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X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

Director: Gavin Hood

Time Out rating

Average user rating

97 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The first in a planned series of ‘X-Men’ prequels, ‘Wolverine’ arrives dogged by a lengthy production process (including a series of extensive and very public reshoots) and by the fact that an early version was leaked online some weeks before the official release. That version – dubbed a ‘workprint’ by the studio, but reportedly similar to the completed cut, barring a few effects shots – has already received a drubbing from those brave enough to admit to having watched it. So how does the finished film stand up?

The plot is thin and largely culled from an established backstory that anyone who's seen 'X2' will be familiar with. After unwittingly murdering his father, young Logan runs away to a life of war and turmoil: deathless and indestructible, Wolverine and his brother Victor, aka Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), are eventually recruited by Danny Huston’s black-ops expert General Stryker for a series of covert missions. But surveillance quickly turns to slaughter, and Logan turns his back on the military. Unfortunately – and predictably – it turns out the military isn’t close to finished with him.

On the plus side, Hugh Jackman is hugely likeable in a role he was born to play, slicing and dicing his way through a series of competent action sequences devised by ‘Rendition’ and ‘Tsotsi’ director Gavin Hood. The opening mapping Wolverine’s journey through a century of warfare, is epic, breathless and brilliant.

But the script is simply disastrous. Overloaded with murky, forgettable characters familiar only to fans of the comics, it’s shot through with both narrative inconsistencies and laughably functional dialogue.

A host of talented supporting players, including Liev Schreiber and Ryan Reynolds, are unforgivably wasted, while crude visual references to both ‘Watchmen’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ only highlight the film’s failed ambitions. With some dire blue-screen effects, dizzying tonal instability and a total absence of suspense or originality, ‘Wolverine’ is something of a disaster.

Author: Tom Huddleston 2009-04-27 18:58:54

Time Out London Issue 2019, May 1-7 2009

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User reviews of this film

Ryan said...

Posted on Jun 28 2009 11:46 need to show more of the others like storm its always wolverine who you see the most in all x-men movies but it was great just let us see more storm and the others

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kevin said...

Posted on Jun 13 2009 00:37 to mark in the origins:wolverine comic woverine does have natural claws he was nor born with them but when he was a child he got realy sick and during when he was realy realy sick he heard noises and went to find out what was going on and saw the grounds keeper logan kill his dad wit a shot gun and in a fit of rage he killed logan after sprouting bone claws from his hands and clawing logans son in the face scaring him you should check it out it explains why he has claws and cant remember his past also pick up wolverine: the end its about wolverines last days so yes wolverine was not born with claws but he did develope them at a young age

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Kelly Cyclops said...

Posted on Jun 01 2009 12:11 This film was very offensive as i have lazer eyes myself .. i culd not see it but by the sound of it i culd tell it was a perfect 10 !!! .. Any1 selling glasses ring me 07526517911

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mark said...

Posted on May 29 2009 10:48 my dislike for this film is a simple "book is better than the movie" scenario. there isnt an xmen or wolverine comic anywhere, that wolverine and gambit are friends. in fact the constantly are at eachothers throats because they NEVER get along. so much, that marvel made a 3 issue wolverine vs. gambit series. gambit has 100% no role in wolverines past. he has a unique and dark past all his own. this is why he is my favorite xman. he is not a friendly person. hes a suave, smart ass, con. hes not a magician, hustler yes, card ticks, no. the only reason he uses cards is because they are small and he gets 52 "bullets" for cheap. his staff is retractable, and its not a helicopter. the cheap shot back hand was not lame. gambit is stupid enough to be bitch slapped. 2. wolverine would NEVER under ANY circumstances work or get along with sabertooth. they are mortal enemies. wolverine rages just at the smell of sabertooth. and they cant kill eachother because they share the same mutant power. and just so everyone knows, wolverine was not born with claws. his only mutant power is a rapid healing factor, also intensifying his senses. he agreed to the weapon x program because he wouldnt die from the procedure like all the previous patients, because of his healing factor. the claws came with the adamantium. in the later comics, magneto rips out wolverines adamantium and his body regenerates bone claws in place of the metal ones hes had for years. i have some other issues with the film itself such as stealing EXACT shot from other movies such as "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children" (wolverine uses his claws to do a u-turn on the motorcycle) immediately followed by "Matrix Reloaded" (wolverine's claws down the side of the hummer). Its not that these were similar shots, they were EXACTLY IDENTICAL. Cheesy sunset hero shots. The movie was high school good. it was a spit in the face of xmen fans everywhere....but we should be used to that by now.

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chad said...

Posted on May 29 2009 02:20 andy, just because you don't like it does not make it wrong for other people to like it. and ooooo girls like it tut tut....so? doesnt have to be an oscar award winnerfor people to like it...good film

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gingerminger said...

Posted on May 28 2009 10:44 i dont know weather to see this or a thriller, what do you suggest

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andy said...

Posted on May 26 2009 23:01 people that like this movie are the reason hollywood keeps putting this shit out. because you all buy into it. if you like this movie you know nothing about good storytelling or good film making. i find it funny how every female review loves this film. probably bc you cant stop looking at "hunky" hugh jackman. who by the way i no longer enjoy as wolverine. he has made wolverine passive and wimpy. he is no longer savage and primal. hes a pretty boy now. thats not wolverine. hollywood is taking you all for suckers. and guess what, you are letting them.

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boodlepop said...

Posted on May 25 2009 22:58 love it, towards the end gets a bit cheesey but other than that...love it!!

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james said...

Posted on May 25 2009 15:15 A quality film :) definatly worth seeing

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cee-jay said...

Posted on May 24 2009 14:49 if you have to choose between this and F&F go see X_Men and for all you sad sacks whove never read a comic book in your life - fear the menopause - cause it's coming to getcha

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rash said...

Posted on May 22 2009 19:08 the reason this been rated sht its because the 90s x-men cartoon series had a better storyline

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annomyis said...

Posted on May 15 2009 18:39 Why have u guys who thouight it was shit put loads if stars I goin to watch it with my boyfriend and I think its gonna be awesome!!!

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Tristan said...

Posted on May 14 2009 15:24 great start to a movie...and excellent story!!!

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lyndon minor said...

Posted on May 13 2009 11:39 The film had a good story and was well linked to the previous xmen films it should be rated 4 stars some people have no taste

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sam said...

Posted on May 12 2009 15:56 If you go into this movie expecting it to be "good" then you're an idiot. It was obvious from previews and seeing other marvel renditions that this wasn't going to be intellectual, acurate, or have any oscar nominations. So people who go on saying this movie sucked...why would they really think otherwise. It's a summer action movie with superheroes. Thats all that was intended. It wasn't great. I grew up on comics, know the wolverine story in and out and saw all the discrepencies. However, you do see a character who is wolverine-like tearing things up. The action was fun and i came out wishing i had some claws like i was 10 again. So just sit back, enjoy, and don't stress about the quality of the movie because honestly that's never what this movie was about.

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