Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston
Directed by: Gavin Hood
Rating: ★★★½
Every X-Men fan has waited for this moment for a long time, and have finally been granted what they wanted: Wolverine solo! Everybody’s favourite mutant finally gets his own movie: all about him! He is, after all, the best character in the X-Men (you can argue with me all you want, I don’t care), and was certainly the best part about the X-Men trilogy (although I do love Hallie Berry who should hopefully have her own X-Men film about her character Storm being made soon), mainly because the dynamic and enigmatic Hugh Jackman steals every scene he is in.
Wolverine’s premise is that he is a mutant, he has a brother called Sabretooth (Schreiber) and they are somehow almost immortal, and in a very slick and stylish opening we see how they have fought in every American war, enjoying the killing and destruction because it is the only thing they know how to do well. Then we come to the (almost) modern period, and Wolverine and Sabretooth join a gang of other mutants who go around attacking people until one day he discovers that his brother loves killing a little too much (dun dun dun!) and so quits. And then the rest of the film is about how he gets his steel claws and tries to get hunt his brother down.
The plot isn’t too important, because as we know what is going to happen (if you have seen the first X-Men films then you know how this one will end), we just want to see how it happens.
The action begins and never stops, with car chases, explosions, fighting and escaping, all the way through to the action packed but slightly confusing ending. The ending is pretty spectacular even though it doesn’t really make a whole lot of sense, but it is an adrenaline filled pulse pounding climax, which is unusually unique and different from other action films. I loved the fact that the action was non-stop: it is about time that good action films made a come back. Luckily there isn’t too much character development, as Wolverine’s character endears himself to us through screaming and fighting, but when he meets the woman who melts his iron heart, we do see a more tender side to him, adding depth to this savage beast.
All of the supporting cast are enjoyable to watch (although I have no idea why the man from Black Eyed Peas is in it- but at least he isn’t too bad), with loads of X-Men characters making brief appearances (including a special guest star!). Liev Schreiber is very good as Sabretooth, relishing every second he has on screen, but X-Men Origins: Wolverine is Hugh Jackman’s show, and he is content to let everyone know that: thrashing and smashing his way through every moment. I am very happy to say that Gambit, an X-Men favourite who fans have been waiting to see for a long time, lives up to the hype surrounding his character, and is pretty awesome, delivering everything you want and expect him to.
I can see why people wouldn’t like this film. It is very much an all action not much plot type of movie, and if you enjoyed X-Men 2 then I’m not sure how much you would like this. I do have to point out that as good as the film is, there is a huge, glaringly obvious and unbelievably stupid plot hole that doesn’t really make much sense at all, and instead of it being a ‘twist’ at the end, it is just confusing and deters you momentarily from the enjoyment (and by the way- stay until the credits have rolled to see an additional ending). But other then that, there aren’t really any other criticisms I have for it: being an action movie and superhero movie fan I had a really great time and liked being involved in the pure spectacle of the whole thing. It is very unique for an action film, and so adds another dimension of vitality and freshness which means you are never bored. But just because the style of the film is original doesn’t mean they don’t avoid cringingly painful cliché moments, usually involving Jackman screaming in angst.
Hugh Jackman and the rest of the Marvel team have really done well to make this a success, and with the next X-Men Origins film coming out in a year or so I am waiting to see if Magneto can live up to Wolverine (I doubt it!). The only question I was left wondering as I left the cinema was when the next Wolverine film is coming out: because if it is anything like this one then I will be first in line to see it!
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