Film: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Houston

Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Following the phenomenal success of Iron Man a year ago, Marvel Comics Entertainment has hit the jackpot once again with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the prequel to the X-Men trilogy, in which Hugh Jackman plays mutant superhero Wolverine.

Having established himself as a genuine action star in films such as Van Helsing, Swordfish and the three previous X-Men movies, Jackman is convincing as the brawny anti-hero who is destined by fate to live a life of turmoil.

It's a compelling story of love, betrayal and redemption.

The film, directed by Gavid Hood, traces his origin, as a young boy - Jimmy Logan - growing up in a Canadian province (circa 1845) who discovers he is different. In a fit of rage, Logan kills the man who turns out to be his real father and is forced to flee, along with his older brother, Victor.

As grown men they become comrades in arms: fighting side by side in the American Civil War, the Great War, World War II and Vietnam. They are eventually drafted into a special unit of the United States military by the devious Colonel Striker (Danny Houston). Much of the action during the first half of the film is focused on the 'search-and-destroy' activities of this group.

appetite for killing

In one of their campaigns in Africa, they take out a Nigerian warlord and his army. By then, Victor (Liev Schreiber) has developed such an insatiable appetite for killing, he is beyond salvation. Logan, in contrast, is sick to his stomach with the senseless killing and wants out.

"The show is never over for us," Victor tells his brother, who flees and starts a normal life as a lumberjack with his woman in Canada. But someone is hunting down and killing members of his old team and when his wife is killed (or so it seems), Logan swears revenge.

His transformation from Logan to Wolverine via sophisticated scientific experiment really defines the character: "You have to become the animal."

In a tense scene between them late in the film, Victor, who ultimately becomes a one-man killing machine, delivers a gem: "You don't call, you don't write ... how else can I get your attention?" in reference to the killing of Wolverine's wife.

But it turns out they are mere pawns in a deadly game devised by Colonel Striker, whose ultimate objective is to "protect the American people from every threat foreign and domestic".

The action moves at a brisk pace and the film manages to hold the interest throughout. However, the ending could have been stronger regarding the fate of Victor and Colonel Striker but the creators have apparently left the door open for Wolverine II.

insight into characters

The ending, however, is quite instructive.

It provides an insight into the origins of the other X-Men characters, including young mutants who had been undergoing scientific experiments, and forms the basis of the first X-Men movie. Even The Professor (Patrick Stewart) makes a cameo appearance.

All in all, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is much better than the three previous films, if only for the fact that it focuses on greater character development. As far as casting is concerned, the three principals are effective in their roles.

Jackson aside, Schreiber, as Victor, strikes the right balance and has some of the best lines in the film.

Houston is sly as a fox in his role as the reluctant villain.

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