Review of X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) by Mitchell B — 28 Feb 2016

Rife with speculation, key scene reshoots and editing, re-recording of dialogue, late viewings to critics, studio interference and the leaked unpolished pre-release copy to cyberspace all adds up to the telltale signs of a project in trouble.

Or does it simply add up to an exemplary crafted, guerrilla style marketing ploy? Drumming up free advertising, intrigue and excitement?

X-Men Origins, Wolverine simply explodes with ballistic action, interweaving comic book fantasy storytelling and artful special effects. Marvel's stylised plastic CGI is neglected (with some dreadful exceptions) and a more realistic and relatable tone is present.

The butt-numbingly long super-hero epics of late (talking to you Watchmen) have nothing on 98 minute more natural and humanistic style. In this instalment, Marvel enhances the Previous X-Men Franchise by exploring one of its most Iconic characters, Wolverine.

Mid 1850's, a sickly James Logan (Trove Sivan, Hugh Jackman) witnesses a drunken altercation in which his father is murdered. Overwhelmed, the child breaks into an uncontrollable rage where his superhuman mutant capability is inadvertently revealed in avenging his father's death.

Only to find out the murderer was his biological father, Logan flees but is joined by his also gifted brother Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber). Living out their never ageing lives in penance, the brothers enlist in the "normal" people's endless wars and lead the charge into every major conflict from the American Civil war through Vietnam.

The brother's extraordinary efforts are noticed and they are recruited to join a nefarious government special ops team of mutant mercenaries under the leadership of General William Stryker (Danny Huston). However, disgusted by their appetite for bloodlust and atrocities against the innocent civilian population, Logan turns his back on the team and abandons Victor.

After years of finding peace and enjoying a quiet lumberjack life in the Canadian Rockies with girlfriend Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) Stryker pays a visit. Stryker makes a plea for Logan to rejoin the team, offering assistance in heightening Logan's abilities. (Acute senses, protruding bone claws and the ability to self heal).

Logan declines. The very next day however, a bitter and twisted rogue Victor returns and kills Kayla. Unleashing the animal within craving revenge, Logan willingly accepts Stryker's offer to undergo experimental surgery in which his entire skeleton will be infused with Adamantium making him virtually an indestructible weapon, Wolverine.

However, once the transformation is complete, nothing is as it appears. Stryker's apparent gift was merely a way of harvesting Logan's DNA. In Stryker's quest to eradicate all mutants, (Once again the storyline for X-men 2) Weapon XI is engineered as perfect super-mutant with all the strengths and none of the weaknesses their kind.

This is where the realization that this is a prequel really hits home. Although you are wrapped up in the story as it is unfolding in this specific film, you can help but know everything is going to work out and in the end and Wolverine lives to fight another day. He just won't remember it.

The carefully altered and slightly tweaked crucial storylines has a great continuity considering. Between the tapestries of comic lore, the history of what has already been included in previous X-men films and the excitement to tie in as many new characters as possible is well a balanced.

The only major frustration inducing niggle on this front is that the screen time and character development for some is limited and inadequate. Reaching into the full complexities and realizing the superlative casting choices for such a large cast is unfulfilled.

Ryan Reynolds is a perfect example, with his vivid and flawless characterisation as wisecracking sword-wielding Wade Wilson aka Deadpool and Liev Schreiber pschopathy and menace as Sabretooth is a sheer pleasure to watch.

Sidestepping the Michael Bay-style shaky camera syndrome and the Hans Zimmer hammering score, Director Gavin Hood had the obvious ambition to bring series back from the brink after X-Men 3's gastardly squandered offering.

Hopefully as the series expands, with the release of X-men Origins Magneto, due for release in 2011, we will get to see more of them and how each character and plot line intertwines.

The Verdict: Although there are a few visual missteps, character confusion and incoherency, and the chronological sequencing leaves something to be desired. Origins lives up to the hype and expectations and will put the X-Men Franchise squarely back on track.

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 01/05/2009.