Drama Sacrificed For Action (not the film I wanted to see)

Rating: 1/10 (30 June 2012)

To begin with, I must admit that whilst I'm not a comic book enthusiast, I am a fan of the limited series, "Origin" - a 6 part graphic novel from which this film, "X Men Origins: Wolverine" draws heavily and against which it commits heinous crimes.
As a child I was intrigued by the enigma of Wolverine, a character shrouded in mystery. So mysterious was he, that his personal history was never revealed in order to keep readers guessing. The eventual and much awaited release of "Origin" helped clarify details of Wolverine's life, and although non canon, certain elements of it were deemed kosher enough to be adapted into a live motion picture. But beware! This film adaptation of "Origin" only glossed over the fine details and the real essence behind the story was lost, turning it into nothing more than an average Hollywood popcorn flick!
In the graphic novel "Origin," writers Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and Paul Jenkins present a stunning drama which strips bare the human heart and reveals mankind's animalistic nature. When considered an abhorrence by his family, James Howlett has no choice but to run away, accompanied only by his close friend Rose. Their escape leads them to a quarry in British Columbia, where James finds work and begins to understand what he is. Here, he begins to realise that society would never accept him as a mutant and a monster. So James periodically escapes in the night to hunt amongst wolves, a brotherhood with whom he can safely and secretly manifest his violent rage.
Wolverine is such a complex character. Any attempt made by an uninspired director to "pick n' mix" elements from differing comic book series and amalgamate them under the banner of "X- Men Origins" is a great injustice done to both Wolverine and the X-Men. In this case, the opportunity of an interesting character study, such as the "relationship between animal and man" was sorely missed. Instead, the writers chose to forego dramatic elements in favour of cliché high-intensity action scenes involving explosions, guns and motorbikes.
At a time when market competitors, DC Comics, are approving well researched and inspired adaptations such as "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight," the production of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" should be a shameful embarrassment for Marvel Studios.