by Donald Lind

Created on: May 08, 2009

"Wolverine" Entertains, but Lacks a Certain X Factor"

Logan, AKA, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) had a choice at the end of 2003's "X2": discover the truth about his forgotten past alongside his villainous, prejudiced ex-boss, or risk his life fighting alongside his fellow mutants. His answer: "I'll take my chances with them." That's all the audiences needed to know about Wolverine. It's not his past that shaped him in the first three "X-Men" titles, but how he conducted himself now. So, in a narrative stance the prequel "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" fails: it's all about what made Logan the man he became in the first three movies, bit if he doesn't need to know, why should we?

This film is little more than a cynical cash grab. The execs knew Logan's backstory was superfluous at best, but we couldn't get enough of the ill-tempered lug and would be clamoring for more adventures. The funny thing is: as shallow as the motives for making this film are, "Wolverine" manages to be an entertaining spectacle in spite of itself. The story is full of faults, the dialogue becomes cheesy at points and its attempts to fit in with the storylines that came in the earlier films are forced and incomplete, but on pure entertainment value, old Logan is still reliable to make a rocky road fun.

Credit for the success of the flawed "Wolverine" goes to Hugh Jackman. Jackman, who became a star in the original 2000 film, also serves as a producer here, and works tirelessly to make things respectable. He got into ridiculous shape for the role and effortlessly steps back into the persona of the easily ticked off hero. He displays the same charm, sarcastic wit and furious anger that made him a star nearly a decade ago. Even when the lines get patchy, Jackman pulls them off with his character; he can make one believe in the rage and bad attitude; it's hard to imagine anyone else pulling off the role this well.

Jackman is given a lot of help this time around with the superb Live Schreiber as Victor Creed, AKA Sabretooth. Schreiber, a real-life comic fan, brings Logan's longtime nemesis to life with gleeful, mean-spirited menace. He puts Tyler Mane's work in the original film to shame. Schreiber's Sabretooth is a dude that is almost cool enough to hang out with except that's he's likely to gut you for kicks and laugh about it over a beer.

The film opens with younger versions of the aforementioned leads, brothers living in Canada, circa 1845. After a violent encounter

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