Piper's Perspective DVD Review: X-Men Origins - Wolverine

Posted by Ben Piper on 09.28.2009

Snikt!

Hugh Jackman: Logan/ Wolverine
Liev Schreiber: Victor Creed
Danny Huston: William Stryker
Will.I.Am: John Wraith
Lynn Collins: Kayla Silverfox
Kevin Durand: Fred Dukes/ Blob
Dominic Monaghan: Chris Bradley/ Bolt
Taylor Kitsch: Remy LeBeau/ Gambit
Ryan Reynolds: Wade Wilson/ Deadpool

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some partial nudity
Screenplay by David Benioff and Skip Woods
Directed by Gavin Hood



X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the fourth installment of the big screen X-Men movie franchise. As the title indicates the plot revolves around the origin story of the most popular of the X-Men characters. This single disc release is now available everywhere DVDs are sold.

The Film

I must admit at the start that I grew up on comic books, primarily Marvel Comics. So over the past decade as Marvel properties have been brought to the big screen I eagerly awaited each release, and more often than not, was quite pleased with the product that was delivered. (not to say that there weren’t any clunkers in the mix, as well.)

However, when Wolverine was released early in May of 2009, I just had a nagging feeling that I’d prefer to wait for it to arrive on DVD than spend ten bucks to see it in the theaters.

After having now seen it, I made the right choice. Don’t get me wrong, I do not think that this is as horrible a movie as I was led to believe by the multiple reviews and fan criticisms I’ve read. But I happen to think that it isn’t all that great, either. After I completed watching the movie, I felt both weirdly ambivalent and indifferent at the same time. And considering how big a fan I am of this character going all the way back to my youth, and my varying enjoyment of the first three installments of the franchise, that is a problematic dilemma to have when you really want to like and/or recommend a movie, because ultimately one finds that he just can’t.

Obviously, Hugh Jackman is back playing the role that put him on the map. And at this point, the viewer almost takes him for granted that he will be great in the role. And he of course is. Of that there is little doubt. He obviously cares greatly and is passionate about the character, and he does his best to deliver his best performance possible, and that shows.

Joining him this time out is Liev Schreiber in the role of his half-brother Victor Creed, who eventually winds up being one of the villains in the piece. While not as physically imposing as Tyler Mane, who played the same role in the original X-Men, Schreiber does a lot of heavy lifting with what little he is given to do, simply by the considerable acting chops at his disposal. He makes Creed a credible and believable threat just with his charisma and fleshes out the character the best that he can, elevating him from the brutish thug that was seen in the original movie into more of a fully realized character this time out.

Danny Huston also provides solid work as the devious Maj. William Stryker, who recruits both Logan and Creed early on in the movie to join his squad of mutant mercenaries. When Logan catches on that Stryker is really up to no good, he bolts from the team, with a promise from his half-brother that there will be consequences for his actions.

Logan then finds solace and sanctuary in the arms of a woman named Kayla, but the peace in his life is soon shattered when it appears that she’s murdered at the hands of Creed, which then sends things into hyperdrive, resulting in his rejoining with Stryker which leads to his skeleton being infused with adamantium, to his going on the run from Stryker and his cronies, so on and so forth.

It may be a case of studio tampering (Cause Fox has never been guilty of that crime before, he states sarcastically) but this just comes off to me as a mostly disjointed effort. Director Gavin Hood does a proper job of setting the story up (including a rather good opening montage of Logan and Creed fighting side by side throughout numerous wars dating back to the American Civil War) but it becomes decidedly clear that while he is adept at setting up situations proficiently, the follow through proves to be a bitch.

Throughout the movie they pile on action sequence upon action sequence, most of which doesn’t comes across as remotely believable in light of some bad CGI and obvious wire-work at play. Not to mention the obvious disregard in both counts in terms of believable real-world physics.

And yes, before you decry me for saying it, there’s a specific difference between good wire-work (like say, Iron Man) and bad wire-work, which is present in heavy display here. And the argument “It’s a comic book movie” doesn’t hold weight, as I’ve seen countless other comic book movies that employ wire-work that don’t come off this cheesy. Any scene or action sequence in this movie will be chugging along famously until it happens, some over the top (in a bad way) moment that takes this viewer out of the enjoyment of what’s going on.

Another problem in this movie plagued X-Men 3 as well, an infusion of new yet mostly superfluous characters, most of which are unremarkable in either their powers or their personalities. They mostly exist to be served up as fodder for either Logan or Creed along the way as the movie progresses.

The two most notable are Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, and Friday Night Lights’ Taylor Kitsch as Gambit. But even they are both in their own way misused greatly. Reynolds shows up for a cup of coffee in the first act to let us all know what the character can do and is capable of, and then he disappears until the final act, at which point another actor takes over the part.

And while Kitsch is game in his role, his Cajun accent is inconsistent at best. His inclusion, like Reynold’s was nothing more than a glorified cameo. While I admit it was cool to see the Gambit character included, he is completely out of place in this storyline and was only introduced simply because they could, and not because it was needed or required.

While there are things to like about Wolverine there is so much more that discounts any and all the good will I have built up for it. As such, this movie is a great disappointment, and as such I cannot recommend it in good faith.

Video

Presented in widescreen 2.35:1 ratio. It’s a good, crisp transfer that looks really good.

Audio

Presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish and French in Dolby Surround, and subtitled in both English and Spanish. A really good audio track here that will make the best use of a home theater system, considering all the explosions, fight scenes, and over the top action carnage that takes place.

Extras

Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins- (12:03)

“I’m the best there is at what I do. And what I do, isn’t nice”

This is a basic “making of’ extra, that begins with the quote above before producer Lauren Shuler-Donner brings up the fact that she and Hugh Jackman talked about bringing the famous Japanese comic book storyline to the big screen during the filming of X-2, at which point they pitched they idea to the studio. They loved it, but they wanted to do an origin story first. In regards to making this movie, Hugh Jackman proclaims that he wanted to make everything “ bigger and better”. This entire segment puts Jackman over with regards to his dedication to the role. According the stunt co-ordinater he did 98% of his own stuff. Overall, this is a short but pretty decent feature that makes Jackman out to be the one guy you can hang your hat on….

Trailers: Previews for the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of I Love You Beth Cooper as well as Dollhouse: Season 1. Also included on the disc is the theatrical trailer for Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief which will be released in spring of 2010, plus DVD and Blu Ray releases for Family Guy’s Empire Strikes Back episode to be released in December of this year, Night At the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, The Marine 2, The X-Men Trilogy and Sons Of Anarchy: Season One.

Score:
Film: 5.5
Video: 9.0
Audio: 9.0
Extras: 3.0

The 411: X-Men Origins Wolverine isn't as bad as I heard, but still has a lot going against it. Overall it's an effort that seems to come off as disjointed; for everything the movie does right, there's a glaring misstep that manages to negate any positives. This bare bones release only has one significant bonus feature and no commentary track. Unless you're a Marvel completist, I'd suggest you skip this one.

Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]