Here’s the problem with X-Men Origins: Wolverine - there is so much anticipation and expectation before the movie comes out that there is already a slim chance that the movie meets them.  How many times have you had high expectations for something that actually panned out?  Let’s see, The Empire Strikes Back, LeBron James coming into the NBA, and a second serving of Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked ice cream… that’s it.  So, the question then is, does X-Men Origins: Wolverine make the grade?  Umm, no.

It’s not a horrible movie, but it’s very much run-of-the-mill, even for an action movie.  There is not one action scene that was memorable to me and I literally just finished watching the movie ten minutes.  And, unlike the aforementioned ice cream flavor, I do not smoke the wacky tobacky and forget things easily.  The problem here is that you’ve pretty much seen all of the “best” action scenes in trailers and commercials, therefore diluting anything that might have stood out.  It’s too bad too because there were some characters that I was looking forward to seeing them use their powers, such as Gambit (you’ve seen the cool parts in trailers), and what character Mr. Scarlett Johansson (that would be Ryan Reynolds of Van Wilder fame… am I the only one that saw that movie?) played.  Actually, seeing who Reynolds played was very cool, but not enough to make this movie more than “okay”.

So what were the problems?  Granted I know you are trying to make the usual 90-100 minute action movie here, but things seemed to go too quickly, particularly the very beginning, which I would have rather they spent more time on.  But, alas, it was not meant to be.  The love story involved was a pretty good one that was rolling until one point when it makes you ask, “Really?  Seriously?  What the…”  And when it tries to redeem itself, too late, “bub”.  Another problem is, and this might sound weird, but Hugh Jackman plays such a great Wolverine that he seemingly plays himself, which means he can’t stand out at all.  Not that many action stars are known for their acting ability.  I’m talking to you, Arnold Schwarzenegger.  What else?  I hate when a star in one industry tries to crossover in another, therefore Will.i.am annoyed the crap out of me when he was onscreen.  Stick to music, please.

Overall, the story was okay, the acting was okay, the special effects weren’t anything cooler than norm, and because you know and they know that this is a franchise, the ending is open-ended ready for the sequels to come a churning out money.  Although, I will say that there is a special surprise guest towards the end that was pretty cool.  And, yes, you can stay for after the credits, but what is shown isn’t something you have to see, unlike X-Men: The Last Stand or Iron Man.  So, do you spend your money?  If you’re a diehard fan, you will no matter what, so go for it.  If you’re a casual fan, the movie is only worth it if you have nothing else to do and were going to the movies anyway.  I mean, what are you going to see - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past?  If you’re on the fence with seeing X-Men Origins: Wolverine, feel free to wait for the DVD, which will probably come out in time for the Christmas season.

Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5.