X-Men Origins: Wolverine continues the work of X2 as genre-defining. Actually, it's a work of comic book pulp fiction that sets up X2 if that makes better sense. The characters, effects, and story were all beyond outstanding. Like X2, the acting is superb. The dialogue is perfect for the level of each character. Every character feels believable. You follow the story through Logan's eyes (or James if you prefer) and what a ride it turns out to be. It's better then its predecessor X3 in every single way that matters. The FX and pace are superb. I honestly could see the FX being Oscar nominated. It restores the sense of epic adventure and grand-scale storytelling that's been absent from far too many of today's alleged blockbusters.
This movie beats the third X-Men film easy because it is more sophisticated and has a better story, and even better action. Here, a couple of characters previously "introduced" in X-Men are introduced for real. Wolverine and Sabretooth shine. Some characters are under used but are utilized in a comprehensive and cohesive manner. I loved Gambit but would have like to have seen more of him. The other newly introduced characters are blended in seamlessly with the story. The music is very good as is the acting. The cast selection is still perfect and I hope this spawns more Wolverine solo films.
