X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Gavin Hood, 2009)

xmen_origins_wolverineOrigin stories usually turn out to be a disappointment since they either tell us what we already know or what we don’t want to know. This first entry in a proposed series that explores the backgrounds of the major X-Men characters isn’t exactly a disappointment, but it’s also hardly a revelation. Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber provide plenty of brooding intensity to their clawed sibling rivalry and South African director Gavin Hood gives a dark edge to the comic-book thrills, but it’s no Dark Knight. (Starplex 16, Waco, TX)