X-Men Origins: Wolverine

X-Men Origins: Wolverine



Well it's May. That means the slow trickle of summer blockbusters has begun. Next week sees the much anticipated Star Trek prequel being released, but if you're a comic book fan, there's only one film that matters this year.

You can guess from the title what this film is going to contain. You may even discern that it's going to be part of another Marvel franchise; Starting off with everyone's favourite character James 'Wolverine' Logan (Hugh Jackman).

The film starts in 1845 with a seemingly ill James lying in bed talking to his brother Victor. After an altercation between his father and another man leaves his father dead, the brothers run off into the night. We're then treated to a credits scroll showing the two brothers fight in every war known to history. The boys are now men, greatly aware of their own indestructibility.

Sentenced to death by firing squad for war crimes perpetrated by Victor, or as he'll later be known Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), they come to the attention of Colonel Stryker (Danny Huston). He's putting a team of mutants together for military missions. The team includes an array of talented super-humans: Agent Zero (David North), who can kill with every bullet fired; Blob (Frank Durand) whose hide is as impervious as his belly is wide; And Wade, who can split bullets with his twin swords.

The brothers soon split as Wolverine loses his stomach for the killing and seeks a quiet peaceful life. Finding an idyllic spot in the Canadian Rockies with the beautiful Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins), it seems that Wolverine has escaped. But his destiny comes crashing back to him when Sabretooth finds him and kills Kayla, filling him with his patented rage. Stryker offers him a path to revenge; He'll replace his bone claws with the hardest metal known to man, Adamantium. Blinded by his anger, Wolverine agrees. Thus the character we know and love is born.

Escaping from Stryker, who had bigger plans for his weapon X, Wolverine seeks out Sabretooth. But things aren't as they seem when a bigger, much fouler plan emerges which sees Wolverine teaming up with fan favourite Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) to smash apart Stryker's conspiracy.

With such a wide variety of characters in the film, there's something for every comic book fan. I bought the ticket solely to see Gambit in action and I wasn't disappointed. A character will emerge in the last few scenes that will leave audiences reeling – someone so strong he can challenge Sabretooth and Wolverine together. Everything is tied in a neat bow to deliver it as the preceding events to the first X-men movie with a few unexpected faces cropping up.

Shuggie Jackman reclaims the character that he almost lost in 'Last Stand', bringing out the witty nihilistic one liners that make him a favourite. Liev Schreiber is excellently cast as Sabretooth, bringing a depth of realism to the part that Tyler Mane couldn't deliver. But of all the great cast, it's Danny Huston that shines brightest as the despicable, devious and downright dastardly William Stryker. Filling Brian Cox's boots is a hard thing to do, but Huston expertly steals the role. His unwavering determination to succeed despite who he hurts as a consequence is simply chilling.

There are some amazing action effects in this film that will dazzle the eyes right out your head. Watch as the newly formed Wolverine takes on two humvees and a helicopter single-handedly. Watch a school being cut in half by a certain character's ruby red eye-beam. Witness the utter demolition of a power plant by three men trying to kill each other.

From beginning to end this was pure entertainment.

Verdict 10/10
This is the second best X-men movie made, right behind Bryan Singer's X2.