X-Men Origins: Wolverine
continues the downward slide of the X-Men film franchise -
a very sad thing indeed. I am a big fan of the X-Men trilogy,
including the much-maligned third film. Although Brett Ratner
was unable to sustain the fluid panache of Bryan Singer's first two
entries in the series, X-Men: The Last Stand was a compelling
enough movie, strengthened by a subversive plot, strong performances,
and a brilliantly-handled final shot. The idea of the X-Men
Origins series of prequels and spin-offs is a smart one, and it
wouldn't have required much brainstorming to launch the series with
the backstory of the franchise's most popular character. Unfortunately,
Wolverine's background is well-covered in X2: X-Men United,
and the remaining holes aren't particularly interesting. Nevertheless,
X-Men Origins: Wolverine wastes no time filling them with crap.
The pre-credits sequence establishes
James Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Victor Creed/Sabertooth (Liev
Schreiber) as brothers, growing up in 1840s Canada. We follow
them through history, as they fight side-by-side in a number of wars,
while the credits roll. Following their service in Vietnam, they
are approached by Major William Stryker (Danny Huston), who offers them
a special mission. Stryker's team of mutants wreaks havoc worldwide
in service of the major's own twisted goals - which ultimately involves
the co-opting of mutant powers in order to eradicate the mutants themselves.
Disillusioned, Logan leaves Stryker's team for the backwoods of Canada,
where he works as a lumberjack and lives with his girlfriend, Kayla
(Lynn Collins). Creed locates and attacks Kayla, and Stryker tempts
Logan back with the promise to aid his revenge on Creed. Logan
then assents to having adamantium grafted to his skeleton, making him
into the virtually indestructible Wolverine of the first three films.
However, as Logan learns Stryker's true intentions - and of his
collusion with Creed - his mission becomes clearer and the fight is
on.
Dense plotting does not mean
good plotting, and little that happens in Wolverine makes any
kind of sense. I expect more from the generally talented David
Benioff, who was the first writer on the film. (In his defense,
he has only a co-writing credit here, so I assume his work was much
tampered with). Inconsistencies, plot holes, and oddities abound.
Kayla appears out of nowhere, then is suddenly taken away, then reappears
again. An elderly couple are casually assassinated. Logan
screams a lot while baring his claws. Sabertooth and Wolverine
run at each other - more screaming - and fight over and over and
over again. There is also a scene with Logan facing Fred Dukes
in a boxing ring that is just plain bizarre.
Not only are things weird and
repetitive - all while we learn nothing about the characters - but
this just doesn't feel like an X-Men story. With the
possible exception of the last twenty minutes, when there are a few
glimpses of the X-Men world of the trilogy, Wolverine
plays more like a watered-down First Blood than a superhero adventure.
Motivations are largely vengeful, without any of the sense of wonder
that characterizes the best of the superhero genre. Sadly, even
the action sequences are unsatisfying and unimaginative. The fights
are all exactly the same, and the bigger set pieces are marred by surprisingly
unfinished-looking CGI effects. (There's some pretty half-assed
rear projection work, too.) The final fight atop a nuclear cooling
tower belongs in a video game and is totally devoid of any sense of
danger. On the plus side, there are a few compelling visual ideas,
but they are too briefly seen to undo the impression left by the sub-par
effects.
The actors don't feel committed
- the performances are half-hearted, and that goes for Jackman's,
too, and he helped produce. The messy, incomplete script, and
shoddy attention to visual effects in a movie that would normally focus
heavily on them, bespeaks a production under studio pressure and manipulation.
It's hard to blame South African director Gavin Hood, who won an Academy
Award for Tsotsi in 2005, and received acclaim for Rendition
in 2007. He was likely in over his head directing a studio-controlled
genre picture that doesn't really suit him. I am sure he will
revert to better things. Still, it's hard to credit the lack
of imagination or fun in Wolverine. Driven by Singer, who
was involved through preproduction of The Last Stand, the trilogy
shared strong, specific themes and vision. Now, the franchise
flounders as it searches for a point of view - I hope someone finds
it before the next inevitable entry in the potentially wonderful
X-Men Origins series.
The DVD
The
Video
The enhanced 2.35:1 transfer looks close to pristine. The
image shows good contrast, showcasing the interesting - if dark -
color palette chosen by director Hood. The overall visual presentation
is hampered by the aforementioned lackluster special effects, but the
transfer is solid.
The Audio
The 5.1 surround track is bold and effectively active. Surrounds
are decent, even though the mix gets a little busy at times. The
good score by the dependable Harry Gregson-Williams is occasionally
lost amid the sound effects. Alternate Spanish and French stereo
tracks are available, too.
The Extras
There
are two commentary tracks: one with director Gavin Hood, and
one with producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter. Then
there is a great Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein, where
the legendary comics writer discusses the origins of Wolverine.
Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
briefly looks at the making of the film. A few short deleted
scenes round out the extras. One of these is a scene extension
with an appearance by a young Storm - it looks really silly, though,
and was wisely cut.
Final
Thoughts
Brett Ratner first, now Gavin
Hood - who will be the next director to be blamed by legions of fanboys
for fucking up the X-Men series? I personally don't blame
either director, but an anxious studio unable to resist overworking
a big-budget tentpole picture. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
is a missed opportunity. Completist fans may want this for their
collections, but most everyone else should just rent it.
Casey Burchby is a writer and editor who lives in San Jose, CA.
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