Post by jo on May 13, 2016 20:05:13 GMT -5
Depending on preferences, fans, critics, and film sites have ranked the movies in the franchise in different ways.
There seems to be an overall respect for XMEN-2, a sentimental nod to the first XMEN movie, an almost nostalgic regard for the timeliness of Days of Future Past...a dislike for Last Stand and an undeserved hatred for Origins:Wolverine.
In this writeup, someone gives the highest praise for THE WOLVERINE. He reviewed it in 2013 and rewatched it in 2016 presumably after he had seen Apocalypse as part of the group given early access.
letterboxd.com/alittleresolve/film/the-wolverine/
Why do I agree ?
*Because the movie is the most developed in terms of a character study of one of the most interesting and arguably the most loved of the XMen!
*It does follow the bones of the comic book characterization of Logan very well - a reluctant but can-be-violent superhero who is often besieged by conscience pangs, a lonely superhero who tries to withdraw from what he is. There is also some of the quirkiness in his character that Wolverine fans love from the comics, characterized often by amusing but often sarcastic one-liners ( such as when he threw the Japanese minister into the pool), which makes Wolverine an interesting character study. His sense of humor is what made the cameo in First Class arguably the most iconic of film cameos. On balance for this movie, The Wolverine brings on the same appeal of movies which have become film classics because of the main character's journey.
*XMen team movies, even if well-made, can only continue to decline in appeal because of the factor of the theme of being repetitive -- they gather together to defeat a main villain all the time! Over the years, the creatives have tried to freshen interest by introducing the mutants in their younger days or simply introducing new mutants. But even that formula can become stale.
*There have been other attempts to focus on a main character's journey ( such as James McAvoy's Professor X in Days of Future Past, maybe Magneto in Last Stand orApocalypse or was it Raven/Mystique in Apocalypse) - but has it been successful? Maybe not, because they have not been a favorite character per se by XMen fans. Maybe Magneto to some extent?
*The only other character whose solo adaptation into a full-length movie was very well-received was that of Deadpool. I am not surprised because that movie ( which I have not seen), judging from the response, was focused on his unusual personality! While others hated how he was portrayed in Origins, I do not agree -- I thought we had already seen early glimpses of his unusual appeal. Btw, over the years, I have noticed that fanboy reactions (on feedback section) seem to indicate that Deadpool is actually the second most-talked about of all the XMEN -- and that was before the recent successful filmization of his character. What about Gambit - maybe, but is there enough of his story to tell in a full-length movie. At the moment, the film project has been besieged by problems and is on temporary hold?
So, what does this bode for WOLVERINE 3?
I think if the journey that has already been hinted at by Hugh ( when he said OldManLogan), confirmed by Kinberg ( western in tone, violent, radical), is true - then it will likely be an action movie with a dramatic undertone ( with some unexpected sense of humor) -- which bodes well for this upcoming film.
Jo
There seems to be an overall respect for XMEN-2, a sentimental nod to the first XMEN movie, an almost nostalgic regard for the timeliness of Days of Future Past...a dislike for Last Stand and an undeserved hatred for Origins:Wolverine.
In this writeup, someone gives the highest praise for THE WOLVERINE. He reviewed it in 2013 and rewatched it in 2016 presumably after he had seen Apocalypse as part of the group given early access.
letterboxd.com/alittleresolve/film/the-wolverine/
Why do I agree ?
*Because the movie is the most developed in terms of a character study of one of the most interesting and arguably the most loved of the XMen!
*It does follow the bones of the comic book characterization of Logan very well - a reluctant but can-be-violent superhero who is often besieged by conscience pangs, a lonely superhero who tries to withdraw from what he is. There is also some of the quirkiness in his character that Wolverine fans love from the comics, characterized often by amusing but often sarcastic one-liners ( such as when he threw the Japanese minister into the pool), which makes Wolverine an interesting character study. His sense of humor is what made the cameo in First Class arguably the most iconic of film cameos. On balance for this movie, The Wolverine brings on the same appeal of movies which have become film classics because of the main character's journey.
*XMen team movies, even if well-made, can only continue to decline in appeal because of the factor of the theme of being repetitive -- they gather together to defeat a main villain all the time! Over the years, the creatives have tried to freshen interest by introducing the mutants in their younger days or simply introducing new mutants. But even that formula can become stale.
*There have been other attempts to focus on a main character's journey ( such as James McAvoy's Professor X in Days of Future Past, maybe Magneto in Last Stand orApocalypse or was it Raven/Mystique in Apocalypse) - but has it been successful? Maybe not, because they have not been a favorite character per se by XMen fans. Maybe Magneto to some extent?
*The only other character whose solo adaptation into a full-length movie was very well-received was that of Deadpool. I am not surprised because that movie ( which I have not seen), judging from the response, was focused on his unusual personality! While others hated how he was portrayed in Origins, I do not agree -- I thought we had already seen early glimpses of his unusual appeal. Btw, over the years, I have noticed that fanboy reactions (on feedback section) seem to indicate that Deadpool is actually the second most-talked about of all the XMEN -- and that was before the recent successful filmization of his character. What about Gambit - maybe, but is there enough of his story to tell in a full-length movie. At the moment, the film project has been besieged by problems and is on temporary hold?
So, what does this bode for WOLVERINE 3?
I think if the journey that has already been hinted at by Hugh ( when he said OldManLogan), confirmed by Kinberg ( western in tone, violent, radical), is true - then it will likely be an action movie with a dramatic undertone ( with some unexpected sense of humor) -- which bodes well for this upcoming film.
Jo