Column:

'Wolverine' entertaining, but not new

Jackman propels the ho-hum plot forward with skill.

By Patrick Daugherty

Published May 5, 2009

Would you be surprised to find out Wolverine had an awful childhood? And then would you be even more surprised to learn this same awful childhood molded him and is the reason he's so moody and deep?

In other words, the Wolverine we all know and love came into existence about the way 99.9 percent of our comic book heroes do. He wasn't given his superpowers or edgy nature on Christmas.

This kind of unoriginality runs rampant throughout "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Wolverine goes through all the usual superhero emotions: confusion, anger and seeming happiness before finally having his destiny hit him like a ton of bricks.

Put simply, "Wolverine" comes nowhere near reinventing the comic book movie wheel or even adding a new coat of paint to it. Even someone with no previous knowledge of "X-Men" and its mythology will see every telegraphed punch coming.

In all fairness, as far as awful comic book upbringings go, Wolverine's is pretty darn bad. For starters, he accidentally kills his father. Then he's forced to grow up on the run and in war with his semi-psychotic half-brother Victor Creed (aka Sabretooth), who eventually becomes his archenemy. It's enough to eff up any impressionable little Wolverine.

Also going for "Wolverine" is its obligatory journey of self-discovery and revenge is, frankly, pretty badass. Where other superheroes live in staid underground caves or boring Manhattan high rises, Wolverine takes up residence in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This unusual backdrop is responsible for the majority of the movie's best moments and action sequences and provides some freshness in setting that "Wolverine" lacks in plot.

In a Hollywood almost completely bereft of competent or likable action stars (see: John Cena, Shia LaBeouf), Hugh Jackman stands out. Besides being positively ripped, he brings an old-fashioned charm and sense of knowing to his otherwise by-the-book character. He is rarely too serious and only overacts when the absurdities of the script demand it (emerging from experimental surgery inside a tank full of water will make anyone look like a jackass).

Of course, there are other problems. About two-thirds through, "Wolverine" starts bogging down in way too many back stories and false endings. And though it only clocks in at an hour and 47 minutes, it feels overlong by the end.

There is also the major stumbling block of Will.I.Am and Ryan Reynolds playing two supposedly awesome characters. It usually feels like a Pepsi commercial when Will.I.am is on screen and a Wayans Brothers' parody when Reynolds is.

But "Wolverine" largely makes up for it with a final battle atop a nuclear reactor that is genuinely exhilarating action at its best and with Jackman's tireless and thoroughly entertaining performance.

Without his competent hands guiding it, "Wolverine" would likely be nothing more than a $5-DVD-bin stinker. But with him, it rises to the level of a passable action-thriller and into the realm of "probably worth the $7.50."