125 of 179 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hooray for loud and shiny things!, July 15, 2009
I want to get this out first, I love the comics. I think none of these movies are anywhere close to represent the X-men as they are in the comics. That said, I think these movies exist in a different world that has nothing to do with the 616, except for the characters names and most their powers. I have no problems with these movies; X-men 1 and 2 were very entertaining action movies. But even those movies should have been called, "Wolverine 'N Pals", because they didn't focus on the X-men, but on Wolverine's interaction with the other characters. My expectations of this movie were not based on the comics themselves, but on the previous movie storylines. I knew in my heart that Hollywood would somehow find a way to rape the image of one of my favorite characters in the Marvel Universe, Deadpool. So when "Weapool 11" popped up at the end I wasn't even surprised they would do something that silly. I read an interview a long time ago that about X-men 1 that the producers had to fight to have Cyclops wear the visor because the director didn't like it. So, I am not surprised nor bothered by the fact that these Hollywood interpretations don't have a clue about how these characters should be handled. I did like the previous movies (except 3), and understand that this is merely a diferent interpretation of these characters.
Wolverine Origins or, "Wolverine 'N Pals 4; how this mess began", is a very entertaining movie. But it fails to deliver a comprehensible story line. A lot of the story doesn't make any sense. The movie,( as you might be have been clued to know), is about Wolverines origins, its shows you where he came from and how his powers manifested, leading to spending a long part of his life with his half brother Sabertooth, whom we were introduced to in the 1st X-men. After many adventures and wars, the pair ends up joining a military group of people with superpowers led by Stryker. On one of the missions, Wolverine angered by Sabertooth's actions leaves the group to pursue a nicer lifestyle. This is when he falls in love with Silverfox and the pair lives happily for a while. Many years later Sabertooth comes back in a killing rampage taking out some old members of Stryker's group, and Wolverine's love is killed during this. To get his revenge, Wolverine agrees to have done on him an experimental procedure that with give him metal plated bones.
Not bad right? Love, family, betrayal and revenge. All the stuff to make a great story. This is where it doesn't add up. For those of you that don't want "Spoilers" please don't read, as I might give away some plot details.
-After wolverine finds Silverfox dead, Wolverine a veteran of many wars, doesn't check to make sure she is in fact dead? Why did he leave her body there in the field? Couldnt't his enhanced smell detect the fake blood? Was it her manipulation power that convinced him to just move on instead of taking her to a medic.
-If she can manipulate people by touch, how the hell didn't she manipulate Stryker in letting her sister or any of the other kids go? She spends 7 years of her life with Wolvie and doesn't manipulate him, and indestructible man, to kill Stryker? Was she having to much fun maybe?
-After Wolverine has adamantium put on his bones and escapes to visit the "Kents", why on earth would Stryker send Maverick with a rifle to shoot a man that can't die with metal bones? Was he going to shoot through an eyeball from a helicopter? He missed pretty badly by the way, twice. Superman gonna be angry when he goes home to visit.
-Its revealed that Silverfox wasn't killed by Sabertooth yet after Sabertooth saves Wolverine from falling off the cooling tower, Wolverine tells him "this doesn't change anything". Why? She's not dead. She fooled you. He saves you from falling and having your butt kicked but Weapon 11, why the hell are you still mad at him?
-Stryker failed to wipe Wolverine's memories so the solution is to shoot a guy with metal on his skull on his head? How the hell does that work? How did he know it would work?
-Why did the most powerful telepath (Professor X) not control someone inside the 3 mile island release the kids? Why wait 7 years and then help. Why didn't he do that stop time thing from the previous movies so he can save the kids? Where was Magneto? Doesnt he care about abused mutant kids? (One of the restrained kids looked like Quicksilver, who is Magnetos son in the comics)
-How come those kids couldn't get away on their own? What was that chain link fence cage they were in made of? Adamantium?
-Why was Gambit hanging out in a casino, when he knew he was being looked for by Stryker? How was it that Stryker can't find him in a long time and yet Wolverine finds him in a day? Maybe Stryker didn't want him anymore. Maybe they couldn't persuade the Blob to talk?
-Why add the scene in the end where Stryker is going to be arrested for his crimes, when we well know that he was a high ranking military official in X-men 2?
Well these are most of the plot points from the movie that just don't make any sense. It's ok for an action movie to be extremely silly and self referential in that way. For example in Transformers when they have the teen kid take the cube and the alien so they can hide in the populated city, one of the characters mentions how dumb that idea is. They make no excuses in this movie, and just because it's "supposed" to be a dumb action movie, there is no justification for the producers of this movie to assume their viewers are idiots, and won't care about a story plot that doesn't make any sense. Which, apparently they are correct because this movie made a boatload of cash. I will not act like there is nothing wrong with this movie just because it's flashy and has lost of explosions.
In my arrogant opinion, it's a onetime watcher. This is not a boring movie by far, yes, it's a lot of fun and tons of action and the movie's cast was really great. But the story is convoluted and nonsensical, it seems to take the audience for granted. So, if you want to enjoy this mess, just ignore the entire story and watch the shiny stuff happening on screen.
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17 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wolverine is So Cool!, October 13, 2009
"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was a great movie. I am not one to usually review movies, as I'm more of a book buff, but it was so good that I had to comment.
Taking my love of the X-Men comic books series aside, the movie was fantastic. There was a ton of action, many open endings (which can be taken both ways, see below), and so much action was covered. I loved the CGI, though at times it was obvious. His claws were a bit too cartoon-y, and even in the scene of his first lumberjack job, the bulk machines were obviously not really there. Also, in the scene with Gambit in the alley, obviously CGI- but I don't really expect the guy to climb the walls in real life.
Loved the scenes with Hugh Jackman during Stryker's experiment, but thought the director was trying a little too hard to make Wolverine a love-struck sissy boy. I mean, Logan is like Bruce Wayne in Batman. He's hardcore, strong, and revenge-driven. Maybe Batman vs. Wolverine isn't the best description, but... hey, I hope you get my point. Maybe I don't remember the comics as well as I believe I do, but I thought the whole Wolverine vs. Sabertooth was due to the dad killings, not the girl.
I don't remember many of the characters they brought up, like Wolverine's girl- I don't remember her in the comics, but maybe she came up in a later edition that I just haven't read yet? I was thankful that they showed that Wolverine volunteered for Stryker's experiment, as it is true to the comics.
I wish they made the movie longer because it's hard to keep everything straight with years in between while we're waiting on the movie productions. The Blob I would have loved more story on. As well as Gambit. Even Omega Red (? Didn't name him ?) (Weapon XI) would have benefited from a little more of a story. I was disappointed to see it ended just as the next movies began, but I guess that's expected. I wanted more of Cyclops as well.
Liev Schreiber did a great job of protraying Sabertooth. Though he was not the same actor who cameo-ed Sabertooth in X-Men I (or was it X II?), I will accept him as the future Sabertooth.
The movie seemed short, they overused Wolverine's CGI claws a little too much at the beginning, but... overall I was impressed with the story, the acting, and the true-to-the-books plot.
I can't wait for the next origins (I've heard it's Storm next?) and I want more more more of Wolverine's story. He is my favorite character in the comics. I think this is one of the movies that Jackman can get right when it comes to his acting skills. His portrayal of Wolverine (throughout all of the XMen movies) has been stellar, even if it is a bit sappy.
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25 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rambo meets Superman in the land of the X-Men, January 1, 2010
X-Men Origins: Wolverine sheds light on events that took place prior to the original X-Men movie. The film takes us back to James "Jimmie" Logan's childhood where a very young Wolverine is forced to flee with his older brother following an unfortunate chain of events leading to the death of his father and stepfather. His troubles however, have only just begun...
Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and the rest of the cast, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least, however, there is a very noticeable absence of attractive women that we have become accustomed to in previous X-Men films (such as Famke Janssen, Halle Berry, and Rebecca Romijn among others).
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is very well written and very well presented, and thus allows for a highly entertaining movie that can be watched over again. The setting, the plot, the dialogues, the action, and the music are all good.
In short, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection. KEEP'EM COMING!
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