New script review

[Antonello Blueberry]

Here:
http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/04/wolverine-script-review.html
Just a little thing out of it:

This script might aim to be the Godfather II to X2's Godfather I, heading into the past and revealing more details, but it has so little to say, and is so utterly devoid of invention or surprise, the whole trip seems completely redundant. These might have been the deleted scenes from a tedious, excised subplot in a three hour cut of X2.

 

[X-Maniac]

Interesting. But since we all know the basics of Wolverine's past from X2, we were never going to be get huge surprises in a prequel.

As long as character motivations are clear, then this script doesn't sound horrible at all.

 

[Still A ThorFan]

I said it over and over again there is no reason for a Wolverine movie. We already had 3 of them.

 

[storm-x-fan]

^^sighs. WE need MORE!!

 

[flavio_lebeau]

I'm still waiting for the director. If the movie is gritty and moody, I'm watching. Otherwise, I won't pay to see extended X2 footage about effin Wolverine.

 

[X-Maniac]

Wolverine has been overexposed, but I am still interested in the idea of this spin-off. It could give us the background between Wolverine and Sabretooth missing in the first movie, it could show us more characters not yet seen on screen as cameo roles. I like some of the ideas in the script - in particular the mutant nightclub sounds interesting. The cameos chosen - Beak, Barbarus - are a little obscure and bizarre, but obviously selected for visual impact. It could work well with the right director.

 

[BMM]

Here:
http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/04/wolverine-script-review.html
Just a little thing out of it:

This script might aim to be the Godfather II to X2's Godfather I, heading into the past and revealing more details, but it has so little to say, and is so utterly devoid of invention or surprise, the whole trip seems completely redundant. These might have been the deleted scenes from a tedious, excised subplot in a three hour cut of X2.

[/font]

Thanks for the heads-up.

Ouch...

Hmmm. I guess one of the things that sounds disappointing to me is the fact that a lot of the script feels like an unecessary retread of X2... which is a shame, because there's plenty else to focus on.

 

[gap5ewl]

Wow this sucks. I was honestly looking forward to what I was hoping would be a great film. But it seems like fox has once again decided to go into the cash-in, sell-out, mediocore film root they so famously go into with their franchises. Good job for ruining the X-men franchise ONCE again guys. And where is Deathsrtike? Maverick? why isnt Silverfox part of the program???

 

[Infinity9999x]

I said it over and over again there is no reason for a Wolverine movie. We already had 3 of them.

No we haven't. We've had two films which have focused on an oversized character who slightly acted like Wolverine, and a third movie wich featured a character with Wolverine like powers and the comic Cyclop's attitude.

I have yet to see an actual Wolverine movie.

 

[X-Maniac]

I guess one of the things that sounds disappointing to me is the fact that a lot of the script feels like an unecessary retread of X2... which is a shame, because there's plenty else to focus on.

But what else could/should it focus on?

Surely, it needs to flesh out the origin as hinted at in X1's flashbacks and X2's scenes (ie exactly what happened and why, what happened during Logan's 15 years of lost memory), it needs to flesh out the link/feud with Sabretooth, it needs a romantic interest (Silverfox)....

The script seems to have taken what would appear to be the most logical direction.

Other aspects of Wolverine's story may be too fantastical and complex and a big divergence from the realistic tone established in the three X-movies.

Parts of the Origins series could make a sequel if this first one proves successful. That series has featured Emma Frost, Maverick, Omega Red and others.

 

[DarthCyclopsRLZ]

No we haven't. We've had two films which have focused on an oversized character who slightly acted like Wolverine, and a third movie wich featured a character with Wolverine like powers and the comic Cyclop's attitude.

I have yet to see an actual Wolverine movie.

To quote Goddessreicho...

WHO THE f**K WERE THESE PEOPLE????

t: t: t:

 

[Infinity9999x]

To quote Goddessreicho...

WHO THE f**K WERE THESE PEOPLE????

t: t: t:

I couldn't have worded it better myselft:

 

[paec_djinn]

I said it over and over again there is no reason for a Wolverine movie. We already had 3 of them.

I really agree with you. But somehow, I just feel interested in this Wolverine movie. But now that I think about it, 3 is alot already. Unless, there's something more imaginative about the film, why do we need more?

 

[DarthCyclopsRLZ]

Fox expects us to believe Wolvie's action scenes will be good this time around and have this urge to pay to see them on the big screen, actually.

That's pretty much it. Seriously.

 

[Rac]

I think they shouldn't do this or the Magneto movie. Let the X-franchise just die slowly, okay?

 

[_BB_]

No we haven't. We've had two films which have focused on an oversized character who slightly acted like Wolverine, and a third movie wich featured a character with Wolverine like powers and the comic Cyclop's attitude.

I have yet to see an actual Wolverine movie.

*applauds*

Its WINO. Hugh did a great job with what he was given but what was in the script was a loose adaptation of the character.

If we want a real Wolverine movie that stays true to character then make it R rated. The adamantium boding process should be a terrifying scene and his reaction to it, mental torture and all needs to be on screen. They went all out with the Punisher which got an R and that is easily one of my favourite comic adaptations. Fox just want to milk the movie for all its worth by making it PG-13 and giving us a watered down version of him.

 

[flavio_lebeau]

*applauds*

Its WINO. Hugh did a great job with what he was given but what was in the script was a loose adaptation of the character.

If we want a real Wolverine movie that stays true to character then make it R rated. The adamantium boding process should be a terrifying scene and his reaction to it, mental torture and all needs to be on screen. They went all out with the Punisher which got an R and that is easily one of my favourite comic adaptations. Fox just want to milk the movie for all its worth by making it PG-13 and giving us a watered down version of him.

This is what pisses me the most. Wolverine HAD to be R. Some key scenes in his life are supposed to be terryfing. Unfortunately, I think we will get more of the same we got in X2. Boo hoo he runs screaming. How terryfing.

 

[chaseter]

This script sucks.

 

[X-Maniac]

This script sucks.

Why? What didn't you like? What do you want to see? Let's hear some ideas and constructive criticism.

 

[chaseter]

Why? What didn't you like? What do you want to see? Let's hear some ideas and constructive criticism.

First off, it they are going to do a Weapon X story line...they need the characters from that story...not just Stryker. This is more than likely just a rough draft...if we are to get this movie...it will improve drastically.

 

[psyonic]

First off, it they are going to do a Weapon X story line...they need the characters from that story...not just Stryker. This is more than likely just a rough draft...if we are to get this movie...it will improve drastically.

Just like x3's script.

 

[Infinity9999x]

This is what pisses me the most. Wolverine HAD to be R. Some key scenes in his life are supposed to be terryfing. Unfortunately, I think we will get more of the same we got in X2. Boo hoo he runs screaming. How terryfing.

The rating doesn't bother me as much as the way they've written Wolverine. I mean, the guy's supposed to be a loner, unsure of his past, prone to feral rages, but also someone with a deep sense of duty. And even a bit of self loathing for his inability to control himself. The past x-movies have shown little, if any, of these traits.

I personaly think a good Wolverine movie could be made with a Pg-13 rating. I mean, look at some of the past horror movies, lots of them are freaky as heck and they're still Pg-13.

Overall I wasn't too worried about the rating, just because I think regardless of the rating they're going to butcher his character anyways.

 

[BMM]

But what else could/should it focus on?

Surely, it needs to flesh out the origin as hinted at in X1's flashbacks and X2's scenes (ie exactly what happened and why, what happened during Logan's 15 years of lost memory), it needs to flesh out the link/feud with Sabretooth, it needs a romantic interest (Silverfox)....

The script seems to have taken what would appear to be the most logical direction.

Other aspects of Wolverine's story may be too fantastical and complex and a big divergence from the realistic tone established in the three X-movies.

Parts of the Origins series could make a sequel if this first one proves successful. That series has featured Emma Frost, Maverick, Omega Red and others.

I agree that the movie is taking the logical direction in so far as what to address. Undoubtedly the story should deal with Wolverine's transformation as well as his relationship with Sabretooth, etc. That said, the movie shouldn't limit itself to the likes of Stryker and his involvement with the Weapon X program, which, after reading the script review, it sounds like it’s doing. As has been shown in the flashbacks, there are plenty of people who have a stake in Wolverine's transformation and Stryker's involvement should just be scratching the surface. For instance, they should think ahead and expand upon the likes of Lord Darkwind, among others, thus giving themselves plenty of avenues to explore.

This isn't to say that they aren't. They very well could be. I'm just basing my opinion off of what has been revealed so far. It's still very early… but I’m afraid they’re going to try to adhere too strictly to Wolverine’s relationship with Stryker as was established by X2, rather than approach it as a small piece of a much larger picture, which could serve as a breath of fresh air for a movie with the potential to be very much its own.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

As Fox asked to review to be taken down from the site, I will post it here in its complete form.

[EDIT: Fox legal are trying to make me take this review down. They say that it is in contravention of their intellectual copyright. It's a review! A review! If some legal eagle can please confirm for me why I don't need to remove this, I will be grateful]

By now, I'm sure you know how I like to do script reviews. I like to fill them with excerpts. I like to show you just what the script is made of. If I can, I even resort to big swathes of cut and paste, because I know what I'd want to see in a script review.

Unfortunately, this time, I'm not going to be able to do that. Yesterday, I had a hard copy of David Benioff's Wolverine script in my hands. Right now, I do not.

[EDIT: I've been promised a copy of the script from another source in just a few hours. If that goes to plan, they'll give me the go ahead to use their copy as the source for as many excerpts and spoilers as I please. In the meantime, here's an overview of the film - and a critical appraisal]

But I remember details well, so there's still plenty to tell you. I've been warned to avoid spoilers, so I'll do my best - but some of the set-up will have to be discussed, and you need to know which characters appear, don't you? Sure you do. How on earth can I tell you anything meaningful about the story otherwise.

The story is a short one, really, and not much happens - certainly in comparison to the X-Men films. And it's a prequel: we begin with a pre-Adamantium Logan, go through his alteration at the hands of Stryker into Weapon X and then set him free to wander alone until Singer's first X-Men will pick up the pieces. As such, there's no role for Anna Paquin as Rogue, so her interview comments about her willingness to participate in the film are entirely moot. Sorry Anna, you're out in the cold - and a whole load of less interesting characters are in.

The film opens with a joint flashback-come dream-sequence in which Logan, aged 12, gets into an almighty ruckus with some jock types. He has big sharp claws and regenerative capabilities, the jocks do not, the outcome is inevitable.

Waking from this dream, Logan has shredded his bed sheets in his sleep. This scene is where we meet his partner, Kayla Silverfox, a full-blodded Innu. She's underwritten but given pseudo-insightful folkloric references to make and a plot Maguffin role to fulfill.

Before very long, we find out that Victor Creed, never once called Sabretooth, is hunting and killing mutants. Why? Because he's naughty. Beak - a Morrison mutant - makes a short appearance in a Creed scene. He doesn't have claws either, so the outcome is again inevitable.

Essentially, the lose plot is this: Stryker tracks Logan down, takes him to Alkali lake and gives him his adamantium skeleton. The descriptions of this painful procedure (to say the least) are bang-on accurate to the flashback nightmares - seems that logan has a lot of those! - in the Singer films. This was very respectful, I thought.

Of course, it happens that the Wolverine is tougher than even Stryker anticipated and, now encased in his virtually indestructible adamantium, and with claws more deadly than ever before, Logan just slashes his way out of the facility at Alkali lake. He'll return later and make even more of a mess - I'm not sure it is left in a state perfectly in continuity with Singer's films, but then again, I'm not sure it isn't - the details are quite vague.

Brian Cox has mentioned how the Wolverine script was set seventeen years before X2. There's no way to pin it down to an exact seventeen years - actually, in all honesty, it could wrap up very shortly before the first X-Men film begins. I think that is likely to be the way they go with this - so Jackman can play the part reasonably. And that way, Cox could quite happily reprise Stalker, no silly make up or digital de-aging required.

Logan's hunt for Creed takes up a healthy share of the page count. Barely drawn, throwaway characters are written in and killed before they nose past the cliche-spouting cypher stage. There's a Mos Eisley bar for Mutants, if you know what I mean - or maybe something more like the Vampire nightclub in Blade (this is where some chap called Barbarus turns up). My point is, essentially, this is very generic stuff, from top to bottom.

Are there any 'twists'? Well, some of the betrayals that come later are utterly predictable but still feel disappointing as they play out. Oh, and, while we're on the subject, faked-deaths that require heart-rate slowing injections and bags of blood being spilled should have been outlawed some time ago, really. Yawn.

Lip-service is paid to the idea of a Mutant war, and a few moral conundra are alluded to, seemingly insincerely and without any gravitas or insight. The whole thing seems like a light, shallow and pointless retread of bits and pieces from X2 - like off-cut scenes plucked from the dumper. This script might aim to be the Godfather II to X2's Godfather I, heading into the past and revealing more details, but it has so little to say, and is so utterly devoid of invention or surprise, the whole trip seems completely redundant. These might have been the deleted scenes from a tedious, excised subplot in a three hour cut of X2.

I'm quite sure that Jackman will come out of this very well, and Cox too. Even though their dialogue is far from special, and often rather woeful, to hear it spoken in their voices, given their particular cadences and personal timing choices, it will play much better than it reads.

And the badness doesn't stop there. There's a lot of bad logic too - "You brainwashed me to love you, but then you went off and I kept loving you, therefore the brainwashing was irrelevant, I really do love you". Explain that one to me if you will. If I brought you up to speak Spanish and I left the room you wouldn't suddenly start talking Dutch, would you? That's one important plot point that makes no sense whatsoever. Brainwashed is brainwashed.

Another truly silly moment? A character claims that they aren't frightened of dying and they are asked how they know because they haven't died before. I mean, that would have worked if they said they weren't frightened of death, but of course they'll know if they're frightened of dying or not. Think about it: only actually dying is going to negate that one, not being alive. Bad.

The most interesting detail for me is a fairly inconspicuous reference to the Ultramax prison - a prison for supervillains, the baddest of the bad mutants. I wonder if Justin Marks had read this script before cooking up his Green Arrow/Super-Max pitch?

So, I've wandered around and meandered a bit and not been able to go into anything like the detail I wanted to but, well, I think I've said enough. Botom line? This is a bad script and the best we could hope for is a mediocre, moderately entertaining, but by no means memorable, valuable or cherishable film.

Time to get a new writer in? Yeah, if there was any intent to make anything more than a cash-in, cop-out cheat of a film.

 

[Blade90]

Hmm, I do have one of the scripts to the Wolverine movie. It was pretty interesting, though I don't know how they're going to pull off one of the scenes....

If anyone wants to read it or know about it, feel free to ask me a question or PM me.

EDIT: Alright, anyone who's interested is going to have to PM me their email address aswell, since I can't upload the attachment on here.