It’s about time I posted something here – after all I am paying for the privilege

Funny how with all the other movie reviewing sites out there, and this site’s supposed intent in being a tech-blog, I choose my first post to be a movie related one . Well, I like movies and have a certain soft spot for the comic-book based ones, so I guess it isn’t that strange.

So, today the movie in question is the much-hyped X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I (and my movie-loving sister) decided to give this movie “midnight-showing” status. Which of course means seeing the movie with the most receptive and somehow equally critical crowd – the hard core fans (or insomniacs). As with movies I know I am going to see in the theater, I tend to stay away from other reviews until I have actually seen the movie myself, but I did get a few early hints that this wouldn’t be another Ironman or Dark Knight.

To be blunt, this movie is not in that league. Sorry if that dashes the hardcore fans hopes, but there is no other way to say it. It isn’t the actors that make this movie less than what it could have been either. Hugh Jackman is quite good with the material he is given as Logan/Wolverine. Liev Schriber makes a compelling, brooding Victor/Sabretooth, and so on. All the actors, in fact, are good choices. I was very happy with the choice of Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool when I first heard about it and wasn’t disappointed with the performance – merely the length of it.

It’s this small example that really shows the underlying problem of this film. I feel as though they tried to pack too much story into this movie. Very little supporting actor character development is done. To be fair, this is a story about Wolverine, but you never really get feel the more complex parts of his character either. The parts of the tale that deal with his childhood and growing up are EXTREMELY short and leave undeveloped story arches (and really, when are we coming back to this story in another movie?). I would have much preferred to see Wolverine’s back story (one that was a long-time coming even in the comics) revealed as flashbacks to give more substance, rather than linearly and as a prologue.

The other main issues I have is that dealing with the violence. Wolverine is a guy with indestructible metal claws (6, if you are counting). He is powerfully strong and has 150 years of experience in fighting technique. He has a mutant healing factor that can bring him back from nearly anything, so there isn’t much that rattles him. You would think that with those abilies and the baddies he has to fight, there would be some blood, right? Wrong. In fact, despite telling the audience he is “coming for blood” there is none to be found (I actually noticed it twice, but would give away plot points if I went into detail – neither were inflicted by adamantium). I am not asking for a Kill Bill blood-fest, but some realism would be nice and the lack of it started to become distracting.

So, should you see it? Yes. Despite my complaints, the movie is fun and enjoyable. There are things that are handled quite well, such as the tie-ins with the rest of the Marvel universe and the general charactizations of the other players. Should you see it in a theater? Maybe, but I could make a strong argument to wait for the inevitable Blu-Ray/DVD release.