Critic Reviews
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Laremy Legel, Film.com
You won't be upset you saw it, you'll have some fun, you'll see Wolvie beat the living hell out of a helicopter.
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Sara Vilkomerson, New York Observer
Did the plot points stick in my head five minutes after leaving the theater? Not so much ... but I know I was having fun while watching.
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Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies
Wolverine's backstory was good stuff -- but after the falling out with Schreiber, the story loses its center and it gets wobbly.
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Ben Lyons, At the Movies
I was definitely disappointed.
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David Denby, New Yorker
Alas, there's nothing quite memorable here: much of the combat is just a whirl of movement photographed up close. As the X-Men series has progressed, the startling poetic extravagances of the first film have given way to flesh-pounding clumsiness.
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Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor
How does all this play out for those of us -- i.e., me -- who have not been staying up nights fretting over the origins of the X-Men and Women? The answer is: Fairly well.
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Roger Moore, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
Adequate
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Ali Gray, TheShiznit.co.uk
Straight off the bat: this movie features more shots of muscle-bound men looking up at the camera and yelling "RAAWWWRGH!" than any other I can remember. It's the shoutiest film of the year.
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Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
delivers on your basic superhero elements
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Mike Edwards, What Culture
I haven't been this disappointed by a film since the new Indiana Jones.
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Jason Buchanan, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Unfortunately, the special effects vary from impressive to embarrassing, and some additional trimming at the story level might have helped elevate the metallurgical rating to steel status.
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Jay Richardson, Future Movies UK
Despite the film's necessarily lengthy exposition, Wolverine's back-story seems thinner and less compelling than the Logan-heavy, previous X-Men films had hinted at.
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Thomas Caldwell, Cinema Autopsy
It is not as good as the second X-Men film but it is on par with the first and an improvement over the third.
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
Entertainingly testosterone-fueled.
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Dave White, Movies.com
You're going to be really underwhelmed.
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Jonathan Kiefer, Sacramento News & Review
It's just too bad a movie sharp enough to rip through flesh and helicopter blades and nuclear-reactor smokestack walls has to feel so disappointingly dull.
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Will Harris, Bullz-Eye.com
While Wolverine contains several nice fight scenes and a couple of enjoyable action sequences, one can't help but feel that it thoroughly wastes Jackman.
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Sam Bathe, Fan The Fire
Reported to be the one thing missing in-part from the leaked workprint, sadly many of the special effects in X-Men Origins: Wolverine are somewhat sub-standard.
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Steve Biodrowski, Cinefantastique
The serious tone established by Bryan Singer in 2000's X-Men is almost completely obliterated, reducing the film to the level of any another by-the-numbers franchise entry.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This clunky, silly prequel, in which every chapter represents another genre, does not even make an effort to have balance between story and spectacle, characters and special effects.
Read all 21 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Wolverine, Deadpool, lots of action . .i enjoyed this from start to finish. Lots of more hard core comic people may have not liked it. I on the other hand not being one of them loved it.
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Hugh Jackman gives an outstanding performance to shroud the fact X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a simplistic and safe film that doesn't really execute as much as the X-Men franchise. The script touches on familiar grounds and different landscapes but still doesn't surpass the… More
Hugh Jackman gives an outstanding performance to shroud the fact X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a simplistic and safe film that doesn't really execute as much as the X-Men franchise. The script touches on familiar grounds and different landscapes but still doesn't surpass the impact the X-Men trilogy had. 3.5/5
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Wolverine is an intriguing X Men character, I never thought he was the best, but considering his incredible back story you'd think that making him an origin movie would be a lot more interesting than… More
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Wolverine is an intriguing X Men character, I never thought he was the best, but considering his incredible back story you'd think that making him an origin movie would be a lot more interesting than something as empty and dull as this. It promises to be darker, deeper and more spectacular than the previous movies. Well, it's got a lot of gore, it's got a lot of explosions, and it's got an unbearably cliched script. That's more of an accurate description. If your looking for all of that you should certainly watch this unimpressive lackluster. However it handles some redeeming features like Hugh Jackman's (as always) decent portrayal of the title character and some (as always) good special effects, It essentialy suffers in it's own unremarkability. But remembering my horrifying experience of sitting through X Men: The Last Stand this felt to me like comfortably watching The Dark Knight. Though in the end the only reason it exists is because the money says it should, really it's just a boring production line popcorn movie that poses as a profound character drama. It's forgetable and unremarkable in comparison to the first two entries in the series, but i've heard die hard fans of Wolverine embraced this film, so it should be a passable flick for them but for everyone else it's just a badly plotted, episodic mess. Not terrible but also nothing worth mentioning.
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Suffers from horrible pacing and a clustered plot. Too many twists for my taste. The action scenes are clunky and boring. Whoever wrote the script for this film must have rushed through it. It's disappointing because Wolverine is such a cool character and this film doesn't… More
Suffers from horrible pacing and a clustered plot. Too many twists for my taste. The action scenes are clunky and boring. Whoever wrote the script for this film must have rushed through it. It's disappointing because Wolverine is such a cool character and this film doesn't do him justice.
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Fun action, great fast paced thrill ride with some story. Character development is at its optimum for the X-men films. Much more climactic than the X-3. Although it may seem a little sloppy and at times just poorly shot; the movie delivers a solid popcorn film that will be more fun… More
Fun action, great fast paced thrill ride with some story. Character development is at its optimum for the X-men films. Much more climactic than the X-3. Although it may seem a little sloppy and at times just poorly shot; the movie delivers a solid popcorn film that will be more fun than all its predecessors.
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A really good cast and interesting story made it worth watching and I definitely feel like I know the characters more (coming from a non comic reader or X-men fan) so for me it was good and kept my attentions but I don't know how a hard core fan would feel. It did get a bit… More
A really good cast and interesting story made it worth watching and I definitely feel like I know the characters more (coming from a non comic reader or X-men fan) so for me it was good and kept my attentions but I don't know how a hard core fan would feel. It did get a bit obvious and draining to watch towards then end but overall it was an ok movie.
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Movie focuses on Logan and how he becomes Wolverine.
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I just didn't seem to click onto the film, all-be-it there is some darn good action and some good choices in the line of casting but, I didn't seem to warm to it. Although I didn't fully follow the film, there is some credit where it's due, just struggling to put… More
I just didn't seem to click onto the film, all-be-it there is some darn good action and some good choices in the line of casting but, I didn't seem to warm to it. Although I didn't fully follow the film, there is some credit where it's due, just struggling to put the credit in most places.
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The first prequel to the original three X-MEN movies isn't notably terrible, but it's just not all that great. THE LAST STAND was a considerable fall from X-MEN and X-MEN UNITED, but ORIGINS: WOLVERINE cannot even be truly called an X-MEN film. It can, though, be called an… More
The first prequel to the original three X-MEN movies isn't notably terrible, but it's just not all that great. THE LAST STAND was a considerable fall from X-MEN and X-MEN UNITED, but ORIGINS: WOLVERINE cannot even be truly called an X-MEN film. It can, though, be called an "X-Man" film, given the fact that it centers only on Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), as hinted in the title. The real thing that bothers me here, though, is that even though some of the other X-Men are here, we don't get to see all the original X-Men like Storm (Halle Berry) and Rogue (Anna Paquin) who we loved seeing in the first three films.
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A Film about my favorite X-men members past and origin? How do you screw that up? Somehow they did it. I liked this film the first 2 times I saw it, but I decided to read some origins of the X-men characters in some recent comics online, and this film screwed up so many different… More
A Film about my favorite X-men members past and origin? How do you screw that up? Somehow they did it. I liked this film the first 2 times I saw it, but I decided to read some origins of the X-men characters in some recent comics online, and this film screwed up so many different chronological moments in the characters past. They kept with the story of how Wolverine had obtained the Adamantium inside his body, but the characters are flat the action is less than perfect, and the plot has quite a few holes in it. But the biggest thing that ticked me off about this movie is that in the comics Sabertooth was never Wolverine's brother, and Sabertooth was in the first X-men film but the two don't even acknowledge each other or the fact that they are brothers, and the character of Deadpool being in this movie was just to satisfy fans to see him in something recently since how he was introduced recently and has gotten a much bigger cult following now, but they screw up his chronology as well, because in this film they make Deadpool basically invincible and made him a mute, while in the comics he isn't, and he never appeared in any X-men comics, mainly Spiderman comics. I also didn't like the cameo with Gambit because there was really no purpose to him other than him telling Wolverine where the island base was. Surprisingly the only character I kind of liked was the character that Will. I. Am played, but as usual they kill off the only cool character in the film. If I could sum up this whole movie in one simple sentence it would be "dull action and Everyone screams every 5 seconds."
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This could be considered a disappointment, but it's probably not as bad as you may have heard it is. It's very uneven, and the number of mutants tossed in the mix makes it feel bloated. That said, the conflict between Wolverine and Sabretooth is very well done, with top… More
This could be considered a disappointment, but it's probably not as bad as you may have heard it is. It's very uneven, and the number of mutants tossed in the mix makes it feel bloated. That said, the conflict between Wolverine and Sabretooth is very well done, with top notch performances turned in by both actors. Add Deadpool/Weapon XI, and you have a pretty decent movie.
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X-men 3 may not have been a masterpiece but at least it had decent action and good visuals. The action in this film is boring, cliche, and poorly filmed. A lot of the CGI in the film looks like it was placed at the last minute, especially Wolverines claws. The story in this film makes… More
X-men 3 may not have been a masterpiece but at least it had decent action and good visuals. The action in this film is boring, cliche, and poorly filmed. A lot of the CGI in the film looks like it was placed at the last minute, especially Wolverines claws. The story in this film makes one wonder whether the writers even watched the three previous X-men movies. There are many moments that are just plain insulting to Wolverines character, especially one scene were the film gives a really lame explanation as to how Wolverine got his name. The film is overstuffed with useless characters. Not even Hugh Jackmans flawless portrayal of Wolverine can save the film from horrendous dialogue and poorly thought out character development. This film feels like an attempt by Hollywood to use Wolverines popularity in order make a cheap cash-in.
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X: Men Origins - Wolverine is a film that defines the term "unnecessary." It's a studio cash cow. It's sort of a well made film; I mean, they've got director Gavin Hood, screenwriter David Benioff, and a whopper of a cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Liev… More
X: Men Origins - Wolverine is a film that defines the term "unnecessary." It's a studio cash cow. It's sort of a well made film; I mean, they've got director Gavin Hood, screenwriter David Benioff, and a whopper of a cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, and for a combined effort of about ten minutes of acting: Ryan Reynolds, will.i.am, Taylor Kitsch, and Dominic Monaghan. But it doesn't serve any purpose that the other X-Men films have not established by this point. And still, the film's biggest sin is that it isn't very entertaining.
The first X-Men picks up with Wolverine as a drifter with no memory of who he was. This kind of character only works when there is supposed to be a disconnect between his personality now and his personality before he lost his memory. Just like Jason Bourne, Logan was obviously a different man, and a story rises when this new man seeks to discover his past. The problem with X-Men Origins: Wolverine is that the other X-Men movies already established his past enough to the point where it doesn't get tedious. This movie is not only tedious, it's a series of cliches, the kind that often befalls origin prequels. There's nothing to care about.
Not to mention that Gambit, Deadpool, and pretty much every other supporting superhero are extremely underused. They spark a little bit of nostalgia, but ultimately disappointment. The film is so forgettable that you won't even need a bullet in the head for it to fade from memory.
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This film really did not need to be made. An X-Men prequel? Really? With that being said, when I saw this film in theaters in 2009, I left the theater very pleased. It's not the best superhero/action film I've seen, but it very enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The action,… More
This film really did not need to be made. An X-Men prequel? Really? With that being said, when I saw this film in theaters in 2009, I left the theater very pleased. It's not the best superhero/action film I've seen, but it very enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The action, fighting, and effects are great, and even the story is okay. This film barely fits into the stories of the other films, but overall it succeeds as a member of the X-Men saga.
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I didnt hate this movie, it was a million times better than The Last Stand. The action and effects were good, and fun to know Wolverines past. But I tell ya, the plot and characters are so boring I was almost a sleep. Its other characters are such bad actors it hurts. Go see it for… More
I didnt hate this movie, it was a million times better than The Last Stand. The action and effects were good, and fun to know Wolverines past. But I tell ya, the plot and characters are so boring I was almost a sleep. Its other characters are such bad actors it hurts. Go see it for the action and nothing else.
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Now they have taken it too far! I have always been a fan of the X-Men films, but this is no X-Men film. The filmmakers took the legendary wolverine character, took comic book events and characters, randomly threw it together and tried to make an entertaining summer blockbuster that… More
Now they have taken it too far! I have always been a fan of the X-Men films, but this is no X-Men film. The filmmakers took the legendary wolverine character, took comic book events and characters, randomly threw it together and tried to make an entertaining summer blockbuster that was only mildly entertaining. It does not even nudge the franchise films, and barely packs a punch for the action and thrills. The back story to wolverine just is not that interesting, and they throw way too many characters hear and there, and if you have never read the comics, you are not really sure who they are, but it is saved by all the moral enjoyment of the film. The huge flaw that is carries is that is has to live up to the rest, which it sadly does not! I was deeply disappointed and I will never be excited to see another film based on Wolverine, but I am a sucker, so I'll probably end back up in the cinemas! Wow, what a disappointment!
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Here is a comic book movie that got a few things right, and a lot more wrong. First, Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber are perfect as Wolverine and Sabertooth. When I think of Wolverine now, I immediately think of Jackman. He has really brought that character to life in these movies… More
Here is a comic book movie that got a few things right, and a lot more wrong. First, Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber are perfect as Wolverine and Sabertooth. When I think of Wolverine now, I immediately think of Jackman. He has really brought that character to life in these movies in a way that makes him synonymous with Wolverine, more than any other actor could. The beginning of the movie is great where they go through the wars together, but then it heads downhill slowly. First, the effects are horrible. His claws look completely fake, and scenes with explosions look down right cheesy. Then there is the obvious for any fan of the comics or old 90s cartoon, they messed up Gambit and Deadpool. Gambit isn't too bad, but I had higher hopes for him since he is really one of my favorites. He is supposed to ooze with charisma, not be some cardboard mutant with no personality. Deadpool started out awesome, but by the end you'd say "WTF Happened here?!" They really missed the boat with him. The story wasn't that bad, but the execution of it was terrible. I love Wolverine and the X-Men, that's why it sucks that I didn't really care for this. I know they can, and will do better next time.
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The story was weak. So weak I'm convinced that I could've written something better in an hour considering the source material.
I mean Striker's big plan was to create a super-mutant to kill off all mutants as a pre-emptive strike for humanity? Only to have it beaten by… More
The story was weak. So weak I'm convinced that I could've written something better in an hour considering the source material.
I mean Striker's big plan was to create a super-mutant to kill off all mutants as a pre-emptive strike for humanity? Only to have it beaten by just 2?
Sabertooth's portrayal was also a joke, the guy just didn't have the presence or build of the character.
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