Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
After seeking to live a normal life after 200 years, Logan sets out to avenge a death by undergoing the mutant Weapon X program and becoming Wolverine.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a formulaic superhero origin story that fails to capitalise on its compelling source material. The plot is riddled with conveniences and pacing issues, reducing Logan's rich backstory to a series of action set-pieces. Acting is serviceable — Jackman commits fully to the role as always, and Liev Schreiber brings menace as Sabretooth — but the supporting cast is largely wasted. Cinematography is workmanlike and unremarkable, lacking any distinctive visual identity. Novelty is low; the film retreads familiar revenge-driven superhero ground with little distinctive voice or craft, and the handling of fan-favourite characters like Deadpool was widely criticised. The ending is messy and unsatisfying, relying on a memory-wipe plot device that feels like a narrative cop-out.