BEFORE: Another big superhero movie that I've been trying to get to for a while - let's see how they trash Marvel Comics continuity in this one...
THE PLOT: Logan sets out to avenge the death of his girlfriend by undergoing the mutant Weapon X program and becoming Wolverine.
AFTER: What a great opening sequence, true to the comic titled "Wolverine: The Origin" from a few years ago, depicting him as a young boy named James Howlett in the 1800's, who pops his (bone) claws for the first time after a family tragedy. This is followed by a credit sequence showing him and his half-brother, Victor, fighting in the Civil War, World Wars 1 + 2, Korea, Vietnam...hey, there are at least three more good movie ideas in there somewhere!
When Wolverine showed up in "X-Men", with no memory of his past - well, this is the past that he forgot, or was made to forget. He was part of a black-ops team along with Victor Creed, John Wraith, Agent Zero, Blob, Bolt, and Col. Stryker (who later turns up in X-Men 2). Wolverine quits the war business and works as a lumberjack (I guess a healing factor helps with those pesky chainsaw accidents), but of course he ends up getting pulled back into the game.
This film takes some of the best pieces from Wolverine's comic-book appearances, like the "Weapon X" storyline from Marvel Comics Presents, the Silver Fox story from Wolverine Vol. 1, #50, and the various "Team X" flashbacks seen over the years, and tries to stitch them all together, and mostly it succeeds. Complaint #1: the film is structured almost exactly like a video-game, with Wolvie facing heavier and heavier "level bosses" as he progresses - Blob, Gambit, Sabretooth. Complaint #2: Wolverine's origin gets intertwined with that of Cyclops, Deadpool, White Queen, etc.
However, the action sequences are completely, completely SICK. In the good way. Seeing superheroes take down helicopters, tanks, etc. - it's every fanboy's dream, the comics come to life (or close enough, anyway). Great fight choreography and stunt sequences.
And this really exemplifies the point I was making the other day about superheroes. The dichotomy of Wolverine is that he's an animalistic killer, but he kills only the bad people - so what does that make him? Does might make right? It's OK to kill killers, but he becomes a killer himself in doing so. Comic-book irony...
The only thing missing is the part of Wolverine's origin where he goes to Japan and fights ninjas and samurais, but it looks like that will all be in the sequel to this prequel. And if THAT does well, can an Alpha Flight/Dept. H movie be far behind? Hey, I can dream, can't I?
Starring Hugh Jackman (who keeps getting older as Wolverine gets younger), Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed, Danny Huston (last seen by me in "30 Days of Night"), Dominic Monaghan, Ryan Reynolds (as Wade Wilson/Deadpool), and Will.i.am (from the Black Eyed Peas)
RATING: 9 out of 10 pick-up trucks (near-perfect - but see complaints #1+2 above)
No comments:
Post a Comment