By Frederic Germay
Although the title of this review might suggest that I didn’t like “Wolverine,” I want to clarify that I did enjoy this movie a lot, but my feelings towards this film were primarily influenced towards biased cinematic tastes. For example, I actually somewhat enjoyed the third installment in the “X-Men” trilogy, despite that it was critically lambasted for good reason. The plot was acceptable, but the execution was atrocious. I still wonder why 20th Century Fox would leave the franchise, which was richly adapted by Bryan Singer for the first two installments, in the hands of “Rush Hour” director Brett Ratner! However, I still find myself re-watching it simply because it features one of my favorite comic book characters. It’s the same reason why we will watch the final act in a trilogy or series, regardless of how bad it might be, just so we can regain some closure on the overall story.
That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to watch “Wolverine.” The trilogy ended on such a poor inconclusive note, so I was desperate for the saga to redeem itself on some level. “Wolverine” certainly accomplished that. This newest addition to the franchise puts “X-Men: The Last Stand” to utter shame, with its tight, concise storyline and cavalcades of special effects and action! Given the monumental amount of positive progression between those films, I was inclined to enjoy this film way more than it actually deserved simply because I was glad that it wasn’t such a grand failure. In that respect, my feelings toward this film were a bit biased. Also, “X-Men Origin: Wolverine” was leaked onto the internet a few months ago, which made me feel a bit sad for everyone involved in the making of the film – which, in a way, made me a bit determined to enjoy this film all the more.
Nevertheless, viewing this film from an unbiased critical standpoint allowed me to recognize various flaws. Certain plot elements seemed designed to provide the audience with cheap laughs. For example, the Blob served merely as plot convenience and his character was laughable to say the least. Also, the inclusion of Will.I.Am as John Wraith could have been done without. Clearly Will.i.Am was included solely to add to the star power of the film, and his acting chops lend further credence to the generally understood argument that singers should never try to act. Another pathetically transparent plot element was the constant re-introduction of Hugh Jackson’s sex appeal. Apparently, the creative minds behind this film labored under the assumption that Jackson’s sex appeal would be the only way to get women to come watch this movie, so the film ended providing more depictions of Jackson’s sweaty muscles than any movie-goer should ever have to endure.
Despite the aforementioned flaws, the style and amount of action in “Wolverine” was superb. Some of the scenes illustrate highest level of special effects achievable in modern film-making. The fight sequences are breathtaking and exhilarating. As for the plot, the film was primarily lackluster in this respect until the end. All throughout the film, “Wolverine” seems to be setting up the major cataclysmic battle to be between Victor and Logan, yet the final twist brought back Deadpool, after being transformed into the deadly Weapon XI. The final battle was of epic proportions and will have undoubtedly pleased fanboys of the franchise. For me, the highlight of the film was the introduction of all the various characters in “X-Men” legacy. From Gambit to Cyclops to Agent Zero, I was left wanting more by the end of the film.
And that was another problem for me – the film was too short, I wanted much more. I left the theatre feeling a tad unsatisfied, the expression “that was it?” comes to mind… At only 107 minutes, this movie doesn’t even crack the two hour standard. Another issue with the film for me was the acting performances. I was hoping for a little more emotion from Hugh Jackson, but I was provided with several, equally bad, scenes of Wolverine howling towards the sky. However, mad props to Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, and Dominic Monaghan delivering chilling performances during this film. Ultimately, I would recommend this film to fans of the franchise only. To those unfamiliar with X-Men, I will only warn that this film only moderately entertains. It is forgettable in the long run. I give this movie a 6.5/10
