X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the type of blockbuster film that is typical of a big budget summer release. It presents a story that people want to see, throws in a number of explosions and action sequences, and then expects audiences to eat it up. The problem though, is that Wolverine falls prey to its own device, by appealing to the fan-boys in the crowd, but alienating viewers who didn't know much about the back-story to the film.
The Characters of Wolverine
The intent of making this film, is to show how the character of Wolverine ended up the way he is, and what led to that development. In doing so, a whole new cast of mutants are brought into this film to elevate the level of excitement, and pave the way for an intriguing story. In addition to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, the movie stars Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, Will i Am as John Wraith, Dominic Monaghan as Bolt, and Ryan Reynolds as swordsman Wade Wilson. Finally making it to the big screen is also Gambit, played by Friday Night Lights alum Taylor Kitsch.
The one place where the film succeeds where past X-Men films have failed, is that it doesn't try to hard to give each character something to do on screen. Wolverine is the center of attention, and everyone else is right where they should be in supporting roles. Standing out from the group is Liev Schreiber, who really becomes Sabretooth, and brings a presence that nobody would want to alone with in a dark alley.
By keeping the supporting characters at arms length, it is easier to enjoy the movie for what it is, a back-story about Wolverine, and not get lost in the fact that all of these supporting characters have their own pasts as well.
Is Wolverine Appealing to all Audiences?
At the heart of Wolverine is a tale or revenge, where Logan (Wolverine) wants to strike back at those who have wronged him. In order to get to that point though, audiences have to already be involved in the beginning of the film. The unfortunate result is that emotions and story-telling are pushed aside in an effort to get to the "fighting" quicker, and the film doesn't take the time to make itself appealing to everyone. What is left is a comic book film that will provide the typical summer fare, but not set itself apart from everything else.
Wolverine Recommendation
As enjoyable as a film like this can be to those who love the character or Hugh Jackman, it doesn't have enough cross-over appeal to be palatable to everyone. The great trailers for Wolverine will draw in millions of viewers, but not everyone is going to leave the theaters in a good mood. Having said that, liberties that were taken in writing this script and in the development of characters could also frustrate the die-hard fans of X-Men.
On the whole, this is a film that comes off as a real mixed-bag of sorts. It is enjoyable as a popcorn film, but isn't one that will be memorable to most viewers in a year or two. It gets a recommendation from a fan of the genre and the X-Men, but it comes with the warning that if an audience member isn't in one of those groups, this could come off as a terrible film.
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