X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie review
Score: 7/10
First off, I've been waiting for a Wolverine movie for 20+ years. I remember reading rumors about Sylvester Stallone playing Wolverine, and cringing at the thought. Then this unknown Aussie gets in role in X-Men, a guy who was much too tall and not stocky enough to play Wolverine. But he was awesome at the role, and all was finally right in my geeky little universe.
So after a fairly mediocre X-Men: The Last Stand, I was hopeful that the X-Men universe would get a reboot in a positive way. I can say it did, but with some caveats.
What worked: Hugh. He's very good at playing Logan, with all the complexity of that character. He can be both human and animal in the same scene. Some of the other acting was very good (including Liev Schrieber as Sabertooth and Danny Huston as William Stryker). The story was also tight and understandable. And a few of the action sequences were amazing, especially the motorcycle fight sequence.
What didn't work: Most of the special effects. There were a few very fake looking sequences, which is unforgivable with a budget this large. Especially the last fight scene, which was too poorly done to be the climactic moment it should have been. There were also too many characters, though they did a decent job of balancing them; it was as if Fox/Marvel wanted to introduce as many characters as possible, and give Ryan Reynolds a very small part as Deadpool, but set him up for a potential sequel.
Who would want to see it: Comic book geeks like me, anyone who liked the other X-Men films, and action-film junkies. You might not want to see it if you are a Marvel fan who was offended by the liberties they took in the first three X-Films. They go even farther afield on this one. And if you don't like PG-13 violence, stay away.
Closing credits: Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was good escapist entertainment with a character I really like. But it could have been better. So did they regain momentum after X-Men: The Last Stand? Yes, but there's still a ways too go before this franchise eclipses the recent accomplishments of Batman and Iron Man.
Your title is "Chicks Dig Claws" but you didn't mention the fairer sex in your article. Did your wife like it? Was it Hugh Jackman's presence or the captivating storyline that helped her get passed the violence? We ladies in the audience need your advice.
ReplyDeleteMy wife liked it. She of course liked Hugh Jackman, but she also enjoyed the storyline and character development.
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