At the Movies

In “Public Enemies”, highly praised filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale in the unbelievable true story of legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), the fascinating bank robber whose lightning raids made him the public enemy number one target of J. Edgar Hoover’s fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), and a folk hero to much of the oppressed public. No one could stop Dillinger. No jail could lock him in. His charm and overconfident jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone, from his girlfriend Billie Frechette, to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression.

But while the adventures of Dillinger’s gang, which later included the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), thrilled many, Hoover (Billy Crudup) hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw’s capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America’s first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing “Clark Gable of the FBI”. However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis’ men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen , the newly baptized as agents, who were real gunfighters, and orchestrating epic betrayals, from the infamous “Lady in Red” to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti, were Purvis and the FBI were able to close in on Dillinger.

I, after watching this truly fantastic film, feel confident calling “Public Enemies” The best film of 2009 thus far. Johnny Depp was phenomenal as John Dillinger. His portrayal of Dillinger was brilliant considering he had almost nothing to go on when trying to get Dellinger’s mannerisms and speech down perfectly.

There’s more to this film than its technical details. It stars two of Hollywood’s strong leading men, actors of completely opposed styles, and they both take the job seriously. Depp isn’t impersonating any skunks or rock stars, and Bale isn’t shouting needlessly or speaking in an unusually low record. They’re acting, they’re doing it well, and I only wish they’d been able to share the screen instead of stewing and smirking in two counter-posed worlds. Depp is bank robber John Dillinger, on the lam, and Bale is FBI agent Melvin Purvis, on the hunt. Rarely, but inevitably, the two shall meet.

The same could be said for Dillinger and his sweetheart Billie, a beautiful young woman, played by Marion Cotillard, whose sexy aura is only enhanced by a readiness to hitch her wagon to this gangster’s Ford Deluxe. She and Dillinger talk in a crowded, high-ceiling restaurant, but all the noise around them drops neatly away. For a moment, they float, just like in the movies. In a sense, that’s what the film is about, two bodies in a dance or in a tug of war that will eventually end in the mud. Good guys vs. bad guys, sure, but also, real life vs. the movies and free will vs. determinism.

Michael Mann’s newest is a skilled and technically impressive gangster film with charismatic lead performances, but some may find the film may lack truly forceful drama. “Public Enemies” is rated R for language and gangster violence. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Public Enemies” Official Website

The fight for Earth has finished but the battle for the universe has just begun. After returning to Cybertron, Starscream assumes command of the Decepticons, and has decided to return to Earth with force. The Autobots believing that peace was possible finds out that Megatron’s dead body has been stolen from the US Military by Skorpinox and revives him using his own spark. Now Megatron is back seeking revenge and with Starscream and more Decepticon reinforcements on the way, the Autobots with reinforcements of their own, may have more to deal with then meets the eye. The Fallen will rise.

Michael Bay should be honored for directing “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”. Any other director would have completely torn this franchise to shreds. The only way to film the movie is the Michael Bay way. I couldn’t see it any other way.

The story is about the Decepticons search for a secret weapon hidden on earth thousands of years ago. Megatron is the ‘apprentice’ of another Transformer called ‘The Fallen’, who has been exiled off earth and itching for a comeback. Sam (Shia LaBeouf) has a shard of the all-spark, which has given him the knowledge to find the location of the weapon. So the Decepticons are sight set on finding Sam, while Optimus Prime and the Autobots protect him, and the entire planet.

The film has every manner of robot fighting and destroying down. Even if you were not a massive fan of the first film, you will be now. In this second installment to the “Transformers” franchise everything is left on the line. Your heart is racing a mile a minute waiting to see what is going to happen next. The scope of this film is amazing. The fight scenes are brilliant. This film broke records. But, I wasn’t shocked to hear that a Michael Bay film had done this.

Michael Bay upped the ante with this movie. Usually you hear that a director taking on a sequel wants to make it bigger and better, then you view the film and you’re completely let down. That was not the case with “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”.

 The only problem I had with this picture is that you never really see what’s happening in detail. The scenes move at a rapid pace, with a lot of quick edits, and confusing imagery. I give them credit for two scenes, a fight with Optimus in a forest, and Devastator shredding a pyramid in Egypt. But all the other action is done in a way so you can’t pay close attention. Meanwhile, and this is so slapdash, you have frequent scenes of Shia LeBeouf and Megan Fox running in slow motion with explosions everywhere. The world is being blown to bits around them, but they remain unharmed as they run through the destruction. It’s been a while since I’ve seen slow motion this overdone and poorly used.

I loved how the Transformers seemed to be more humanized in this film. They actually had a common bond with the human race. They were like these watchful protectors. They had voice, and they used it.

Transformers II was much more action-packed than its predecessor. Sure, the first one had more dialogue and a story to tell before the big reveal of the Transformers.

All-in-all, I got what I expected and more from Transformers II. I wish John Turturro didn’t show his S7 jockstrap. I wish he had more funny lines as he did in the last movie. More focus should have been on the new autobots and their special abilities. It also would have been nice to see the parents fight back with some of the smaller autobots. Less focus on the military support, or as much as I would like. Better to have high intelligence vs. the stupid intelligence portrayed throughout the movie.

“Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen” is rated PG-13. I loved what Michael Bay’s team did with the graphics of all of the Transformers. But the film just lacked a human touch. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Official Website

In “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3,” Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into anarchy by an overconfident crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a bulky ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his infinite knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can’t unravel. Even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

Reboots, remakes and sequels are the way in Hollywood. There is no getting past that fact. Here, director Ridley Scott doesn’t even attempt to do anything new with the material, except wash his film stock in acid before squeezing it through sixteen-different camera lens all at once. This creates a sense of excitement where there is none, and it ups the intensity of what is basically a two-hour chat session between its two big shot stars. I highly doubt you’ll see more talking in an action flick this year. Washington and Travolta save it from being a complete disaster, though. Literally, their phoned-in conversations are what keep this mess from totally falling apart.
John Travolta is terrific in the role of a man who is like an out of control child who throws a fit of temper one minute, then exhibits a broad grin the next. What’s not believable is his thuggish attire, leather jacket and extremely dark shades, which would make him a standout for the many police cars and a choppers looking for the mad but intelligent criminal.

Washington and Travolta are two actors with similar film backgrounds. The both have had hit and miss films, though they are both honored with being two of the best actors in the world. They have both played terrific bad guys and villains. As I stated earlier, they kept this film afloat just enough to keep me interested. I did enjoy watching them play off each other in the scenes where they were communicating solely through the phone and intercom. I felt they had great chemistry.

While there is certainly drama inbuilt in the idea of a hijacked subway car full of hostages, there’s an additional drama playing out at the same time. Ryder senses a kindred spirit in Garber. Ryder thinks they both have been screwed by the system, the psychopath for his past actions and the transit worker for the detrimental allegations leveled against him. As they talk to one another over an intercom system, Ryder almost seems like he’s trying to get Garber to join his cause, to distinguish that “the system” is actually flawed. The story tries for some suspense from this, although with Denzel Washington in the lead role, it’s not exactly a surprise which route his character eventually takes.

But, even with a strong cast, this film suffers under the excesses of Tony Scott’s frantic direction. “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ is rated R for language and violence. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3″ Official Website

Based on the classic television series created by Sid & Marty Krofft, “Land of the Lost” stars Will Ferrell as has been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world-a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the “Land of the Lost.”

On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant (Anna Friel) and a redneck carnival worker (Danny McBride). In this alternate universe, the trio gets chased by a T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks. Dr. Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone), their only ally in a world full of dinosaurs and other fantastic creatures. Can they all make it back to our world alive?

This is the most bizarre interpretation of a television show ever imagined for the big screen. Every moment that could be extracted from the original Sid & Marty Krofft 1974 incarnation of the property is accounted for, and director Brad Silbering adheres to the core ideology that made the original such a good kid show oddity. He then threw an amazing cast of improvisational actors on top of it. The result is a memorable mix of comedy and adventure that will surely satisfy those are die hard fans of the T.V. series from the 70’s and 90’s.

A more youthful audience maybe sidelined by the silly behavior on display in “Land of the Lost”. Only because they don’t have a reference point for the chaos of what’s happening. This is not a movie for everyone, and it goes that extra mile in alienating those who’ve never seen the original show. It encourages Will Ferrell and Danny McBride to act out their own living observations, and they focus their unique brand of humor on the lesser mechanisms of the genre.

I noticed McBride took his character and gloriously amps up the attitude, bringing an exaggerated sense of masculinity to the part. If you haven’t seen the original, this posturing might throw your sensibilities off. There comes a moment where Holly is forced to protect herself against an army of Sleestaks using only a belt. Way in the background, McBride is standing, his thumbs in his belt loops. He stares on, unchanged by the action. It’s a funny joke if you are familiar with the 1974 incarnation of this material. If you’re not sure what he is doing, it might look like a flub, like the camera accidentally caught McBride relaxing and chilling out between takes. It becomes easy to understand why some bloggers that grew up in the 90’s might have a problem understanding and appreciating some of the more faint jokes being offered up here. But some of us will think it’s funny.

The story is almost lost in retrospection, as it acts only in pushing us through to the wild climax that sees Will Farrell riding a T-Rex to trudge on a slow moving army of Sleestak. A lot of the script is culled from various different first season episodes, with its hub centered on Dr. Rick’s Tachyon Amplifier, a time travel device that has been produced from an old boom box. The mechanism seems more interested in blaring show tunes than it does channeling our characters through history. Speaking of show tunes, I thought it was awesome that Will Ferrell actually learned the original theme song from the T.V. series and played it on the banjo. Can we say dedication?

“Land of the Lost” is rated PG-13. It’s a crazy, hilarious ride that is sure to appeal to anyone interested in the wacky world of Sid & Marty Krofft or hardcore Will Ferrell & Danny McBride fans. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!              

“Land of the Lost” Official Website

Two days before Doug (Justin Bartha) is about to be married, he and his friends, Stu (Ed Helms), a dentist planning on proposing to his girlfriend of three years, Phil (Bradley Cooper), a school teacher bored of the married life, and Doug’s soon to be brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis), who is smart yet socially unaware take him to Las Vegas for a bachelor party.The guys get a suite at their hotel, then sneak on to the roof of the hotel and toast to the night ahead.

Skipping forward to the next morning, the three groomsmen awake with no memory of the previous night. They find Doug missing, Stu missing a tooth, a tiger in the bathroom, and a baby in the closet. Initially they believe Doug to have gone out for breakfast, but soon worry when his cell phone has been left behind. They collect what memories they have to figure what happened to Doug.

With no clue as to what transpired and little time to spare, the trio must retrace their hazy steps and all their bad decisions in order to figure out where things went wrong and hopefully get Doug back to L.A. in time to walk down the aisle.

Finally director Todd Phillips (Old School, Road Trip) is back with a legitimately great comedy. I was intrigued by the plot alone. It seems like a plot that would have been done before, but it has never been done like this. I have to give kudos to the casting director of this film. They were all the perfect fit for their roles.

The nonstop laugh fest that takes place throughout the film seems to outshine in flaws. “The Hangover” is the wackiest and funniest film this year. From opening credits to the closing, which features reminiscent bachelor party photos this film had me laughing non-stop. This film is most appealing for my generation, but a little racy for the younger crowd. Something you can expect from this comedy especially based on the title.

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis had wonderful chemistry. Galifianakis stole the show with his wacky performance, any man who can pull of white pants and a purse is a definite show stopper. Anyone could easily compare Galifianakis’ performance in the film to the breakout success of Jonah Hill’s performance in “Superbad”. You will find yourself talking about “The Hangover” hours afterward and telling all your friends about how great it is. Pushing the envelope unlike anything the industry has offered us this year; “The Hangover” provides the get away factor.

“The Hangover” is rated R. Need I say more? Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“The Hangover” Official Website

Director Sam Raimi (”Spider-Man” trilogy, “Evil Dead” series) returns to the horror variety with “Drag Me to Hell,” an original tale of a young woman’s desperate pursuit to shatter an evil curse.

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is a motivated L.A. loan officer with a charismatic boyfriend, Professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the ominous Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan.

Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to make an impression her boss and get a jump on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home.

In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by an unconvinced boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?

Sam Raimi has yet to disappoint me, sans “Spider-Man 3″, he knows which buttons to press to give us the chills and raise our goose bumps. It’s not just about sneaking up on you, it’s also the camera work to give you hints that something frightening is about to happen. I love the disclosure essentials that keep coming at you like a freight train. Thanks to cinematographer Peter Deming and music by Christopher Young that help making those moments even more outrageous than ever.

Allison Lohman who was fantastic in “Matchstick Men”, keeps herself reserved, as Christine Brown, a woman having a bad luck of getting cursed, Lohman’s acting never goes more than what the film demands. That could be disappointing to most. But, for this film, It’s just the right amount so that the audience could see she’s got talent without killing the B-movie look and experience that would come with the story.

I’d like to consider that Raimi has always wanted the shock value to even hit the most unsettling, grossest gear you can think of. Watching “Drag Me to Hell” will require a strong stomach and I don’t suggest eating anything beforehand. There were many instances where the elderly woman would frequently excrete all kinds of nasty liquid from her mouth. Some are obviously CG while other are just Lohman taking one for the team and enduring all kinds of smelly, filthy substances that Raimi could chuck at her. The physical demands are demanding. That’s also the part that’s very funny and I think it’s because it’s relatively unexpected when you think about the plot. You might have an idea of what’s going to happen next and then Raimi kicks it out the door by presenting the most uproarious unconventional way possible to scare the living daylights out of you. The way the devil and the ghosts look are pretty remarkable, finally, after so many lame Japanese or Korean remakes, it’s good to come back to “The Exorcist” style of film making.

This film is rated PG-13 for gross imagery and sequences of horror violence. Don’t watch it alone. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Drag Me to Hell” Official Website

When the Museum of Natural History is closed for upgrades and renovations, the museum pieces are moved into federal storage at the famous Washington Museums. It’s a new “Night” and “Museum” for Ben Stiller, who is joined by several other stars from the original film, as well as new characters from history. The focus of the film will be bringing to life the Smithsonian Institution, which houses the world’s largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections, ranging from the plane Amelia Earhart flew on her nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic and Al Capone’s rap sheet and mug shot to Dorothy’s ruby red slippers and Archie Bunker’s lounge chair. No major film has ever shot inside the Smithsonian in Washington until now.

Larry (Ben Stiller)  is now a successful businessman. It’s been two years since he left his post at the Museum of Natural History. The New York City tourist attraction is closing for renovations and the collection of pieces are being temporarily moved to storage in the underground secure area of the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Larry manages to break into the Smithsonian and pose as a night guard, where Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), an evil Pharaoh will come to life with the reestablishing of a tablet as a magical force in the museum bringing the old exhibits, such as Theodore Roosevelt and the infamous capuchin monkey Dexter, and new exhibits, like General Custer, back to life, and in conflict with each other. Larry enlists the help of Amelia Earheart, who he develops a romantic interest in and together they try to put everything back in order before dawn arrives.

I tend to enjoy this kind of film because it reaches such a wide range in audience. I think kids, teens, and adults alike will each find something different they like about this movie. Although, I do think the original has the upper hand on this film.

No matter how much better the special effects were in this film, I found the storyline to be flawed. For example, the scene where Larry’s son ,Nick, is guiding him through the Smithsonian via the exact blueprints that he just found on his computer. I didn’t buy into that. I’m sure the blueprints to The Smithsonian are much harder to access than doing a simple Google search on the web. That was one thing that bothered me the moment my eyes caught it on the silver screen.

Amy Adams spices things up with an energetic and strong-willed performance as the irrepressible, sassy female aviator, Amelia Earheart, spouting trendy slang from her era. She is in the mood for love, but Stiller’s character hardly notices her shapely figure displayed in skin-tight pants. Adams steals the show from the other actors at times. Its seems that everything Adams does she puts her all into, and boy does it show in this film.

Although this film lacks the charm and whit of the original, its still a fun filled family movie for young an old to enjoy. “Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian” is busy enough to keep the kids interested with the slapstick comedy. So if you get a chance, check this movie out. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” Official Website

The fourth installment of the Terminator series follows an adult John Connor (played by Christian Bale) as he attempts to organize a human resistance force which could prove to be humanitie’s last true hope for survival in the war against their intelligent machine overlords.

It is the year 2018, “Terminator Salvation” finds John Connor’s certainty about the future shaken by the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), whose last memory is of sitting on death row and awaiting execution.

Unable to determine whether Marcus was sent from the future or rescued from the past, Connor begins to wonder whether there is still any hope left for the human race as the machines grow more powerful and antagonistic than ever before. It appears that Skynet is preparing a demoralizing final attack designed to eliminate the human resistance forces once and for all, leaving Connor and Marcus with no choice but to strike back at the cybernetic heart of Skynet’s operations. Once there, the two battle-scarred soldiers discover a shocking secret regarding the potential annihilation of all humankind.

I am on the fence about this film, as are a lot of people by now. This film is more brawn than brain. Allow me to elaborate, This film has so much action it kind of distracted from the amazing storyline. There wasn’t a lot of emotion going on with Connor or really anyone for that matter. I know this is “Terminator” and you have to have action. The subject matter practically begs for it. But you also need on point performances from everyone involved, especially when dealing with a successful franchise like this. The action overshadowed the story, but not so much as to label this movie a disaster. I wont go that far.

Director, McG, did a brilliant job of piecing together the start of what will certainly become a final trilogy to the “Terminator” franchise. I like how he, appropriately, set the film post judgment day. I like the dark overtones to the film as well. McG wanted to make this film gritty and a bit dark. He succeeded.

Bale brings his intensity and raspy voice to the role but it doesn’t begin to take advantage of his talents. The same can’t be said of his supporting players. There is a lot in this film that people will be surprised about and some maybe be let down about, so I don’t want to give too much away. But why even discuss the acting? This isn’t a film about emotion and the human provision, it’s about explosions and chases and an unending cycle of violent behavior. The storyline was just what I expected and I saw a lot of the surprises coming in one way or another. I can’t wait until Arnold decides to get out of politics and back in the film business!

“Terminator Salvation” marches on new ground in this film. If you have 2 hours out of your life to go watch this movie, then do it. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Terminator Salvation” Official Website

The greatest adventure of all time begins with “Star Trek,” the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage on board the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!

Luke Skywalker has nothing on James Kirk. Now, I will start this off by mentioning that I have never been one to call myself a “Trekkie” by any means. But this film was amazing. It had an awesome storyline, terrific casting, and pretty good cinematography for a sci-fi film of this caliber. I know that “Trekkies” all across the galaxy will be cheering and applauding uproariously throughout the film.

I really loved the way they connected the cameos of previous “Star Trek” cast members in this film. The way the story was put together really called for the Leonard Nimoy cameo. I was actually surprised to see how big his role was in the movie. Usually with something like that the cameo is about 2 to 3 minutes. But Nimoy played a role that was briefly pivotal to the overall story. It just fit so well.

And, while Star Trek has a predictably high production value, the character work and casting are its greatest merits. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are absolutely brilliant as Kirk and Spock. Zachary Quinto as Spock was the definition of perfect casting. Not only does he bare a striking resemblance to a younger Leonard Nimoy, but he can actually act. This guy was born to place this role and did it flawlessly.

Love, defeat, treachery, heroism, intelligence, they display these virtues commendably. For all the swagger of Kirk, there are the bottled emotions of Spock. For all the nerve of Spock, we get the quick-thinking and natural leadership of Kirk. The plot is a course in character development. The characters we see in the beginning have grown extraordinarily at the conclusion. A surprise relationship in particular will stun you, but is so expertly exposed; you only realize its significance in the end.

This is not the Star Trek you may recall. It isn’t the novel series. It isn’t Next Generation, Enterprise, Deep Space Nine or Voyager. But it’s a fresh take on the classic characters, and is well worth the time to see.

“Star Trek” reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals. It will please new and old fans alike. It’s rated PG-13. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“Star Trek” Official Website

This film serves as a prequel to 2000’s “X-Men”. The film follows Wolverine and his epically violent and romantic past. Wolverine has encountered many mutants, both familiar and new, including surprise appearances by several legends of the X-Men universe whose appearances in the film series have long been anticipated.

James Logan aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and his brother Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) run away together as children in the mid 1850’s after Logan kills their biological father who had murdered Logan’s adoptive father.

After serving together in many wars they are recruited by William Stryker to serve in a special unit of mutants made up of James Logan aka Wolverine, Victor Creed aka Sabretooth, Wade Wilson aka Deadpool(Ryan Reynolds), John Wraith( Will.I.Am), Fred Dukes aka Blob, Chris Bradley aka Bolt, and David North aka Agent Zero. When Stryker orders the destruction of a village that refuses to reveal the location of the adamantium Stryker orders the kill. Logan quits the unit and goes off to live a life of peace. Six years pass for the both of them until Stryker asks Logan to come back into the fold as part of a new Weapon X project. Logan refuses but Creed shows up and murders Logan’s loved one, leaving him wanting revenge against his brother. Logan accepts Stryker’s offer to be infused with adamantium so that he may be indestructible and then follow through with his revenge, but is quickly double crossed by Stryker.

Weapon XI is the one person knows where their new base of operations is. Remy LeBeau aka Gambit, is the only mutant to escape this place and Logan along with John Wraith go searching for him in New Orleans. After showing Gambit the light with his claws, Gambit agrees to take Logan to where the secret facility is hidden.

Using several resources that include the Marvel Comics lore, along with the more recent Weapon X graphic novels by Frank Miller, this story mixes action with an origin story about how Logan emerged from a barbaric experiment as an indestructible mutant with retractable razor-sharp claws.

Let the summer blockbusters roll! We finally kick off the summer movies with a bang! This film was just about what I expected. It was nice to see an origin story with so much action! I loved how they infused Deadpool and Gambit. Hugh Jackman gave his all in this film, as always. I have always thought Jackman was perfect for the Marvel’s most well known mutant. He embraces this character with such ease. I love the way he goes from scene to scene as Logan, then as Wolverine. He is one of the main reason this “X-Men” franchise has done so well. I’m sure because of Hugh Jackman’s performance this will spawn at least one more sequel.

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool was fate. Reynolds was mentioned in a Deadpool comic a while back. I truly believe that set this all in motion. I know a Deadpool movie is on the horizon, hopefully with Ryan Reynolds set to star. Also, Gambit was cast pretty good as well. Taylor Kitsch did and excellent job of perfecting the cajun accent and sticking to the source material. The character Gambit is one of the most well know in the Marvel Universe. This was one character I paid a lot of attention to. If they had screwed this up, I would have gone mad! I was thrilled to see Gambit’s fingers and eyes light up then reveal his celebrated card throwing power!

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is strongly rated PG-13. This is no Saturday morning cartoon. Parents be warned. STAY AFTER THE CREDITS ROLL, you will get to see an extra scene. Take care, enjoy, see ya at the movies!

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” Official Website