X-Men Origins: Wolverine
uses the backstory of
Hugh Jackman's popular
character to present
the beginnings of the
entire X-Men mythology.
With kinetic special
effects from beginning
to end, and exciting
chemistry between the
various stars, it's
certain to be one of
the most successful
movies in the X-Men
series.
"Wolverine"
begins in the 19th Century,
as the mutant child
Logan displays his transformational
gift for the first time,
killing in a murderous
rage, and escaping with
his older brother Victor,
who carries a mutant
gene of his own.
A cleverly compact title
sequence shows Logan
and Victor as participants
in war after war while
a century passes, during
which they use their
animal ferocity and
regenerative ability
to survive. Victor's
bloodlust becomes an
addiction, until the
brothers' only option
is to join a secret
military unit under
the command of black-ops
Colonel Stryker who
understands (and seeks
to exploit) the powers
of the newly emerging
race of mutants.
The story unfolds in
three intense relationships
that Jackman expresses
with equally convincing
emotion: Logan's burning
rivalry with his brother
Victor, his cold-blooded
oath for revenge on
Stryker, and the passionate
warmth he feels toward
his lover, a charmingly
seductive Native American
woman named Kayla.
In telling the early
tale of the soon-to-be
X-Men, the characters
are portrayed as people
rather than as superheroes,
for the most part, not
yet known by their future
codenames - the aliases
'Sabretooth,' 'Deadpool'
and 'Bolt' are never
mentioned, and most
bear little resemblance
to their comic book
personnas.
The injection of real
human emotion and affecting
characters into this
comicbook story goes
a long way toward raising
Wolverine above the
average superhero movie,
balancing the fun action
sequences of flashy,
Matrix-like special
effects.
Be certain to stay through
the final credits. You'll
first be shown an epilogue
that reveals the fate
of Col. Stryker. At
the very end of the
credits, audiences are
treated to either one
of two different closing
scenes: one of which
involves Logan, the
other showing his nemesis
in the rubble of the
final conflict.
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