Mutant Domination

I guess I must have seen a different Wolverine than pretty much every critic on the planet, because I honestly thought the movie was awesome. I know nobody in this movie will win an Oscar for their performance, but let me tell you one thing: Hugh Jackman IS Wolverine. The Australian actor does once again a formidable job as the Canadian killing machine, and this movie actually explains why he became the best there is at what he does. The story is tight, interesting, dark and dramatic, packed with amazingly tragic and heart-wrenching moments, and it still manages to get in a few laughs with witty oneliners, and friendly banter. Plus, the action scenes scattered throughout the movie are vicious, intense, and adrenaline-driven.

But Hugh Jackman is not the only one to shine in this movie, since Liev Schreiber does an amazing job as Sabretooth, Logan's nemesis. I didn't know what to expect, seeing as Schreiber seemed an odd pick for the character, but he absolutely steals the show and makes Victor Creed a villain who is both lethal and an asshole but also intriguing and charismatic.

The supporting characters are also well cast, and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit, Danny Huston as Stryker, and (superhot) Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox shine on their own right. They deliver solid performances and complete a superbly entertaining movie that never has a dull moment.

There are plenty of other characters, and people who are familiar with the comic books will be rewarded with cameos and characters they will recognize. Also, continuity fans will find this movie flawlessly sets the stage for the first X-Men movie, so the script works really well and the film fits the franchise continuity perfectly. (Except for why Sabretooth is so awesome in this movie and such a lame character in X-Men, of course.)

Regarding the things I didn't like, I am just being nitpicky here, but I would have liked to have more Gambit in the movie. The Cajun has always been, along with Logan, my favorite X-Man, and I wish he would have had more onscreen time. But whatever little time he did have, he was great. (And I liked his purple shirt a lot.) Also, I would have liked to get more Wade, because I've always loved the Merc-with-a-mouth, but he only has a couple of scenes to shine. But, as I said, the movie works extremely well the way it is, and these are just things I would have liked from a fanboy's perspective.

Finally, if you go see it, wait until the end of the credits. (And talking about credits: the opening credits reminded me a lot of Watchmen’s.) There is a hidden scene ten seconds after the credits begin to roll, but then there's a second one at the very end, so just be patient and wait for a while. It is by no means vital, but fans of the comic books will certainly get a kick out of it.

So there you go. I went to see this movie with extremely low expectations, and it blew me away. It was the most fun I've had in the movie theater this year, and I am shocked (well, not really) at the poor reviews it's gotten. Nothing like going to see it yourself to form your own opinion!