was just fine. Hugh Jackman as always plays the character he was born to play with great skill and efficiency. Whether it is a tender moment for Wolverine or one featuring his trademark berserker rage, Jackman draws us in and makes us believe what we are watching. In fact, any time he is on screen (most of the movie); you can’t take your eyes off of him. Liev Schreiber gives a brilliant performance as Victor (Sabretooth), Wolverine’s twisted, psychotic brother. Schreiber has such an evil glint in his eyes that his evil practically drips off the screen. He may be one of the best on screen villains of all time. A special shout out for Ryan Reynolds as sword wielding mutant, Deadpool. His role is brief, but he makes the best of it and leaves you wanting for more. Hopefully it will pay off for Reynolds and audiences everywhere and Deadpool will get his own movie just as the rumors have suggested. The rest of the cast including Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan and Taylor Kitsch, to name but a few, give fine performances as well.
Director Gavin Hood displays great technical skill and also does a great job of keeping the movie moving along at a brisk pace. As far as the action sequences go, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is on its game, big time. There are quite a few major action sequences and fights and in a word they are all AWESOME. Each fight is choreographed brilliantly and they are a thrill to behold. It almost felt like there was more action in this movie than the entire X-Men trilogy combined; the film is quite the visceral rush. As far as the storyline goes, Wolverine was just right, easy to follow while also being very faithful to the source material and it included quite a few twists as well. In fact a large chunk of the characters back story is told in the first few minutes of the movie in an excellent montage that sets the stage for the growing feud between the two brothers. The movie really succeeds on all levels. Is it the best comic book film I’ve ever seen? No, but it is quite the treat nonetheless.
I don’t really have any theories as to why the movie is being panned by so many critics other than that perhaps they were looking for Wolverine to reinvent the wheel or break the mold of super hero flicks of the past like The Dark Knight and Watchmen did. It doesn’t. Seriously though, does every new super hero movie have to break new ground? That seems to me like an impossible standard that will leave you disappointed 90% of the time. To sum it up, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is as fun and exciting as Iron Man or any of the Spider-Man or X-Men films; and that in my opinion is very esteemed company indeed.
