Hugh Jackman

Blu-Ray Review: ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ Devolves Into Self-Parody

BrianTT — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Hugh Jackman is an awfully likable guy. He oozes the kind of effortless photogenic charisma most movie stars would kill for. He’s also comfortable in his masculinity, and unafraid to expose his inner vulnerabilities and self-deprecation. But his considerable charms have been consistently wasted by the limited imaginations of Hollywood, which would rather objectify him as a muscular meathead. Most of his films have flopped primarily because the characters he was assigned to play were so one-note that Vin Diesel would’ve turned them down.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

At last year’s Oscar ceremony, Jackman exuberantly threw himself into the night’s opening musical number while struggling to keep a straight face. That’s the guy viewers want to see onscreen, not the trembling, humorless sourpuss on display in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.”

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 15th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox Home Video

It’s a wonder that Jackman didn’t break down laughing after every take of this picture, which is easily the silliest in many a moon. It takes the one role in Jackman’s film career that audiences have positively responded to, and proceeds to hammer it into the ground.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 15th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox Home Video

Though he easily stole the previous “X-Men” installments, Wolverine had outstayed his welcome by the time this prequel went into production. That may explain why he’s constantly surrounded by a host of equally colorful and shallow characters. Wolverine simply isn’t interesting enough to be the star of his own movie.

This film’s “plot” reads like a parody of every superhero origin story ever brought to the screen. It starts in 1845, with our young mutant hero witnessing the murder of his father, and then slicing the attacker, only to hear him utter, “He’s not your father…son!” (insert soap opera sound cue here).

He escapes with his brother, and they partake in a montage of various battle scenes recycled from Hollywood’s war movie arsenal. By Vietnam, the 200-year-old “adults” are recruited by Major Stryker (Danny Huston) to join an elite group of mutants on secret government missions. But when Wolverine abandons them and falls for a sexy schoolteacher (Lynn Collins, in a truly bad performance), his brother gets pissed and hunts them down.

With his girlfriend dead, Wolverine swears revenge and undergoes Stryker’s procedure to metallicize his bones. But when Stryker orders his memory to be erased, the naked hero escapes to the Superman farm, but then…oh, who am I kidding? This story is just an excuse to see two guys clawing at each other. The phallic symbolism is practically another character in the film, as opponents eye the length of each other’s “knuckle blades”. (They suffer from serious fingernail envy).

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 15th, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox Home Video

Since there’s only so many ways to photograph a superhero whose soul power is sprouting blades from his knuckles, the film spins him through a cycle of increasingly ludicrous action set pieces. Some of them are quite funny (particularly the one involving the helicopter), though the laughter they produce is purely incredulous.

It’s a little astonishing how “Tsotsi” director Gavin Hood’s gift for creating meticulously nuanced human drama has all but evaporated in big studio projects. “Wolverine” is dramatically inert from the get-go because its protagonist can’t die regardless of how many explosions are hurled in his direction. This makes the film’s action inherently pointless, not to mention tedious. But the real kicker comes at the end when Wolverine’s memory is erased, thus making the entire movie pointless, not to mention maddening! It’s enough to make you howl.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” sure looks spectacular on Blu-Ray in 1080p High Definition with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It is accompanied by English, Spanish, French and Portuguese 5.1 tracks. Every speck of exploding debris can be witnessed with pitch-perfect clarity, but Wolverine’s blades begin to look like an appendage better suited for Judge Doom in “Roger Rabbit.” Special features include two commentary tracks, various featurettes on the production and adaptation, deleted scenes, four BONUSVIEW tracks, Live Lookup via IMDb and BD Live, and a bonus disc carrying the film’s digital copy.

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ is released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins and Ryan Reynolds. It was written by David Benioff & Skip Woods and directed by Gavin Hood. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on September 15th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ a Mix of Fun, Frustration

BrianTT — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:32:35 -0600

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – The first hour of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is a total blast, a great blend of above-average graphics, interesting story elements, and clever fighting moves that hint at an enjoyable gaming experience to come. The hint is never quite fulfilled, as “Wolverine” becomes as repetitive and frustrating as the blockbuster film that inspired it.

Judged on the scale of movie tie-in games, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” has to be considered a success, but that’s simply due to the fact that we’ve become so accustomed to summer films coming with poorly developed tie-ins and “Wolverine” is not a complete disaster.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Photo credit: Activision

One of the most interesting things about the game tie-in for the Gavin Hood - Hugh Jackman film is the complete non-compliance with the film’s PG-13 rating. The game based on the relatively tame movie is anything but. It’s one of the most extremely violent titles of the year, one that wouldn’t even get an R based on the MPAA system.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is all about violent, bloody, decapitating destruction. Honestly, if I was thirteen again and still buying “X-Men” comics every week and wishing Logan would unleash his berserker rage a little more violently, this game would totally deliver the goods.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Photo credit: Activision

The problems with this intermittently amusing game start for those of us past puberty and not easily amused by slow-motion disemboweling in 720p.

The structure of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is (too) simple. You play the title character on a plot that loosely follows the bare-bones structure of the film with a few other details thrown in. So, yes, you will get to fight Victor/Sabretooth, The Blob, Agent Zero, and the final villain in the film in a similar over-the-top style as the summer hit.

The player has a basic arsenal of moves that can be combined into deadly adamantium blade destruction but the highlight of the game is the development, upgrading, and personalization of each player’s combat. As you progress through the game, you will earn experience and upgrade points that allow you to hone different elements of your game. For example, you can spend all your skill points on more destructive claws or choose to live longer and spend them on more regenerative abilities.

And the combat customization doesn’t end there. As you progress through the game, different “mutagens” can be found that make for a customizable experience and the gameplay wisely opens new fighting abilities for you to incorporate into your wave of mutilation. By the end of the game, you’ll be slicing and dicing enemies by the baker’s dozen.

The regeneration of Wolverine has always been a major part of the character and, naturally, needed to be a part of the game and its design allows for some interesting strategy. Basically, if you’re a bloody mess, all you need to do is run and dodge for a few seconds and you’ll be back in fighting mode. The effects - you can see the physical deterioration of Wolvie and his recovery - are one of the most notable elements of the game overall. It’s fun to see yourself on the edge of death and evade or block long enough to come back to form.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Photo credit: Activision

The problem with Wolverine is clearly not in the combat or the graphics. The flaws shine through in the enemy design, the repetitive levels, and the non-ending. Most of the enemies are frustratingly repetitive, which isn’t a big problem when they’re almost instantly killable, but when you’re fighting a mid-boss for the fifteenth time and slicing away at his mutant back like you’re a programmed robot yourself, it gets more than a little dull.

And the storytelling in “Wolverine” starts strong but gets boring enough that you’ll wish you could skip through the cut scenes (kind of like the movie itself). The opening act is interesting, but how they tie Sabretooth, Gambit, and Deadpool back into the story is ridiculous. And the final acts are woefully underdeveloped, as if the game was rushed out for release. Everything after a huge Sentinel battle feels like an afterthought, something needed to tie the game more closely to the film, but something that will leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Your enjoyment of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” comes down to how damaging repetition is to your gaming experience. Being a critic, I had to play through the title relatively quickly, but I think if I had picked it up and put it down a few more times, I wouldn’t have been so numb to the experience by the disappointing final acts.

If you’re the kind of player who burns through a game as soon as you get it, I think it will be impossible NOT to be frustrated by the lack of follow-through once you’ve learned all the basic moves and been awed by the graphics in the first hour of the title. But if you’re a huge Wolverine fan and have longed to unleash his berserker rage for years, you are likely to be satisfied with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”.

For this player (and former comic junkie), just getting underneath Wolverine’s skin was a blast for at least an hour, but the thrill wore off well before the credits rolled.

Check out this cool trailer before you buy or rent “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”:

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ was released by Activision and developed by Raven Software. It is rated M (Mature). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the Xbox 360, PC, PS2, PSP, DS, and Wii. It was released on May 1st, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ Sequel, Deadpool Spin-Off Announced

BrianTT — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:53:54 -0600

CHICAGO – It was pretty clear by the set-up of his character and his limited screen time in the actual movie that Ryan Reynolds was meant for bigger things with his turn as Deadpool in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”. And when the Gavin Hood-directed and Hugh Jackman-starring blockbuster went on to make over $80 million domestically in its first three days, a spin-off was inevitable and the project was confirmed this week.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is itself a spin-off of the “X-Men Trilogy” - Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” & “X2: X-Men United” and Brett Ratner’s “X-Men: The Last Stand”. And the film is designed for more spin-offs, as it introduces the world to a variety of Marvel Universe characters. A Ryan Reynolds Deadpool movie has been in some stage of rumor or production for years. So a “Deadpool” film seemed nearly inevitable. (He mentioned the project to me personally years ago on the set of “The Amityville Horror” and long before the character’s inclusion in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”).

Ryan Reynolds is Wade Wilson, later to be known as Deadpool, a highly-efficient killing machine whose weapons of choice are katana swords.
Photo credit: Fox/James Fisher

But a worldwide gross of $158 million and counting after just one weekend demands more than just one sequel/spin-off. According to Variety, a straight-up sequel, likely to star Hugh Jackman, is also already in development.

According to Variety, the production company behind the film “have begun planning the sequel, which they are squarely focusing on the samurai storyline originated in the comic series, and whose Japanese locale was teased after the film’s final credits. A writer has yet to be hired.”

As for Deadpool, E! reports that Mr. Scarlett Johansson himself will again star as Wade Wilson, the man better known as the wise-cracking Deadpool, but there are no other details on the proposed film at this time.

Believe it or not, a Deadpool movie and Wolverine sequel are only half of the X-projects in the development. Fox has long been working on an “X-Men Origins: Magneto” spin-off and “The O.C.” creator Josh Schwartz is reportedly penning “X-Men: First Class,” a reboot with young mutants at the Xavier Institute of Higher Learning. It’s a Marvel world. We only live in it.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Hugh Jackman Rocks in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine,’ But Movie Falters

BrianTT — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:01:08 -0600

Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – How did Wolverine get to Northern Alberta, Canada, where he makes his first appearance in a bar cage match in Bryan Singer’s “X-Men”? And what about all those flashbacks to his dark past and the experiments that turned him into a legend? “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” with Hugh Jackman attempts to answer those questions and more but proves that perhaps some mysteries are better left unsolved.

The first big summer movie of 2009 has all of the ingredients of a buzz-worthy blockbuster - star power, a brand name, major CGI effects, a marketing budget that end world poverty, tie-in toys and games, etc. So why does the final film feel so anticlimactic?

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in our reviews section.

Before I get too far, I should be blunt - “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is not that bad. But it’s also not good. It’s one of the most balanced-out, down-the-middle, apathetic shrugs of a summer tentpole that I’ve seen in the many years that I’ve been following the summer blockbuster. There’s just no life to it, no creative energy in either a positive or negative direction. The best word to describe it is unremarkable, negatively or positively.

The shockingly methodical and by-the-numbers screenplay by David Benioff and Skip Woods opens over a hundred years ago, where we meet the boys who would become Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Victor/Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber). Remember the Victor Creed who worked with Magneto in Singer’s first film? Yeah, forget that. The character and history have been reimagined from both that film and the comics, turning the two legendary characters into brothers.

‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ stars Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Liev Schreiber, Dominic Monaghan, Lynn Collins, Danny Huston, Daniel Henney, and Taylor Kitsch. It was written by David Benioff and Skip Woods and directed by Gavin Hood. It opens on May 1st, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” review.

Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine Wolverine, who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.
Photo credit: Fox/James Fisher

Video: Trailer For ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ Game From Activision

BrianTT — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:05:43 -0600

CHICAGO – To celebrate tomorrow’s release of the video game based on the first big movie of the season, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Activision presents what they call the “Final Reveal” trailer for the highly anticipated tie-in game. Check it out for yourself and don’t miss “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in theaters tomorrow, May 1st, 2009. The Gavin Hood-directed film stars Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Lynn Collins, Ryan Reynolds, and Dominic Monaghan.

Activision’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” will be available for PS3, XBox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS, and PC tomorrow, May 1st, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: HD ‘X-Men Trilogy’ Primes Fans For First Big Summer Movie

BrianTT — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:56:51 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – With ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ opening this Friday, fans can catch up on where Hugh Jackman’s legendary character earned a following big enough to warrant a summer tentpole release date in the Blu-Ray release of the “X-Men Trilogy” including the two films by Bryan Singer (“X-Men” and “X2: X-Men United”) and the three-quel by Brett Ratner (“X-Men: The Last Stand”). With nine discs, HD video/audio transfers, and dozens of special features, this is the Blu-Ray release of the season for the comic movie nut in your circle of friends and family.

Very few franchises have been robust enough to support four films in the new millennium. With “X-Men,” “X2: X-Men United,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” and this week’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” this has been easily one of the most successful franchises of the ’00s (only Harry Potter, “Saw,” and “Fast & Furious” have had as many theatrical releases.) The three films in this set have made over $1.1 billion worldwide.

X-Men Trilogy was released on Blu-Ray on April 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

Knowing the rabid fan base of the franchise, Twentieth Century Fox has released a very complete set. Want special features? There are hours of them. Digital copies? There’s one for each film. And each film is presented in HD for the first time (the first and third film are presented in 2.40:1 with the middle film in 2.35:1). All three films are accompanied by 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio English tracks and 5.1 Dolby Digital tracks in Spanish, French, and Portuguese.

Sadly, Fox continues to underwhelm in the technical departments. “X-Men” looks older than it should with the picture often coming across much flatter than an average Blu-Ray. The picture simply doesn’t pop like it should, something I’ve noted far-too-often with recent Fox releases (although, to be fair, not all of them). Ultimately, “X-Men Trilogy” should look amazing and it looks (and sounds) merely average.

What is amazing is the collection of special features for all three films. They’re as informative and exhaustive as a fan could possibly ask for. There’s clearly no more material left on the cutting room floor and until the cast and crew gets together in decades for an anniversary edition, there are no more interviews or behind-the-scenes details to provide.

X-Men Trilogy was released on Blu-Ray on April 21st, 2009.
Photo credit: Fox

The first disc of special features on “X-Men” - Commentary by Bryan Singer and Brian Peck, Behind-the-Scenes Footage, Deleted/Extended Scenes with Optional Commentary by Bryan Singer and Brian Peck, Fox Special: “The Mutant Watch,” Bryan Singer Interview, Animatics, Art Gallery, Three TV Spots, Music Promo, BD-Live: Wolverine Exclusive, and HD Marvel Universe Trailers.

The second disc of special features on “X-Men” - Disc Intro by Bryan Singer, The Uncanny Suspects, X-Factor: The Look of the X-Men, Image Gallery, Production Documentary Scrapbook, The Special Effects of the X-Men, Reflection of the X-Men, Marketing the X-Men, TV Spots, and Internet Interstitials.

The first disc of special features on “X2: X-Men United” - Commentary by Bryan Singer and Tom Sigel, Commentary by Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and David Hayter, Generation X: Comic Book History, BD-Live: Wolverine Exclusive, and HD Marvel Universe Trailers.

The second disc of special features on “X2: X-Men United” - History of the X-Men, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production, Deleted Scenes, Galleries, Locations and Sets, On-Camera Graphics, The Unseen X2, and Three HD Trailers.

The first disc of special features on “X-Men: The Last Stand” - Director and Writer Commentary by Brett Ratner, Zack Penn and Simon Kinberg, Producer Commentary by Avi Arad, Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter, HD Deleted Scenes (Optional Director and Writer Commentary by Brett Ratner, Zack Penn and Simon Kinberg), HD Easter Eggs, BD-Live: Wolverine Exclusive, and HD Marvel Universe Trailers.

The second disc of special features fon “X-Men: The Last Stand” - Brett Ratner’s Production Diary, X-Men: Evolution of a Trilogy, X-Men Up Close - Interactive gallery with stills and video, Generation X: Comic Book History, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session, X3: The Excitement Continues in HD, Anatomy of a Scene: Golden Gate Bridge in HD, HD Vignettes, HD Blogs, Previz Animatics, Galleries, Easter Egg, and Three HD Trailers.

‘X-Men Trilogy’ is released by Twentieth Century Fox and stars Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Halle Berry, James Marsden, Alan Cumming, Famke Janssen, Rebecca Romijn, Bruce Davison, Brian Cox, Kelsey Grammer, and Vinnie Jones. “X-Men” was written by David Hayter and directed by Bryan Singer. “X2: X-Men United” was written by Zak Penn and Hayter & Singer and directed by Singer. “X-Men: The Last Stand” was written by Simon Kinberg & Penn and directed by Brett Ratner. “X-Men Trilogy” was released on April 21st, 2009. All three films are rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 20-Image Gallery From Premiere of ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’

BrianTT — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:42:12 -0600

CHICAGO – This 20-image slideshow contains the official press images from the Tempe, Arizona premiere of Fox’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan, and Ryan Reynolds. The film, written by David Benioff and Skip Woods and directed by Gavin Hood, opens on May 1st, 2009.

Synopsis:

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,the first chapter in the X-Men saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them. Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage. X-Men Origins: Wolverine stays true to the tone of the X-Men motion picture franchise, continuing the films’ balance between spectacle and reality, while heightening the emotions and relationships.

The film also introduces a team of mutants, including several whose appearances in the movie series have been long anticipated. Movie audiences will meet Team X, a covert military cadre comprised entirely of mutants. Its members are: Wolverine; his brother Victor Creed, aka Sabretooth, a feral being of unimaginable power; Wade Wilson, later to be known as Deadpool, a high-tech mercenary skilled at swordplay; Agent Zero, an expert tracker and lethal marksman; Wraith, a teleporter; Fred J. Dukes, also known as The Blob, a morbidly obese and super-strong behemoth; and Bradley, who can manipulate electricity. Leading them is William Stryker, a figure introduced in “X2” but whose origins and motives are now fully explored, for it is Stryker’s complex relationship with Wolverine that defines much of Logan’s past …and future.”

Wolverine_Premiere_01: Actor Hugh Jackman.
Wolverine_Premiere_02: Actress Lynn Collins.
Wolverine_Premiere_03: Wolverine cast members Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch, Liev Schrieber, Lynn Collins and Will.i.am.
Wolverine_Premiere_04: Actor Ryan Reynolds.
Wolverine_Premiere_05: Actor Hugh Jackman, Actor Taylor Kitsch and Actor Liev Schreiber.
Wolverine_Premiere_06: Producer Lauren Schuler-Donner, Co-Chairman and CEO of FFE Tom Rothman, Director Gavin Hood and producer Ralph Winter.
Wolverine_Premiere_07: Actor Taylor Kitsch and Actor Liev Schreiber.
Wolverine_Premiere_08: Actor Hugh Jackman admires a fans wolverine tattoo.
Wolverine_Premiere_09: Musician Will.i.am.
Wolverine_Premiere_10: Actor Hugh Jackman arrives.
Wolverine_Premiere_11: Actress Lynn Collins.
Wolverine_Premiere_12: Actor Hugh Jackman signs autographs for the fans.
Wolverine_Premiere_13: Actor Hugh Jackman signs autographs for fans.
Wolverine_Premiere_14: Actor Taylor Kitsch.
Wolverine_Premiere_15: Actor Liev Schreiber.
Wolverine_Premiere_16: Musician Alice Cooper.
Wolverine_Premiere_17: Actor Hugh Jackman.
Wolverine_Premiere_18: Actor Ryan Reynolds and actor Taylor Kitsch.
Wolverine_Premiere_19: Director Gavin Hood.
Wolverine_Premiere_20: Actor Hugh Jackman.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Wolverine DVD Round Up, April 27, 2009: ‘Wolverine and The X-Men,’ ‘Marvel X-Men’

BrianTT — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:36:02 -0600

CHICAGO – Welcome to a special edition of the DVD Round-Up, HollywoodChicago.com’s infamous column covering smaller titles that may have gone unnoticed by the Best Buy circular. With all the buzz surrounding Fox’s upcoming “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” with Hugh Jackman, there are several companion DVD releases, including the theatrical trilogy on Blu-Ray (which will be covered here later this week), and three animated releases for serious Marvel, Wolverine, and X-Men fans.

“Wolverine and The X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy” was released on Tuesday, April 21st, 2009.

Both volumes of the “Marvel X-Men” titles are being released this Tuesday, April 28th, 2009.

“Marvel X-Men: Volume 1”

Photo credit: Disney

The syndicated cartoon version of “The X-Men” brought Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Beast, and the rest of comic-dom’s favorite mutants home long before Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, or Bryan Singer had ever thought about the Marvel universe. The show ran from 1992-1996 and notched over 70 episodes. Unlike a lot of superhero cartoons, the stories were based on the stories from the actual comic books. The first volume includes 16 episodes from 1992-1993, including all of season one and the beginning of season two. On two discs, some of the stories in this volume include the legendary “Night of the Sentinels,” “Enter Magneto,” “Days of Future Past,” and “Till Death Do Us Part”.

“Experience the classic Marvel legacy as the popular 1990s X-Men animated series explodes onto DVD! With stories adapted directly from the original comic books, this collection is a piece of Marvel history and a must-have for every X-Men fan. Discover the origins of your favorite characters and uncover the secrets of Magneto and more of the world’s most diabolical villains in X-Men: Volume 1. Relive the first 16 episodes, beginning with the 2-part “Night of the Sentinels,” in this thrilling collection.”

The episodes are presented in full-screen with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and with Dolby Digital Surround Sound tracks (French and Spanish tracks are also available. There are no special features.

“Marvel X-Men: Volume 2”

Photo credit: Disney

The second volume of “The X-Men” features 17 episodes from 1993-1994 including the rest of season two and part of season three. These “volume” releases instead of actual seasons is a little odd but cartoons didn’t often run on typical season structures. This volume includes several great stories, including the amazing, five-part “The Phoenix Saga,” and “Time Fugitives,” “Beauty & The Beast,” “Reunion,” and “Out of the Past.”

“Prepare for more electrifying action as the X-Men return in Volume 2 of the classic 1990s animated series! All of your favorite mutant heroes are back for 2 discs full of spine-tingling battles with Mr. Sinister, Omega Red and more of the most fiendish villains on earth! Be a part of Marvel history with these stories adapted directly from the original comic books. Experience 16 thrilling episodes, including the 5-part epic “Phoenix Saga,” in this action-packed, must-have collection!”

The episodes are presented in full-screen with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and with Dolby Digital Surround Sound tracks (French and Spanish tracks are also available. There are no special features.

“Wolverine and The X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy”

Photo credit: Lionsgate

Many years after “The X-Men,” Nicktoons brought the heroes back and put Wolverine front and center in “Wolverine and The X-Men,” a new 2009 show primed to take advantage of the summer of Admantium claws. As kind of a primer for the show, Lionsgate has released the first three episodes of the series under the banner “Heroes Return”. 68 minutes of running time seems a bit low - why not wait for the entire first season to be released - but the special features are extensive enough to make up for it if you consider these three episodes as merely a sampler for the currently-airing show and an appetizer for the movie.

“In the late 20th century, mankind began to change. Suddenly, teenagers developed incredible abilities that science classified as the next stage in human evolution. In response, Professor Charles Xavier created The Institute for Gifted Youngsters so the young “mutants” could learn to control their uncanny abilities and live in harmony with the non-mutant members of society. From then on, Xavier’s students – the X-Men – intervened to protect the peace until a mysterious explosion devastated Xavier’s school. Leaderless and without direction, the X-Men disbanded and the man known as Wolverine struck out on his own.

One year later, the once fiercely independent Wolverine must reunite the X-Men to prevent a horrible vision of the future where the X-Men have given up on Xavier’s mission and the world has fallen into chaos. With great tragedy in their past and their future, Wolverine must lead Xavier’s disillusioned heroes against the forces of fate and destiny. Only together can the X-Men steer the course of history away from catastrophe and save us all.”

Wolverine and The X-Men is presented in widescreen with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio and accompanied by a Dolby Digital Audio 5.1 track. Special features include “Nicktoons Network Going InScene,” “Character Profiles: Wolverine and the X-Men,” “Making of Wolverine and the X-Men,” audio commentary with Craig Kyle and Greg Johnson, and audio commentary with Boyd Kirkland and Steven Gordon.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 20-Image Gallery From ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ With Hugh Jackman

BrianTT — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:38:31 -0600

CHICAGO – This 20-image slideshow contains the official press images from “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” starring Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Liev Schreiber, Dominic Monaghan, Lynn Collins, Danny Huston, Daniel Henney, and Taylor Kitsch. The film, written by David Benioff and Skip Woods and directed by Gavin Hood, opens on May 1st, 2009.

Synopsis:

“X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the first chapter in the X-Men saga, unites Wolverine with several other legends of the X-Men universe, in an epic revolution that pits the mutants against powerful forces determined to eliminate them.

Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE stays true to the tone of the X-Men motion picture franchise, continuing the films’ balance between spectacle and reality, while heightening the emotions and relationships.

Wolverine_01: Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine Wolverine, who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.
Wolverine_02: Agent Zero (Daniel Henney) in X-Men Orgins: Wolverine.
Wolverine_03: Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine Wolverine, who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.
Wolverine_04: Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine Wolverine, who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.
Wolverine_05: The berserker rage of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is unleashed in the Canadian backwoods.
Wolverine_06: Liev Schreiber is Victor Creed, aka Sabretooth, a feral being of unimaginable power.
Wolverine_07: Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), who also goes by the name Remy LeBeau, has the ability to charge matter with volatile kinetic energy, causing the object in question to explosively release its charge on impact.
Wolverine_08: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Wolverine_09: Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) face off for the ultimate battle against each other.
Wolverine_10: Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Victor (Liev Schreiber) are defiant as they face a firing squad.
Wolverine_11: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Will.i.am as John Wraith in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Wolverine_12: Having emerged unscathed from a date with a firing squad, Victor (Liev Schreiber)and Logan (Hugh Jackman) are visited by Col. Stryker (Danny Huston), who makes an intriguing offer to the two mutants.
Wolverine_13: Emma Frost (Tahyna Tozzi) and Cyclops (Tim Pocock) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Wolverine_14: Emma Frost (Tahyna Tozzi) and Silverfox (Lynn Collins) in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Wolverine_15: (L to R) Taylor Kitsch (Gambit), Will.i.am (John Wraith), Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Tim Pocock (Cyclops), Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson), Lynn Collins (Silverfox)
Wolverine_16: Hugh Jackman and Director Gavin Hood.
Wolverine_17: Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), who also goes by the name Remy LeBeau, has the ability to charge matter with volatile kinetic energy, causing the object in question to explosively release its charge on impact.
Wolverine_18: Hugh Jackman reprises the role that made him a superstar, as the fierce fighting machine Wolverine, who possesses amazing healing powers, adamantium claws, and a primal fury known as berserker rage.
Wolverine_19: Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber) face off for the ultimate battle against each other.
Wolverine_20: Ryan Reynolds is Wade Wilson, later to be known as Deadpool, a highly-efficient killing machine whose weapons of choice are katana swords.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video: Movie Trailer For ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ With Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:56:51 -0600

CHICAGO – In anticipation of the May 1, 2009 release of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” with Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan and Ryan Reynolds, we now have the high-quality trailer at HollywoodChicago.com. You can watch it now below!

The “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” plot synopsis follows:

James Logan (Wolverine, Hugh Jackman) and his brother, Victor Creed (Sabretooth, Liev Schreiber) run away together as children in the mid-1850s 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 (Danny Huston) to serve in a special unit made up of mutants. After wiping out an African village, Logan quits the unit and goes off to live a life of peace in the Canadian Rockies with his girlfriend (Silver Fox).

In addition to starring Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Dominic Monaghan and Ryan Reynolds, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” also features Lynn Collins, Daniel Henney, Taylor Kitsch, Kevin Durand, Scott Adkins and Myles Pollard.

See our high-quality “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” slideshow.
Read about the launch of the “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” Web site.
Read more about “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”.
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By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com