X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber had last shared the screen in the romantic comedy Kate and Leopold in 2001. Eight years hence the two immensely talented stars come together for one of the most awaited movies of the year X-Men Origins Wolverine. The film directed by Gavin Hood is a continuation successful X-Men comic series and tells the back story of one of its most popular characters Wolverine.

The story is set in 1845, Northwest Canada where Hugh Jackman (James Howlett /Logan/Wolverine) is a young boy who not aware of his mutant power. In a fit of rage Logan kills his father and runs away from home. His half brother Victor (Live Schreiber) who too is a mutant escorts Logan to safety and makes him aware of his mutant powers.

Both Logan and Victor due to their mutant powers do not age and die like other human beings and fight in numerous wars such as American Civil War, World War I and II and Vietnam. However with time Victor transforms into a monster who loves destruction. Both the are court-martialed after which an Army Major William Stryker (Danny Huston) approaches Logan and Victor and promising them a new beginning. Blood thirsty Victor is driven by the opportunity to kill where as patriotism drives Wolverine to follow Stryker.

Logan returns to his roots and becomes a Canadian lumberjack and settles with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) Soon Stryker comes back to his life and pours adamantium into Logan's system making Logan into an indestructible mutant Wolverine with immense powers to fight Victor. Stryker helps Wolverine find Victor but Wolverine comes to know about Stryker's betrayal and starts seeking revenge. Will Wolverine be able to save the love of his life due to his mutant self?

Directed by Gavin Hood the movie has been penned David Benioff and Skip Woods. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is much has a sharper look than its predecessors. Wolverine however lacks a good screen play simple narrative drive with many bloopers around for instance the story being set in Northwest Canada in 1845 where as Canada became a nation only in 1987.

The only saving grace for the movie is Hugh Jackman who lives up to the core of his character. Live Schreiber provide a good supporting role in the movie. The special effects in the movie are awesome which has become a trademark of the X-Men series. 107 minutes of runtime although not too long seems to be dragging at times. Overall the movie is worth a watch if not for anything else than for Hugh Jackman.