Video Game Review: Borderlands

The minute you set foot in Borderlands, you'll generally see what you're in for.  There's nothing clean or slick about this game; it's a raw, dirty world of psycho bandits, bloodthirsty outlaws, gnarly animals, greedy corporations, ridiculous levels of gun violence, crazy robots, and so much more.

The game is a pretty breezy shooter game with a lot of wide-open locations and a lot to do.  It's not quite as open and expansive as Fallout 3, but it's a similar form of gameplay, combining FPS and RPG elements.  As you explore new towns and territories, you have the option to follow the story or play though oodles of sidequests.  There are always bad guys to kill, loot to find, and challenges to complete.  As you level up, you not only get stronger, but you also get to use a special action skill, depending on which character you play.  The game's biggest rewards, however, come in the form of guns! There are a gajillion different types of guns you can find throughout the game to match your playing style:  big ones, little ones, pretty ones, ugly ones, common ones, rare ones, ones that deal elemental damage, ones that fire explosive bullets...you can't go two feet in this game without tripping over a new gun, it's crazy.  With whatever arsenal you acquire, the game moves as a smooth, even pace that's not too slow and not too erratic, and it offers just enough of a challenge to keep it from becoming monotonous.  The game even boasts some decent co-op support, allowing players to work together on quests (that is, when they aren't dueling each other or trying to murder each other in an arena).

The story is as simple as it can be; you're basically a treasure hunter on an alien planet.  The four characters you get to choose from show plenty of color, but rarely say much, and aren't really explored in detail.  With the encouragement of a mysterious character named Angel, you're led from one area to another toward the inevitable boss fight, and that's pretty much it.  It's not really much of a story or narrative involved, outside of figuring out how to open the Vault.  What matters the most is the overall game design; the world of planet Pandora is a brutal place that perfectly blends aspects of science fiction with classic westerns, and the plot is what you'd get if The Good The Bad and the Ugly took place in space, more or less.  It's best remembered for its quirky world of vicious skags, hilarious claptraps, and perpetually insane bandits.

Much like XIII, the game is rendered in a kind of cartoony cel-animated style.  Textures and details are purposefully simple and quite colorful.  The environments can be a bit of a pain to run through at times, but they are well-designed, with a plethora of great settings, characters, props, costumes, weapons, and more.  Sound, voices, and music are all pretty decent.  Controls work great.

It's a nutty game that offers hours of smooth and addictive gameplay.  While there's nothing much to the story, exploring the world of Pandora was still a blast.  Recommended.

4/5 (Entertainment:  Perfect | Story:  Average | Game:  Very Good)

Film Review: Maleficent

You know her, you walked with her once upon a nightmare.  Maleficent, the original villain from Disney's Sleeping Beauty, is an instantly recognizable icon of evil; even if you never knew her name, there is no mistaking her tall dark figure with the twisted horns, the wicked green fire all around her, and her coldly sardonic demeanor.  Originally, she was evil just for the sake of being evil, and for all intents and purposes, that was all she needed; she was a villain we all loved to hate, and she is one of the most definitive examples of her given archetype (that of the evil witch, sorceress, or a dark queen of sorts).  But, she was a rather one-dimensional caricature that was begging to be filled and fleshed out as a deeper character.  I always wondered, what was her beef with the king and the princess and everybody else? Why was she so evil?

2014's Maleficent comes in an ever-growing line of live-action fairy-tale movies, to flip around the moral roles of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale and show a new perspective on who's really good and who's really evil.  Those who are familiar with the classic animated film will recognize the characters and scenes instantly, but they are remixed in pretty refreshing ways.  Obviously, the main goal is to make Maleficent herself a more empathetic character with a compelling backstory, so we can understand why she does what she does, and allow us to root for her.  At the same time, the other characters we always thought of as good are villainized.

Despite these interesting twists, the story doesn't really bring that much new to the table.  It's actually been a common trend nowadays to make the bad guys sympathetic (as Disney already did with Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph, and Oz:  The Great and Powerful).  Thus, the story for Maleficent became predictable, even when it tried its best to be unpredictable.  The only thing that really keeps it from falling into mediocrity is Angelina Jolie's sumptuous performance as the title character, and the sumptuous visuals.

If it's fantastic visual whimsey you want, the film will certainly deliver, but not in any kind of dark or gothic manner.  Even at its darkest moments, Maleficent maintains a pretty light fairy-tale tone, offering just a few major scenes of combat and battle.  There are scenes that are goofy just as much as there are scenes that are dramatic and serious.  You could find it really delightful or really dry, and it all really depends on how invested you are in the storytelling and genre.

Fortunately, the storytelling isn't all that terrible.  Even though it retreads much of the classic tale, it moves at a pretty even rate, and it seems more interested in actually telling the story and developing a deeper pathological struggle than stringing together action setpieces.  In the end, I found it most interesting in the way it spun the characters around and developed a pathological conflict between Maleficent and King Stefan, using other characters as proxies, as if they were pawns in a 16-year-long chess game.  As this goes on, the characters experience just enough change to make them endearing and twist the plot around to its inevitable climax.

The film is pretty well-made, with decent photography and editing.  Angelina Jolie embodies the title character perfectly, while Sharlto Copley plays a perfect jerk once again.  Writing gets the job done, but I felt that some of the dialogue was weak.  This production uses good-looking sets, props, and costumes.  Special effects tended to look cartoony and fake.  Music is alright.

Maleficent falls somewhere in between the colorful, whimsical Oz:  The Great and Powerful and the gritty, serious Snow White and the Huntsman.  It is pretty much more of the same, but it's best seen for its visual flair and for Angelina Jolie's captivating performance.  Chances are that families and genre fans will love this film, while most others will be indifferent.  Probably best recommended as a rental.

3.5/5 (Entertainment:  Pretty Good | Story:  Pretty Good | Film:  Average)

Video Game Review: God of War

There have always been  fantasy-themed fighting games - Golden Axe, Gauntlet, Prince of Persia - but before and after the release of God of War, few games have matched the simple eloquence of the gameplay, the depth of mythology, the raw brutality of the combat, or the immersive storytelling of this classic game.

Playing God of War is the closest you can get to stepping into the shoes of a classic Greek hero, to wield the fantastic powers of ancient myth and challenge the gods of Olympus.  Instead of a hero like Perseus, however, you play through the tragic epic of Kratos:  a hulking beast of a man with blades chained to his wrists.  With the mere press of a few buttons, you can send Kratos on a mad rampage, sending his blades through men and monsters, with a varied mix of light, heavy, or grapple attacks.  As you go along, you come to wield the power of Medusa, to turn your enemies to stone.  You eventually acquire the trident of Poseidon, to swim underwater indefinitely.  You get to fire bolts of Zeus' lightning, and blast a ring of electricity with the Rage of the Gods power.  All of these abilities empower you to fight against soldiers, skeletons, sirens, sea monsters, harpies, minotaurs, and ultimately the gods themselves.  The game moves fast and smoothly; there are a few times where the levels are timed in such a way where your progress can be stalled, and balancing on ledges and beams can be frustrating, but most of the game flies by pretty evenly.  The controls are simple, but allow you to fight and move sublimely, and even to this day it holds up perfectly.

Despite the speed of the story, it is an epic-scale adventure the likes of which mirrors the Clash of the Titans movies.  The game's settings, creatures, and depiction of the gods and titans are highly imaginative, and make for a really fantastic experience.  At the core, however, is the character Kratos.  He's not a particularly likable character, for he is a spiteful, scowling, nihilistic brute with no regard for anybody other than himself.  As the game goes on, however, his backstory is slowly unveiled, and it is a compelling tale of betrayal that will go on to define the character and his motivation.  It embodies a lot of the same elements of a classic Greek tragedy, including the manipulation of the gods, and it makes Kratos one of the most well-defined antiheroes of modern pop culture.

The game is well-designed.  The levels are laid out in a somewhat circular pattern, so you often return to old areas after exploring new ones.  I've been personally fond of the Temple of Pandora levels, which presents a layered onslaught of puzzles, mazes, and arenas.  The game looks a little rough around the edges, given its age, but even the HD remaster for the PS3 looks really smooth and clean, leaving only the cut scenes to suffer (which are smoothly-rendered, despite their low resolution).  Game controls are very sublime; they work great and are easy to master.  Designs for the settings, characters, props, and costumes are great.  Sound and voices are great.  Music is fantastic as well.

Despite its extreme violence, God of War is a highly addictive game with a compelling story on a larger-than-life scale.  It is one of the most definitive fighting games of all time, and it is an essential title for any gamer.

5/5 (Entertainment:  Perfect | Story:  Perfect | Game:  Perfect)

Film Review: Edge of Tomorrow

What if, in an almost video-game-like fashion, a soldier could respawn after death over and over again and relive the same day? Surely, he would learn and alter the events over and over, and continuously hone his skills until victory is achieved.  Based on the Japanese novel All You Need is Kill, this film brings this unique premise to life on the big screen.

The film wastes little time in the set-up, before the big battles commence that pit armored men against crazy tentacled aliens.  It is a pretty hectic and hard-hitting struggle as is.  You'd think these scenes would get repetitive if the main character keeps having to relive this, but the film keeps the backtracking short, so that it always explores new directions in the narrative.  As a result, the action remains frequent, but is always varied.  All the different tangents lead to a suspenseful and satisfying finale.

Given the film's premise, it is an inherently interesting idea.  It probably could have come off as generic, cliched, or repetitive in lesser hands.  Fortunately, the story is well-built and well-told in this film, not only because it keeps things brisk and varied, but also because it has endearing characters and a strong attention to detail.  There are a few instances where I questioned the plausibility of certain things, but it doesn't stop the plot from holding up.

The film features good and straightforward photography.  Editing is pretty good, especially in the way it can string together multiple recurrences of a scene (to show progress, or sometimes for humor when the character dies a stupid death).  Acting is not bad; Tom Cruise isn't always endearing to watch, but he does have moments that help us sympathize with his situation.  Emily Blunt delivers a solid performance.  Everybody else is alright.  Writing is not bad.  This production has pretty good and gritty-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects.  Locales are surprisingly interesting.  Music is alright (the end credits song seems out of place though).

This is kinda like what you get if you cross The Source Code with the Resistance:  Fall of Man video game.  It's a pretty solid piece of military sci-fi that's certainly better than average, offering its fair share of intriguing storytelling and rip-roaring action.

Recommended!

4/5 (Entertainment:  Good | Story:  Good | Film:  Good)

Film Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past

It's been fourteen years since the X-Men first hit the big screen, setting the trend for a whole monsoon of comic-book movies. Counting the two stand-alone Wolverine movies, Days of Future Past is the seventh in the series. The X-Men have had so many ups and downs over the years that it's easily become the most convoluted franchise since the original Planet of the Apes.  This film fulfills the same role as Escape from Planet of the Apes, redirecting the story arcs to rectify past mistakes and set the path for a bold, promising future.

Days of Future Past takes after First Class primarily, but there are vague connections to the other movies. Unlike the previous films, this one doesn't have the same light-spirited kick-butt feel. If anything, it starts off looking like The Terminator, swapping out T-800s for Sentinels, with Wolverine standing in for the T-101, Mystique fulfilling the role of Sarah Connor, and Trask standing in for Miles Dyson and Cyberdyne.  However, it never comes off as a rip-off; it's still X-Men to the core. The bleak future we see in the film's opening has always been in the cards, representing the apex of the ongoing conflict between men and mutants; the set-up is laid out very quickly, before launching a double-barreled narrative in both the past and the future with substantial stakes and suspense.

In lesser hands, this could have become a hokey affair (and chances are that the most critical of viewers could nitpick plot inconsistencies, especially when time travel is involved). However, this is easily the most mature film of the series, thanks not only to the complex plot dynamics that unfold with this unique premise, but also because of the characters. Their motivations and relationships are as strong as ever, and drives the story into different directions. Charles Xavier in particular emerges as the heart and soul of the whole film, driving numerous conflicts among other characters and within himself that underscores key themes concerning progress, destiny, and overcoming adversity of any kind. A lot of the lesser characters get sidelined, but Wolverine, Mystique, Magneto, and Beast get plenty of screen time.

Fortunately, as the plot unfolds, it does pull out a satisfying amount of action and spectacle. It's never overblown or overwhelming, and it's not just a bunch of things blowing up just because; it's nicely-balanced action that builds logically from the story. Scenes in the future show some pretty harrowing super-powered fights, while the rest of the film dishes out a lot of cool fights (including one crazy scene entirely in slow-motion, thanks to one super-fast mutant). It all builds up to a double-whammy climax, which not only ramps up the carnage, but also draws out the suspense.

This film features pretty good photography. Editing is fine, although it seemed like there were a lot of scenes in the beginning where a character starts to talk, but then the camera cuts away, and it came off as a little weird, as if the movie didn't want to show you who was talking. Acting is great across the board; James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart both excel as Charles Xavier, while Michael Fassbender continues to dominate as the younger Magneto (unfortunately, I felt Ian McKellen wasn't given enough to do here). It was also great to watch Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman, and Peter Dinklage. Writing is good, especially in the way it addresses the continuity of the series and bridges the gaps it needs to, while keeping things fresh and crafting a quality story with quality dialogue. This production has good-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is alright (you can expect to hear a little bit of a reprise of the theme from the first two movies).

Days of Future Past is a movie about saving the future, not only in the movie, but also for the franchise as a whole. Despite certain contrivances, it is a highly nuanced story that rectifies some of the low points of the series. It genuinely kept me interested to see where it was all going. Even after the movie, it kept me interested, leaving just enough questions wide open to leave me wanting more. Best of all, the film accomplishes all this using plot and character more than special effects. So long as you've freshened up on the events of First Class, this film is highly recommended.

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: The Wolverine (Revisited)

Wolverine has been through so much. In spite of that, he remains one of the biggest superheroes of comic-book legend, and thanks to Hugh Jackman's performance in four previous X-Men movies, he became one of the biggest cinematic icons of modern times. Even though the character received his stand-alone film in 2009, filmmakers wanted to go farther and deeper with the character. Taking after Chris Claremont's and Frank Miller's comic, The Wolverine would test the character's limits in Japan.

This film is nowhere near as overblown as other X-Men films: the action is confined to just a few fights. Some of the highlights include a fight on top of a high-speed bullet-train, confrontations with a small army of ninjas, and a final showdown with a giant armored samurai suit. These are fairly cool fights that show off quality choreography and a few cool weapons, but there's very little wow factor. The film does satisfy in the same way thrillers like The Man From Nowhere or Crying Freeman do, but it feels far less like a superhero movie, or even an X-Men movie. Those searching for big, explosive action might be let down, but there is still merit in this moody, slow-burning drama.

The Wolverine takes its time to breathe, giving a steady focus on the title character. It is a much-needed character study; as a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand, Wolverine is a broken man, tormented by guilt and deprived of purpose. As he travels to Japan and becomes caught up in a major conspiracy, he is revealed to be a figurative ronin: a master-less samurai struggling to regain his honor, perhaps even through death. Due to these issues, and with the threat of taking away his healing powers, this is Wolverine at his most vulnerable, and it makes for a very intense struggle. The conflict runs good and hard throughout the story, and the plot is well-structured. The story has a dense layer of conspiracy that's not exactly easy to comprehend, especially with so many side characters, but other parts are predictable. At the film's core, however, strong parallels are drawn between Wolverine and the Bushido code, and it makes for a rather compelling show.

This film uses pretty straightforward photography and editing, and it's refreshing that way. Acting is good: Hugh Jackman is still perfect as Wolverine, and the rest of the cast is decent and feels authentic. Writing is good. This production uses good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Locales in particular look authentic, and it helps, since the setting plays a major role in this story. Music is not bad either.

The Wolverine is the film the character deserves, with emphasis on "THE" to indicate that this is not just another plain ol' superhero flick, but an exploration on the character and his quest for absolution. Viewers might find this dull, but it exceeded my expectations in spite of the dramatic aspects. In the end, I enjoyed watching the character, both for the action and for the melodrama. It is a worthwhile experience overall.

This film has an extended cut available on specific home video editions. It is an evenly-paced cut that boasts some longer dialogue and longer action scenes (primarily with the ninja fight toward the end), including a little more R-rated cursing and a bit more bloodshed. For mature audiences, it's not a bad cut of the movie.

4/5 (Entertainment: Pretty Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: X-Men: First Class

You may know who they are, and after watching the three main X-Men films, you may have a good idea of what their histories are. But for the full tale of how Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr became Professor X and Magneto respectively, look no further than First Class, the true prequel to the film trilogy.

Even though character drama tends to take the front stage, this film still has a phenomenal share of action and spectacle. Most of these scenes are short and tight, but every character gets a chance to shine and show off their powers. The fights are frequent and fun, but with the Cuban Missile Crisis as the centerpiece, the stakes are ramped up really well, before reaching an inspiring climax.

However, much like the first couple of X-Men films, the action never really drowns out the story or characters. In First Class, the focus remains firmly on showing how the original mutants came together, sowing the seeds for the conflicts that would come in the future. Some characters have more development than others, but each one do have scenes worth showing, and enough attention is given to the main ones to make them stand out. The film covers a lot of ground, but it does so swiftly and attentively, so the storytelling becomes endearing and faithful.

This film is crafted with decent photography. A lot of shots are wide-angle, but the film is composed well. Editing can be a bit choppy in some parts, but is otherwise solid (the scene with the coin at the end is specially inspiring in the way it's cut). Some scenes have overlays and transitions that gives the film a more uniquely dynamic style. Acting is phenomenal; James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are the most perfect choices for their characters since the days of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, and the rest of the cast pulls their weight well. Writing is okay. This production uses good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects vary from being okay to being rather poor, but they are very well-conceived. Henry Jackman's score is excellent, and is especially wicked when Magneto is on screen.

Forget X-Men Origins: Wolverine. First Class is the most endearing and satisfying prequel to the series. It is densely-packed with action and storytelling, and in spite of that, it stands as one of the best in the franchise.

4/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: X-Men: The Last Stand

After two satisfying X-Men films, it only seemed logical at the time that a third film should round off the series and provide a big-scale conclusion to the fight between mankind and mutant-kind.

If nothing else, The Last Stand has plenty of action to satisfy; the fights occur pretty frequently, and seem much more hard-hitting than before. It has always been great to watch Magneto take out an armored convoy with impunity, before gathering his army and taking over Alcatraz. The final battle is a fun free-for-all with so many mutant powers being thrown around that it's crazy. A bunch of new mutants - Beast, The Juggernaut, the Phoenix - are welcome additions to the lore of the film series.

Unfortunately, the film has not sat well with many viewers. Part of the issue is that the film doesn't take itself as seriously as its predecessors, and there are moments throughout where it tries to be funny but mostly isn't. What really ticks viewers off will be the storytelling decisions; many of the characters go into undesirable directions (including death). One's enjoyment of the film may also hinge on how seriously you can accept that mutation can be cured so easily. There are probably some plot holes to be found as well.

A lot of these issues have never bothered me personally (save for what happens to certain characters). For casual popcorn entertainment, the film is enjoyable in a laid-back manner. Its story flows well enough, and provides at least some closure to the series (at least at the time it was made).

The film looks nice and slick, with quality photography and editing. Actors continue to do their job admirably, with Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, and everybody else pulling their weight well. Even Halle Berry seems to step up her performance a little. Writing is okay. This production boasts good-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects are often good, but some are weak. Music is alright.

X-Men: The Last Stand is an enjoyable onslaught of mutant brawling, but many viewers won't like what they've done to the characters and plot. It is a thrilling enough climax to the original three movies, but it's not quite as powerful of a catharsis as it thinks it is. It is often considered one of the worst comic-book movies ever, alongside with Spiderman 3. I personally don't think it's that bad, but it certainly has its share of weaknesses, and isn't quite as sublime as the first two movies.

Recommended only as a rental.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Marginal | Film: Pretty Good)

Film Review: X2: X-Men United

The first X-Men film presented a grand cast of iconic heroes in a troubled world; their heroics would only become grander and more complex in the continuing conflict. Bryan Singer's second X-Men film carries over everything that made the first film great, and still manages to cram in a whole lot more.

The action in X2 is phenomenal. The film starts off with one of the most elegantly-staged fight scenes on film. Shortly thereafter, the film rolls ahead with a constant series of fights and flights; among the most inspiring of scenes, Storm takes out a pair of jets with tornadoes, and Pyro goes berserk against a police squad. The entire last half of the film takes everybody to Alkali Lake, for a massive cascade of impressive action, including a great fight between Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike, Magneto wreaking havoc with the military, and Cyclops blowing things up. The whole time, all life on Earth remains at stake. It all reaches its apex with an awesome dam burst sequence, the likes of which could put the scenes in Superman: The Movie to shame.

Despite having so much, the film never feels overblown or convoluted; it all flows very sublimely, and gives just enough room for the story to unfold and breathe a little. Characters shine a little better than before, and more attention is given to the lesser players. Some of the strongest moments include revelations concerning Wolverine's character. The film also digs up enough background on the villain, Colonel Stryker, and his situation to give the evil plot more relevance and depth. It all ties into the grander scheme of showing a world struggling against mutant prejudice, and thanks to the characters and their interactions, it remains a compelling struggle.

This film is made with fantastic photography and editing. Acting is great from the whole cast: Hugh Jackman continues to excel as Wolverine, while Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Brian Cox, and everybody else remains solid. Writing is not bad. This production uses great-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects are generally good, but are aging a little. John Ottman's music score is great.

X2 is a perfectly-balanced sequel with fantastic action scenes, but still gives a good amount of attention to the story and characters. In spite of this, it is a massive step up from the first film, and remains one of the best sequels since T2.

Recommended!

4.5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Good | Film: Very Good)

Film Review: X-Men

Superhero films are a dime-a-dozen these days. Regardless of whether you think that's good or bad, we all have the original X-Men film to thank. Prior to this, superhero movies were limited in scope, scale, and conception; after all, comic book stories are so larger-than-life that it's hard to adapt them for the big screen (much less justify a big enough budget for it). With the X-Men (and arguably Blade, released a couple of years earlier), filmmakers took a chance on modern effects and techniques to bring a whole team of heroes to life, ushering in a massive wave of comic-book movies that would eventually lead to Marvel's rise as a new studio: a cinematic force to be reckoned with.

As the first-ever X-Men film, it has its share of limitations, especially compared to later films. Action is kept to a minimum; the biggest highlights being the train station scenes and the big climax on Liberty Island. Special effects are plentiful, but used sparingly. What really matters is that you get to see a whole world of mutants showing off their varied powers. The film blasts so many memorable details with sporadic bursts of short scenes, crafting just enough spectacle to wow us, but also just enough to tell the story it needs to.

It is a decent enough story. The film takes its time tracking various characters and bringing them together, so we get a solid and well-composed introduction to the X-Men and the world they inhabit. There are a ton of characters involved, but the film juggles them well enough. A good amount of attention is given to Wolverine, Rogue, Magneto and Professor X, who are all endearing characters we can appreciate. Most of the others tend to be lacking; there is no real development involved with Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, or Mystique (and Toad and Sabretooth stand as two of the weakest villains in the franchise, for they are lacking in presence and depth). All things considering, the film covers so much ground that there's really no room for extraneous character beats; what matters the most is the plot, which is intriguing, as it builds up to a fairly decent climax. At its core, it's a film that underscores themes of prejudice, which provides all the dynamics for the character and the conflicts they go through.

This film is very tightly-composed, with excellent photography and very rapid editing. It is especially noteworthy how the film manages to relay so much information with a constant stream of short, revealing images. Acting is a little dry, but the casting choices are mostly perfect. Hugh Jackman is easily the most iconic character of the lot, thanks to his perfect portrayal of Wolverine. Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, and Bruce Davidson are great in their roles, and I enjoyed watching Famke Janssen and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. I got to admit that the more I watch this film, the more I dislike Halle Berry as Storm (she does deliver one of the worst lines ever in this film). Writing is pretty blunt, but it gets the job done. This production uses some very slick and cool-looking sets, props, and costumes. Special effects hold up mostly well, with just a few weaknesses. The music score is alright.

The first original X-Men film was an inspiring hit at its time, but would only be a small taste of even greater things to come. It still holds up thanks to its storytelling and nuanced attention to detail. It's worth seeing at least once, especially for genre fans.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Film Review: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Wolverine still stands as one of the most prolific, most popular, and most badass superheroes of Marvel lore. The man is literally immortal: he heals instantly, even from mortal wounds, and thanks to that he was grafted with an invincible metal skeleton, complete with retracting adamantium claws. Wolverine kicked plenty of butt in the three main X-Men films, but a stand-alone Wolverine film has always been in the cards, to give fans another chance to see this awesome character in action. So, they made X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in what would be the first in a line of stand-alone prequel movies for each X-Men character.

In hindsight, this proved to be a futile move; despite the film's commercial success, it is easily one of the worst films of the series, and plans to make more Origins films fell through. The film is one hot mess: a haphazard blend of rip-roaring action and plot contrivances.

The good news is that the film is still very tight, highly entertaining, and it does have some great moments. It is really cool to watch Wolverine rampaging through whole hoards of bad guys, taking out hum-vees and helicopters on a motorbike, and fighting mutants around a nuclear reactor plant. The film moves fast and is never skimpy on the action or style.

The story involved in inherently compelling, thanks entirely to the allure of the title character. It is a tragic tale of love, betrayal, and vengeance that helps shape Wolverine into the berserker we all know and love. The plot covers some of the same ground we've seen before in the original X-Men films, but this time you get to see the full background on how Wolverine got suckered into Colonel Stryker's plans. There are a few major twists, which will seem contrived at first glance, but do hold up on repeat viewings. The plot suffers the most with a number of scenes that don't really contribute; many of the action scenes are frivolous, and scenes involving a young Cyclops seem to the thrown in just for the hell of it.

A lot of the film's biggest issues rests with the editing, which is extremely choppy and screwy. A lot of shots are cheaply-cut to cover up deficiencies in the action. Worst yet, most scenes do not transition well from one to another, causing characters to appear at seemingly random places (such as Gambit suddenly appearing on a rooftop, or Victor appearing at the final fight out of nowhere). It is clear that the conflicts between the studio and the director have contributed to a film that's at conflict with itself, unable to find a balance between the heartfelt drama and the hardcore action.

On the plus side, photography is mostly-solid. Performances are a bit of a mixed bag: Hugh Jackman continues to excel at playing his iconic character, and Liev Schreiber is superb as Victor Creed. I enjoyed Danny Huston's and Lynn Collins' performances. Most of the other actors playing the side characters are pretty weak. The writing is pretty weak. This production uses okay sets, props, and costumes. Special effects vary from good to terrible. Music seems uninspired as well.

Wolverine's stand-alone film is not an inherently bad story; in fact, its potential is more effectively conveyed in the film's corresponding video game. Somewhere along the line it got mucked-up, and I blame it mostly on too much post-production tinkering. I still value the film as a guilty pleasure, and it does make for a satisfying stand-alone action flick. In an X-Men marathon, however, it doesn't fit as smoothly with the other films (especially since events in X-Men: First Class contradict this one). Diehard fans will probably want to check this out once, but for casual audiences, you can do better.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Average | Film: Marginal)