X-Men Origins: Wolverine marks the third year in a row that a Marvel Comics superhero has started the summer blockbuster season. Comic book adaptations have evolved since the beginning of their current renaissance, long since proving themselves to double as both entertainment and thought-provoking cinema. Following last year's resounding success of Iron Man, it's now fallen upon Wolverine, he of the near-invincibility and retractable claws of doom, to carry on this tradition. But while the film certainly hits the ground running, it quickly adopts a lethargic stride, thanks to a glut of wonky special effects and one mutant cameo too many.

Before ever crossing paths with Charles Xavier, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) was Logan, a man whose strange powers forced him to live life on the run. Alongside half-brother Victor Creed (Liev Schrieber), Logan claws and tears his way through world history, keeping just enough of a profile to go by unnoticed. But one day, his and Victor's abilities pique the interest of military man William Stryker (Danny Huston), who recruits the pair to join a commando unit comprised of fellow mutants. However, one mission too many inspires Logan to abandon the art of war and settle down for a normal existence. Sadly, that too ends in tragedy, and once again Logan has no choice but to embark on the warpath, this time to combat a foe who hits a little too close to home. It seems that Victor is on a mission to wipe out members of the old team, and as powerful as he already is, Logan will have to take the next step in becoming Wolverine if he wants to put an end to his sibling's rampage.

Wolverine strikes me as a little too eager to please. The entire X-Men franchise has focused more on keeping mainstream viewers occupied than on adhering to the demands of fans. The series had a good run with this mindset (yes, I even liked X-Men: The Last Stand; start writing your hate mail), but with Wolverine, a little more homage to the character's roots is in order. It's time to give viewers a reason why Wolverine is such an admired creation rather than pass him off as another generic action icon. To the credit of director Gavin Hood (Rendition), he does an admirable job of starting things off with a bang and, at first, giving fans the Wolverine origin story they've all been waiting for. From Logan's childhood discovery of his powers to a sequence showing him and Victor battling through multiple wars, the character's history is given its due and brought to life in breezy but effective fashion. Emotions don't run as deeply here as in The Dark Knight, but you get a good idea of how Wolverine came to be.

Unfortunately, about halfway through, Wolverine ceases moving forward with deep characterizations and transitions into a mindless action buffet. This wouldn't be a problem, but these sequences come across as a mixed bag. The film has its moments, including a barroom brawl between Logan and Victor, but on the whole, the action is forgettable and often features unpolished effects work. In true X-Men fashion, there's a rogue's gallery of mutants to gawk at, but their collective presence feels presented merely to stop Joe Comicsfan from whining because  so-and-so wasn't in the movie. In the process, though, such appearances are incredibly shortchanged, in turn alienating the very target group the film is trying to satisfy. Wolverine feels more rushed and half-hearted the further it goes, though certain elements help ease the pain. Jackman puts on a good show, Schrieber eats up the screen as Victor, and as two of the more prominent supporting mutants, Will.i.Am and Ryan Reynolds liven things up with their charisma. 

Ironically, X-Men Origins: Wolverine will appeal most to someone who's not a hardcore X-Men fan. As a straight-up action movie, it gets the job done; things go boom, a few laughs are had, and the door to any potential sequels has been left ajar. But fanboys beware, for while Wolverine isn't as underwhelming as Elektra, it's hardly the finest hour the constantly maturing world of comic book cinema has to offer.

MY RATING: ** 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by 20th Century Fox and rated "PG-13" for intense sequences of action and violence, and some partial nudity.)