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Wolverine Lacks Claws

Sharp performance from Jackman saves stale X-Men spinoff from total mediocrity

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted May 1, 2009 7:44 AM CDT

(Newser) – A charismatic Hugh Jackman gamely slashes his way through X:Men Origins: Wolverine, say critics, but he's let down by a stale script and effects that fail to lift the movie above generic superhero fare.

Hollywood.com: The "action-filled spinoff delivers on the brawn but not the soul of the X-Men franchise that spawned it."

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The movie "is saved from pure flat-footed blockbuster franchise adequacy by six things, three of them on Hugh Jackman's left hand, three on the right."
Nick de Semlyen, Empire: "While not a disaster, this isn’t the claws-out, rampaging adventure we hoped for. No one cares where Wolverine found his jacket—a spin-off with him kicking ass in Japan would have been way more fun."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Hugh Jackman stars as Wolverine, left, and Will.i.am stars as John Wraith in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, James Fisher)

Hugh Jackman unleashes his adamantium claws in a scene from "Wolverine." (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Michael Muller)

Hugh Jackman stars as Logan, left, and Liev Schreiber stars as Victor Creed in a scene from "Wolverine." (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, James Fisher)

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Trailer for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." (YouTube)

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Wolverine Lacks Claws