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Bookmark this pageX-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
Director: Gavin Hood
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
Time Out London Issue 2019, May 1-7 2009
User reviews of this film
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- RC said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 17:48 why cant any of you spell
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- Michael said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 17:46 I haven't even seen this movie yet and I'm a big fan of wolverine. As bad as most of the other reviews make it sound, I'm still curious enough to watch it. For the most part, PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SPELL SHOULDN'T BE BITCHING. So what if you think it sucked, at least they tried to entertain all of us w/ a character that is very unique.
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- joe said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 17:00
"KL said...
It truly is ridiculus that you people are making that big a deal over a movie. Its just that, a movie, get off your ass and get a life. I am sure this movie is just as good as the other 3, give them a break."
no 1 making that big a deal over a movie ass. there just saying whats true. the MOVIE SUCKS. so get over your slfe.
no 1 what to spend Money on ta movie only come out diapointed. - Report as inappropriate
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- weedd said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 16:55
Grabge this move is, ya Hugh Jackman does a great job.
BUT this movie neeeds to be remade and not by FOX.
this should go drictred to DVD, and a remake should me made. Cause this is a sad movie.and vere bad made. - Report as inappropriate
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- jesse said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 16:51
first let me say Hugh Jackman does a great job.
Other then that move sucks. not even good acting can say this movie. sorry hugh. - Report as inappropriate
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- DONT SEE IT said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 16:45
Terrible, disappointing, sad, save of money, dont see this it just BAD, story rushed the writer suck. what more can i say thats good.
NOTHING ABOUT THIS MOVIE IS GOOD. - Report as inappropriate
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- michael said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 16:38 I saw a midnight showing last night...In hindsight, I could have just waited. It was disappointing but not terrible... It felt rushed to me, they chopped up the Origins story and put it back together.. Die hard fans will be bummed but no one else will notice. I guess it's worth seeing...
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- read me said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 16:31 Save youe money for some other movie. it will be better then this one. from what i see here posted they ant lie's the move BAD big time.
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- KL said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 16:26 It truly is ridiculus that you people are making that big a deal over a movie. Its just that, a movie, get off your ass and get a life. I am sure this movie is just as good as the other 3, give them a break.
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- nana said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 15:31
antthing fox touch, will be bad like this movie.
Awlfull mvie. - Report as inappropriate
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- wade said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 15:29
SUCK. what a comeplet mess of this move.
came out and said what a weast. way to go FOX messed up anthoner one. (its what you do best, F****up movies) - Report as inappropriate
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- noob said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 15:25
Sunny said... "like the comic book movies and therefore just enjoyed this one because it was just informative of the background of some of the x-men characters. That alone made it worth seeing"
its all fucking woring mist of the characters should not even be in there. the whoe story is worg and the f****d up is Origins. they also f****up deadpool. the whole story line is a mees. MOVIE SUCK. save your money.
you must be on crack.if you like this movie. - Report as inappropriate
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- joe said...
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Posted on May 01 2009 15:16
i guess the only pepole that will like this bad move are the ones that dont know anything about Wolverine Origins or are just clueless on how bad this move is. even with that said, its a bad movie made.
its the worst of all the x men. god dam it. i just weasted my money for this shit ass move. - Report as inappropriate
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- Sunny said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 14:41 I truly enjoyed the film. Granted I wish they would have made more use of Ryan Reynolds because he was a unique character, but who cares. Hugh Jackman is an exceptionally good actor and definitely played this part well. I like the comic book movies and therefore just enjoyed this one because it was just informative of the background of some of the x-men characters. That alone made it worth seeing. If you're not that into the comics then you probably wouldn't enjoy it as much. As far as the graphics, etc. no I don't feel that they were as good as the other x-men movies, but they definitely had some impressive action scenes. So overall I really liked it!
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- ANNE said...
- Posted on May 01 2009 14:33 all i can say is OMFG what where they thinking. bad movie.
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Cast & crew
Director: Gavin Hood
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins, Will.i.am, Ryan Reynolds, Dominic Monaghan, Kevin Durand, Taylor Kitsch, Scott Adkins, Tim Pocock, Julia Blake, Max Cullen full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure
Rated: 12A
Duration: 107 mins
UK Release: Apr 29 2009
US Release: May 8 2009
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