"Origins" can be seen as the fourth installment in the Marvel Comic's series of the "X-Men" films or a complete reboot of the series focusing around the most popular character from the first three X-Men films Hugh Jackman's performance as the infamous "Wolverine". It can also be seen as a prequel to the film "X-Men" but it is only loosely based on it's story. Now the reason I say it should be seen as a complete reboot of the series is because aside from Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine many aspects including actors and portals of the characters have changed. Similarly as the stand alone film "X-Men: First Class" It is in my opinion that this is the first in a new series of "X-Men" Films followed by "The Wolverine" and the soon to be released "X-Men: Days of Future Past" Which appears to cross over the timelines and story lines between the first three X-men films and this new series. I'll wait to really decide just exactly what they are going for here till I review "The Wolverine" (coming soon) and do a full review of "Days of Future Past". This isnt the first movie series to have a strange convoluted storyline retconning the past installments and then bringing them back. This alone makes the X-Men films seem to have some murky waters surrounding them. This film tells the story of Wolverine's origin, and is the only installment of the what we thought was to be a new series "X-Men Origins". Because of this, many fans, including myself refer to this film as "Wolverine Origins". Now that all that's out of the way, (I could probably go on for a lot longer on how the X-Men series (aside from the first three films) have no continuity other than Hugh Jackman) But lets get on with this thing already! Let's just see how you did Wolverine! And...Here...WE...GO!
He uses his new toys to stab the man who shot his father only to find out that the man was indeed not his father. TWIST! and all before the opening title. I have a feeling this is going to get fun. The man he stabs is in fact his natural born father, way to go kid you just killed your dadieo. Jame's runs off, lord knows where he is going but is tackled by Victor, when James exclaims that he didn't mean to kill him. But Victor exclaims that he deserved it because he was the one with the mutant gene that made them freaks. FREAKS! The two brothers form a pact, saying they can no longer go home now, but the two of them will be together forever watching eachother's backs. Something tells me that once they are all grown up, this pact will somehow change. Oh little kids and their half baked schemes! We are then introduced to the two of them as adults now reaching the age when... they longer age... that was something I never understood about immortal beings. Both fighting through the ages in battles and wars apparently hiding their mutations from the world. Wolverine does love his cigars... he better be careful those things will kill ya... unless you're an immortal being with bone claws... As the film progresses through the opening titles it becomes abundantly clear that the two brothers begin to take two separate paths, one for good and one for bad. Like you would expect once the two are discovered to be mutants they are sentenced to death by firing squad, which clearly frightens no one. I mean we haven't even finished the opening credits yet.
After they are put to death, and well they dont die, they are imprisoned when asked about how it went they respond with "It tickled" that's cute. The general offers them a way out of their prison, to join a team... NOT... The X-Men... If thats what you were thinking. But its sort of the same thing, except they are doing off the books missions that are well, for lack of a better word... bad guy missions. James (Who is Logan or Wolverine) is less than enthused about the mission, while the others are all too happy to carry out their orders. Especially Victor (Sabretooth). They seem to be interested in some sort of rock that means a whole lot to the bossman. Well long story short it's a meteor fragment. A sacred meteor fragment, after the bossman decides to kill everyone Wolverine decides that he is done with the team of evil doers. Tossing his dog tags and walking off into the darkness. The lost dog tags will be important later.
Wolverine now lives in a small shanty on a mountain top, homey for a nice fixer-uper kind of opportunity. He now works for a lumbering company, a bit of a drop off from being on a team of vigilante killers, but whatever makes him happy. Some of the mutants have dropped off, and become carnies, yup... Carnies. So I guess Wolverine's job at a lumber company isnt so bad after all. Victor shows up to kill the Carnie who has become a bit of a side show with the power to power lights with his mind. It is apparent that the plan is to kill off everyone who left the team, Good'ol Victor we all knew he was such a good guy. The movie begins to move rather quickly, as people are quickly killed off making many of the cast we were just introduced to somewhat meaningless. It's becoming pretty clear that the only three characters that are really important in this film are Wolverine, Sabertooth, and the General. Every other character seems to be flat and unimportant, just thrown in for the sake of having them be there. Ryan Reynolds plays his character very well, even if it is a flat unimportant role. So bravo to Ryan Reynolds for making his character entertaining while having very little to work with.
Stryker, who we all remember from "X-Men" is a younger version of the man he once was. Again, it's loosely based on the X-Men story. It does continue to bother me how it seems to follow the X-Men time line perfectly and then creates its own path all at the same time. Wolverine's girl is very beautiful, but you would expect her to be, thats typically how this sort of thing works. Not just superhero movies, but just movies in general. It doesnt take long at all before Victor finds Logan's favorite lady, and poof just like that she's gone. All in an attempt to get Wolverine to come back and join Stryker's team once more. This is rather unfortunate, not only for Logan, but for the film as a whole. She was beginning to develop her own character and poof just like that she is dead. Yet again making the only real important members of the cast Wolverine, Sabretooth, and Stryker. It's hard to build a film around three people. Granted, I'm already well aware of the astray of characters that are going to come and go through the course of the film, but none of them will have much value to them. Even Victor, Stryker, and Wolverine seem to have little importance, at least at this point. If we hadn't already seen the previous films Wolverine would have very little depth himself.
In their first one on one meeting, Sabertooth beats the ever loving shit out of Wolverine, even breaking one set of his bone claws. Wolverine wants his revenge and will go to any length to get it, even working with Stryker. His plan, as we all ready know is to use Logan's mutant ability to heal to replace his skeleton with the infamous Anemantium unbreakable steel. A procedure that only Logan could survive. Something they call creating "Weapon X". Nice use of the "X" that they find a way to include in every film. Obviously Skryker has his own agenda with Wolverine. Remarkably enough, Stryker has probably the most depth of any character in this film up to this point. After the procedure Wolverine dies... but of course we all know he can not die, so he rises from the dead the Wolverine we all know and love, the Terminator with claws. The decision is made to erase his memory, which WOULD lead to the "X-Men" film, if it were not for all the other things going on in this movie. So again, it's a loosely based prequel at best, and is best seen as the beginning of a new trilogy, at least in my opinion anyway.
Wolverine arises from the tank claws out with his new Terminator skeleton and his ability to heal instantly, apparently very angry at the fact they wanted to erase his memory. Because, well while he was under water in the tank he could clearly hear the general a good 100 feet away say "Erase his memory". Now, if it had been established that he had some sort of superhearing ability I would have no problem with this, but it just is what it is BECAUSE HE'S WOLVERINE!! He jumps out of the tank... buck ass nude...which makes no sense at all since he was just in the tank with shorts on. But the film seems to have no interest in continuity whatsoever even within it's own film, this will become an increasing problem throughout the course of the film. Now, the action is top notch, which is great but the story has to make sense and up until now it's been filled with holes and inconsistencies. I'm sorry to say the special effects on his claws are poor, the bone claws were far better CGI. Again, with the inconsistencies in the story, an old man gives Logan a jacket that he is seen wearing in all the X-Men films.
Now for some reason unknown to all of us, the "Weapon X" that Stryker spent all his life trying to create, (Wolverine) They are now trying to kill... dont ask me why... cuz I dont know. Now during this scene the action is top notch, only problem is no one knows why the scene is taking place to begin with. The only purpose for the scene that I can tell is to show just how effective Wolverine's new claws are. They cut through everything, everything and every one. Hugh Jackman's performance is spectacular in every scene he is in, which is everyone, so it's almost easy to lose yourself in the fact that the story, makes absolutely no sense at all. They try to connect the dots to "X-Men" but they fail miserably, it's best to just see this as the beginning of it's own story, trust me on this one. We are introduced to each character one by one, but none of them seem to have any purpose other than just to say "Hey look there is another one". We are introduced to "The Blob" but what purpose does he have? Nothing, just get another action scene with Wolverine. I mean it's Wolverine's continuing journey to find Victor (who is played by a different actor and looks entirely different from the Sabertooth we know from the original "X-Men" again another plot hole in the story of it being a prequel) Just pretend its a new series and you will be okay, well as okay as you can be with a story that has very little plot. It does a VERY good job of trying to make you believe there is a whole lot going on here, but truly it's next to nothing.
We come across "Gambit" who surprisingly has plenty of character development through his time in the film. He is far more than just "another mutant". Remember how Sabertooth kicked Wolverine's ass earlier in the film? Well one good turn deserves another, except Wolverine makes very short work of Victor this time around, you think it would have been more of a fight even with Wolverine's new toys. Wolverine is about to kill Sabertooth, when Gambit shows up and ruins the whole damn thing. Why? To keep the film moving, he really has no reason for showing up and just blowing the whole place to smithorines. Victor runs off like a scared little girl, and Gambit picks a fight with Wolverine, and I think we know how this is going to go. Apparently, added to the fact that he has instant healing abilities, his new animantium claws and skeleton, he apparently also gained the ability to beat the ever loving shit out of anyone he comes in contact with. For now anyway... again continuity and plot holes. So after Wolverine is unable to kill his brother, he then just forgets about him all together and goes after Stryker instead. Now granted, Stryker was in on it with Victor, but up till now he only was interested in killing Victor.
We quickly find out that the beautiful woman, Logan's lady did not die. We are made to believe that she is in on it too... but only for a moment before we the audience are shown that she is being forced into her role with Stryker. *sigh* Wolverine then loses interest in killing Stryker, or Victor and just leaves, but I find myself having to remember to use a critical eye, because the action is so good in the movie you NEARLY forget that there is no story. Given the story, and the fact that he had every intention of killing Victor the last time they met, he then decides... you know... to not kill Victor... because... Wolverine. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Stryker is imprisoning all the other mutants to give all thier powers to one singular mutant who's job will be to kill... all other mutants... Oh yes, this makes perfect sense. Logan frees all the other mutants, when he comes in contact with "Weapon 11" who is controlled via computer... like an old computer from the 1980's. Weapon 11 is Ryan Reynolds from earlier in the film. Remember, he did a wonderful job in the two scenes he was in, then as this new "Weapon 11" he has no mouth, so yeah, remove any chance "acting" from his scene. He has every mutant ability making him pretty much invincible.
Just as he is about to kill Wolverine, guess who shows up to save the day. His old best friend and brother Victor. This obviously makes perfect sense, they then fight the weapon 11 together, and lose miserably. Lets see here, who all remembers the laser heat vision of Cyclops? Yeah, he has that too, and it cuts though absolutely everything, except for Wolverine's claws. Now I might almost believe this, if it were not possible to cut Wolverine in half by simply changing the angle of his vision. Suddenly seemingly out of no where the invincible Weapon 11 is killed, when Sabretooth attacks from behind just in time for him to pop up in front of Wolverine, where his head is chopped right off his shoulders. The part I find interesting here, is not only can Wolverine's claws cut through the same animantium skeleton he also possesses, but the instant healing power that we have already been shown is now gone. The head flies off, dead... except for the fact that the laser heat vision is still going somehow and slicing through the nuclear stack they are fighting on... Yup. So all that aside I want to point out that Wolverine who was about to be killed in a matter of seconds by Weapon 11 is then killed in a matter of about two minutes once Sabretooth shows up to save his brother, which makes perfect sense, since the two of them have been trying to kill each other the whole movie. Sabertooth does virtually nothing and Wolverine ends up killing him about two minutes after he himself was about to be killed. My how the tables have turned...
Dr Stryker then loads his gun full of animantium bullets which is the only thing that can pierce his animantium skeleton, *sigh... Facepalm* Moving on... Wolverine tells Victor that helping him not die doesnt change anything between the two of them. So obviously, this means that Wolverine is back to trying to kill Victor once more. After all the-- *Faceplam* you know what? Just forget it... Gambit shows up for a few seconds to save Wolverine from being squashed like a bug. And then we get Stryker, lets kill him with the animantium bullets that makes no sense in least. You know, this is the climax of the film, and none of this makes any sense at all. I almost want to just "Facepalm" the whole climax and move on to final thoughts. But there is one last thing I need to touch on. Wolverine's pretty lady, well she has the ability to effect anyone's mind as long as she touches them. She then tells Stryker to start walking to the ends of the earth, and once he gets there to keep walking. How many of you remember Stryker from "X-Men"? Was he still a mindless wondering to the ends of the earth zombie? How did he get out of this trance? Since she dies at the end of this movie? So again... JUST THINK OF THIS AS IT'S OWN FILM AS A REBOOT. It's the only way it makes sense even in the least, and even as that it fails miserably.
The young mutants escape all on their own even though we are made to believe that they cant, and guess who saves them out of the blue? Professor X... Walking on two legs, even though I'm fairly certain that he was born crippled from the waist down, but I dont know that for certain so I'll overlook it. My biggest problem here isn't the fact that Charles Xasaviar is walking, but that he simply just shows up and saves the mutants. Why...um... didn't he just save them a long time ago? If all it took was just for him to show up? I just *facepalm*... Moving ON... This is how the X-Men supposedly get started... in an attempt to connect the plot line to the first film which it already failed miserably at. The bullets that pierced Logan's scull apparently healed but somehow erased his memory... cuz as we all know... bullets to the brain do that sort of thing. Even with his healing abilities, two bullets to the brain wouldnt erase his memories it would probably leave him mentally handicapped for the rest of his life. Logan tells Gambit he will find his own way home... and well... roll credits. Which I couldn't be happier at this point to see them...
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a knock down drag out action flick that makes you forget about any kind of story of plot elements then this is the movie for you. The action is great, Hugh Jackman does a great job as Wolverine and Liev Schreiber does a wonderful job as Sabertooth, but the problem here isn't really the acting. The people who matter to a wonderful job, I wish I could jump out here and say "The Biggest Problem Here Is". But it's just not possible, because the biggest problem is the movie itself. The plot is convoluted and confusing, it tries it's best to connect to the original "X-Men" while at the same time ignoring elements from that series. It ignores it's own plot elements as well the story it's trying to tell. Hardly any of the character's matter in the least and even the title character "Wolverine" is pretty flat for the first half hour or so of the movie. The action is second to none and is so good it will leave you thinking that this was a good movie, hell I even thought it was a good movie the first time I saw it, because the action is so good that you forget about everything else. Bottom line without the action this movie is just plain bad, there is even a facepalm moment in the after credits scene where Weapon 11 is still alive, but now has a mouth, and says "Shhhh" only, we never EVER see him again! Now I could be mistaken, because I have yet to see the far more positively recieved "The Wolverine", but nothing in the trailer hints that he will be showing up in that film. Great action, terrible... well everything else.
Final Rating: 1.5 outa 5
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