Summer Movie Review - X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

May 10, 2009

While I may not have the biting witicism of a Roger Ebert or the perfectly quaffed mustache and hair-do matched set of Gene Shalit, I do know what I like when it comes to summer movies.

Granted were not talking about Oscar-caliber, plot-intensive, exposition pieces fit for your typical book discussion group over Earl Gray tea and finger sandwiches. These are SUMMER movies people! It's check your brain at the door and mainline the entertainment factor. Surprisingly though the two flicks I have seen thus far not only deliver on the wow and the pow but they also do a marvelous job of telling and really advancing their storylines.

Lets begin with X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. I will be the first to admit I love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Even though the previous three installments of the X-Men movies collectively left me a bit wanting, I definitely felt Jackman's portrayal of the animalistic, ascerbic and yet closet-compassionate Logan carried those films. Having grown up with that comic book I always imagined Wolverine's voice, mannerisms and attitude on-screen would have a certain edge to it without being borderline psychopathic. Jackman definitely is the incarnation of the Chris Claremont, John Byrne or Frank Miller character come to life!

I loved seeing the early story of Logan from his childhood days when he first discovers his mutant abilities (that of quick healing powers and a set of bone claws protruding from each of his hands). Secrets revealing his actual age and family history (particularly his relationship with arch-nemesis Sabretooth) are definite treats for the "die-hards". I'm also pleased with the manner in which the director portrays Logan's not-so-distant past by using the opening credits as a vehicle to stylistically reveal a long and jaded history of serving country and cause in combat in a series of wars from Revolutionary times to Vietnam.

Much like Batman Begins, seeing the process of how Logan was transformed into Weapon X (his Canadian Special Ops surname), including the brutal method in which his skeleton was bonded with the indestructable metal adamantium, was extremely cool to see.

It finishes strong with a couple of nice "easter eggs" for the die-hards including an unexpected cameo by an old friend from the original three movies as well as some nice foreshadowing to the content of a potential sequel (rejoice fans of the Frank Miller Wolverine four-book mini-series); that is, if you're patient enough to stay through all the credits.

Like it's featured hero, this movie is not perfect. The combat sequences throughout the film, though exhilirating, for the most part really seemed far too fantastic to believe. Granted were talking about a super hero movie here but I just felt some of the action seemed a bit too cartoonish or even laughable. Movies like The Dark Knight and the original Spiderman have amazing action sequences but are grounded in a certain air of realism as well. I think this movie misses the mark with that.

With the exception of Sabretooth, the other mutant characters in this movie are fairly shallow players in advancing the story significantly. Reme Lebeau (aka Gambit) and the Blob are really the only two notables from the original books. I was hoping for a stroll down memory lane with Logan's old pal Jimmy Hudson as Guardian, the original leader of the Canadian based Alpha Flight that Wolverine had ties to in the comic series. (Or maybe I just wanted to see how that skin-tight Canadian flag body suit would look on the big screen.)

Also, if I can put my "Comic Book Guy" from The Simpsons hat on here, I thought the CGI on Wolverine's claws was weak. (Worst CGI ever!) Could they not find someone to try and find some metal swatches to photo-realistically match the computer generated claws to? I know that's picky but they did it in the other three movies.

Two things I'm not big on in my summer action movies...kids (see also: Indiana Jones' Short-Round and Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace's Anakin Skywalker) and love stories. While the kid factor was fairly absent from this movie (with the exception of a younger Scott Summers revealing the origin of another X-Men alum, Cyclops) the love story was very prevalent and very misplaced. I understand the need to foreshadow the origin of some of Logan's animal rage but it definitely seemed very manufactured; and in typical Hollywood style they managed to play the old soap opera-esque "shell game" with your mind on that one too (i.e. Tony Almeida's amazing recovery from death in this past season of 24). You'll see what I mean when you go to see it.

I don't assign stars or thumbs or anything in my movie reviews but I definitely do encourage you to see this movie! You'll certainly appreciate it more if you're already a veteran fan of the movies or the comic but even newbies I think can enjoy X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE for what it is - a blow you out the back of the theater summer action movie.

STAR TREK review next time...that's what we call a tease.