Movie Reviews: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 04-30-2009, 03:27 PM

Early Reviews: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
30 April 2009 2:34 AM, PDT

The theme of most of the early reviews of X-Men Origins: Wolverine is similar: too much flash, too little imagination.

Moviegoers will be able to see the special effects that were not included in the pirated workprint that showed up online a month ago, but several critics are saying they don't help.

According to The Hollywood Reporter critic Kirk Honeycutt, they're "top-notch but too many. They become a crutch when scenes don't work."

The Village Voice's Robert Wilonsky goes so far as to recommend that moviegoers not waste their money on the theatrical version. "Wait for the [completed] bootleg," he suggests.

Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News writes: "People who saw the illegal download or are hungry for a blockbuster will likely find it a clanky mess."

Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times remarks that the film amounts to a lot of "mayhem, noise and pretty pictures." He goes on to say that he has been "powerfully impressed" by other film versions of comic-book superheroes. "I wouldn't even walk across the street to meet Wolverine."

Stars Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber are left pretty much unscathed by all the scathing critical comments, however.

As Peter Howell concludes in the Toronto Star: "The whole thing would collapse under the weight of its own pretensions were it not for the considerable acting prowess of Jackman and Schreiber, who know how to give good growl. They know they're in a comic book movie, but they act like they're making Apocalypse Now, and God bless 'em for it."

-IMDB News

JamesG · 05-01-2009, 03:51 PM

More Reviews: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
1 May 2009 2:37 AM, PDT

Additional reviews are in today (Friday) for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and they're not much better than the first ones, which appeared Thursday following the movie's midnight opening.

A.O. Scott in the New York Times dismisses it as "almost programmatically unmemorable, a hodgepodge of loose ends, wild inconsistencies and stale genre conventions."

Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News sums it up in the first sentence of his review: "So there's no easy way to say this. Oh wait, yes there is: Wolverine stinks."

But even in negative reviews, star Hugh Jackman comes out ok.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, critic Mick Lasalle comments: "Jackman has a peculiar film career. He seems determined to be the handsomest man in some of the worst movies of his era."

Lisa Kennedy in the Denver Post observes that the film is "doggedly routine," then writes: "Too bad. Jackman really is game to make this vehicle vroom."

And there are a handful of positive reviews.

Claudia Puig in USA Today concludes, "Although it's a quintessential popcorn movie, Wolverine is not mindless. [Director Gavin] Hood and Jackman bring depth to a comic-book tale of anti-heroes with anger issues."

And Rafer Guzmán sums up in Newsday that Wolverine is "a satisfyingly crunchy action flick."

-IMDB News

04-30-2009, 03:27 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	Movie Reviews: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" Early Reviews: X-Men Origins: Wolverine 30 April 2009 2:34 AM, PDT The theme of most of the early reviews of X-Men Origins: Wolverine is similar: too much flash, too little imagination. Moviegoers will be able to see the special effects that were not included in the pirated workprint that showed up online a month ago, but several critics are saying they don't help. According to The Hollywood Reporter critic Kirk Honeycutt, they're "top-notch but too many. They become a crutch when scenes don't work." The Village Voice's Robert Wilonsky goes so far as to recommend that moviegoers not waste their money on the theatrical version. "Wait for the [completed] bootleg," he suggests. Joe Neumaier in the New York Daily News writes: "People who saw the illegal download or are hungry for a blockbuster will likely find it a clanky mess." Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times remarks that the film amounts to a lot of "mayhem, noise and pretty pictures." He goes on to say that he has been "powerfully impressed" by other film versions of comic-book superheroes. "I wouldn't even walk across the street to meet Wolverine." Stars Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber are left pretty much unscathed by all the scathing critical comments, however. As Peter Howell concludes in the Toronto Star: "The whole thing would collapse under the weight of its own pretensions were it not for the considerable acting prowess of Jackman and Schreiber, who know how to give good growl. They know they're in a comic book movie, but they act like they're making Apocalypse Now, and God bless 'em for it." -IMDB News
	Last edited by JamesG; 05-01-2009 at 03:52 PM.

05-01-2009, 03:51 PM	#2
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	More Reviews: X-Men Origins: Wolverine 1 May 2009 2:37 AM, PDT Additional reviews are in today (Friday) for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and they're not much better than the first ones, which appeared Thursday following the movie's midnight opening. A.O. Scott in the New York Times dismisses it as "almost programmatically unmemorable, a hodgepodge of loose ends, wild inconsistencies and stale genre conventions." Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News sums it up in the first sentence of his review: "So there's no easy way to say this. Oh wait, yes there is: Wolverine stinks." But even in negative reviews, star Hugh Jackman comes out ok. In the San Francisco Chronicle, critic Mick Lasalle comments: "Jackman has a peculiar film career. He seems determined to be the handsomest man in some of the worst movies of his era." Lisa Kennedy in the Denver Post observes that the film is "doggedly routine," then writes: "Too bad. Jackman really is game to make this vehicle vroom." And there are a handful of positive reviews. Claudia Puig in USA Today concludes, "Although it's a quintessential popcorn movie, Wolverine is not mindless. [Director Gavin] Hood and Jackman bring depth to a comic-book tale of anti-heroes with anger issues." And Rafer Guzmán sums up in Newsday that Wolverine is "a satisfyingly crunchy action flick." -IMDB News