Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Gavin Hood, 20th Century Fox, M, 103 Minutes.
This exhilarating sci-fi action-adventure from the director of ‘Ender’s Game’, Gavin Hood begins in the 1850s where two young brothers are depicted on the run, both possessing mutant wolf-like claws.
The story continues through to their adulthood, showing a series of battles and World Wars they fought in over a long lifespan.
Fast forward to the present as Logan (Hugh Jackman – Les Misérables), prior to taking on the Wolverine role, and his brother Victor (Liev Schreiber – ‘Spotlight’) are recruited by the deceptive military scientist Stryker (Danny Huston – ‘Hitchcock’) to form part of a special government mutants unit.
The X unit is in reality a team of deadly assassins, Logan eventually gets tired of the senseless killings and vanishes, only to reappear some years later as a Canadian lumberjack living with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins – ‘John Carter’).
That is until Victor is assigned to kill Kayla, this forces Logan to accept Stryker’s offer to make him indestructible and turns him into the Wolverine.
But it is the love/hate relationship between the two brothers in the subsequent scenes that makes for some fascinating watching.
Furthermore, the movie includes an appropriate mix of ingredients for an absorbing storyline, incorporating betrayal, power, romance, vengeance and a certain degree of immortality throughout the well-written script by writers Benioff and Woods.
Besides the amazing action scenes owing to the mind-blowing visual effects, there is some sensational cinematic settings, due largely to the Australian cinematographer Don McAlpine (‘Patriot Games’) who included location shots of Sydney, Canada, New Zealand and the US.
Of course, what would this thrilling movie be without the incredible presence and performance of the two leading actors in their portrayals of Wolverine (Jackman) and his brother Victor (Schreiber)?
Despite winning the foreign language Oscar for ‘Tsotsi’ Hood has demonstrated a different style to the previous directors of the earlier X-Men movies.
In fact his approach to ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ provides an intriguing background and insight into the development of Wolverine’s character.
Overall, the movie is well made as well as being exciting and enjoyable, Hood has ensured his production fits appropriately within the superhero franchise.
Vic’s Verdict: 4 Stars
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is being televised on Channel 7 at 9.30pm on Saturday. 11 September.