Movie Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Action scenes

Cons: Plot that held them together

The Bottom Line: 

Did I miss something?

While most seem to love this film

It left me neutral

"You're a Little Heavy."  "I Put on Some Weight Recently."

Somewhere in the distant past, I saw the original X-Men.  Since I've never read comic books, that was my introduction to the characters.  I don't remember much about it, but I wasn't impressed enough to see either sequel.

Fast forward to a few months back and some friends wanted to re-watch X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  Since the story takes place before any of the movies, I figured maybe it would help me appreciate the characters more.  Sadly, it also left me unimpressed.

The movie opens with a young boy being pressed and pressed until he reveals his mutant qualities.  He has bones in his hands, and when pressed he uses them to kill someone.  As a result, he and his brother go on the run.

Their mutant qualities also make them live a long time because we next get a montage that takes them from the opening of 1840 to the present day.  After fighting in most major wars, Logan (Hugh Jackman) and victor (Liev Schreiber) have gone their separate ways.  Logan is actually living with his girlfriend in Canada and doing his best to behave like a normal human without mutant qualities.

That's when tragedy strikes Logan and he undergoes a process that will turn him into the Wolverine.  His reason for doing this?  To seek vengeance on those who have wronged him.  But what will happen when that hits very close to home?

I've heard lots of good things about this movie, so I sat down ready to sit back and enjoy.  Instead, I was left oddly detached.  I do think part of the problem is me.  Since I don't know the X-Men universe at all, many of the references or cameos meant nothing to me.  While my friends were geeking out at them, I was just shrugging my shoulders.

But a big part of the problem is with the plot of the movie.  It is just your average revenge flick dressed up in superhero garb.  There is nothing here we haven't seen done before.  The plot "twists" were predictable.  I just couldn't get past the recycled feel to the story to get into it.

I will say this for the movie, they made great use of the superhero elements.  The action sequences are wonderful.  It was just what held them together that was lacking.

The movie is filled with special effects.  As is usually the case these days, they are fine.  Maybe a shot or two weren't up to par, but most of the time I had no trouble believing what I saw on the screen.

Likewise, the acting was fine.  I wouldn't call any of the performances great, but none of them threw me out of the movie, either.

Maybe I'm just the wrong guy to be watching X-Men movies.  So far, they are two for two in not impressing me.  After seeing X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I'm not that anxious to go back and watch the ones I've missed.