X-men Origins: Wolverine

X-Men Origins-Wolverine rated PG13. Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy.

I’m going to do this review on three levels. Level 1 will be a general entertainment review. Level 2 will be a review of material in the movie that might be offensive to some viewers. Level 3 will be the most controversial. It will be to relay what I believe to be some of the inferred messages that are laid down in the movie. I think you’ll catch on as you read. If some of my scene descriptions seem vague it is to avoid plot spoilers.

Level 1: Wolverine is an action adventure movie telling the origin of some of the X-Men characters that are portrayed in the Marvel Comics series by the same name. This episode obviously, is about probably the most popular of all of the X-men, Wolverine, played by actor Hugh Jackman. All in all it was a thorough going action packed typical superhero movie. Most X-men sticklers I know had no great complaints about deviations from the canonical Wolverine of the comics. If you’re looking for a fairly fun, not to serious, entertaining movie, it’s a good movie. I believe, comparable with other movies of its genre. Maybe even a bit grittier than previous X-men movies. Grade: B+.

Level 2: There is at least two uses of the “b.s.” word as well as one each of the “g.d.” and the “a.h.” word. There were no sex scenes, nor nudity. There were many physical fight scenes displaying the super human powers of the characters. Thus, there is always a great deal of property damage. As a guy, I like seeing property damage, but as a law abiding citizen I can’t endorse it. There was, compared to many contemporary movies of similar genres, not a lot of gore or blood. There was one decapitation. Considering that two of the main characters had very sharp claws only one decapitation shows a great deal of self restraint on someone’s part. Grade: B.

Level 3: C.S. Lewis once said that he wasn’t concerned about a book defending Buddhism impacting negatively his contemporary culture. He was concerned about 100 books with Buddhism assumed dismantling the culture. With that in mind, I observed assumptions made by the makers of this movie that I want to bring to the fore. I’m just pointing them out so that you know what’s there. In this particular case three assumptions stood out.

First, the obviously deceptive and evil bad guy of the film, in one scene, had a cross on his lapel. Now anyone who has been involved in movie making knows that very little gets by editing or happens by accident. Someone at some point in making this movie said, “Hey, let’s put a cross on his lapel in this scene.” Then many other people like directors and producers and editors must have thought it was a good idea. Movie makers know that images can convey meanings. That’s the point. It seemed odd to me that this bad guy should have a cross on his lapel when there was no specific reason to put it there. Unless they wanted to imply that the bad guy was some sort of Christian believer. Thus, suggesting that Christian believers are actually evil people. They could have put a swastika, or a Star of David, or a Hammer and Sickle, or nothing, but instead they put a cross. Why, do you think? Do you think it was a cheap shot at Christians? Do you think it is deserved? Is it a fair way to communicate their accusation?

Second, the same bad guy at one point argues his case for doing his obviously evil behavior as “pre-emptive” protection of the American way of life. “The days of America sitting on the side lines are over,” he proclaims. My first thought is, “What a strange statement.” Is there anyone anywhere who considers America as the sort of entity that sees itself as sitting on the side lines on any issue? Are the makers of the film suggesting that those who think preemptive strike are a good idea are suffering from a sense of “sitting on the side lines? Sounds like a straw man to me. My question would be are all preemptive strikes morally wrong, as this particular bad guy’s clearly were?

Lastly, at the climax of the movie the bad guy, as usually happens in these movies, has the tables turned on him and finds himself at the mercy of one of the good guys. In that moment the good guy pronounces a more “merciful” (my quotation for emphasis, not an actual word used in the scene) sentence and punishment on the bad guy thus implying “justice” (same as quote above) has been served without stooping to the moral equivalency of the bad guy. Let me suggest that this final “sentence” is so morally confusing that it actually refutes the earlier actions of Wolverine. Trying to avoid plot spoilers this final scene involves issues of gun control, capital punishment, vigilante justice, and cruel and unusual punishment. Grade: C.

There are my observations. I hope you find them informative or at least fodder for discussion. All in all, a good entertaining movie, but as with much that comes out of Hollyweird, I’d take their attempts at moral indoctrination with a grain of salt. Overall grade: B.