This week at the movies, we've got everyone's favorite mutant (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman and Liev Schreiber), a rake's progress (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner), and interstellar conflict (Battle for Terra, featuring voice work by Evan Rachel Wood and Luke Wilson). What do the critics have to say?
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Forced to choose, most X fans would select Wolverine as their favorite. Well, he's got his very own feature film, and unfortunately, the critics say it's a few cuts below the previous X-Men movies. In this prequel, Hugh Jackman reprises his role as the clawed, quick-healing mutant. The film follows our hero through his turbulent past, from his tours of duty in several wars to his complex, volatile relationship with his brother, Victor/Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber). The pundits say X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a step down from even X-Men: The Last Stand, with a middling story and overblown action sequences crowding out psychological nuance. (Check out our Wolverine character guide, as well as this week's Total Recall, in which we count down every movie based on Marvel Comics characters.)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past has a mildly intriguing premise: what if an unrepentant rake was shown the consequences of his philandering, no-strings-attached ways? (Heck, it made for a great scene in Fellini's 8 ½). Alas, the critics say cribbing from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is about the only thing that distinguishes this thoroughly mediocre romantic comedy. Matthew McConaughey stars as Connor, a hotshot fashion photographer who's contemptuous of his brother's desire to settle down. He's visited by the spirit of his Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), who gives him a guided tour of his failed relationships; could Jenny (Jennifer Garner), the one that got away, help him see the light? The pundits say this is a broad, unfunny romp with indifferent performances and an overall air of immaturity.
Battle for Terra
If you're looking for a kiddie sci-fi romp that will keep you involved as well, you're in luck. Critics say Battle for Terra isn't particularly subtle, but its heart is in the right place and it looks great. Escaping civil war and eco-disaster, the last inhabitants of Earth discover the Utopian planet of Terra. However, soon the Earthlings and Terrians, filled with mistrust, are on the verge of war; can a friendship between a Terrian girl and a human help to foster understanding? The pundits say Battle for Terra occasionally suffers from over earnestness, but its message is heartfelt, and some of the battle sequences are visually stunning.
Also opening this week in limited release:
- Revanche, an Oscar-nominated thriller about the intersecting lives of several Vienna residents, is at 88 percent.
- The Merry Gentleman, a crime drama with a love triangle directed by and starring Michael Keaton, is at 75 percent.
- Newcastle, an Australian coming-of-age story about a group of surfing friends, is at 64 percent.
- A Wink and a Smile, a documentary about burlesque dancing, is at 33 percent.
- Jim Jarmusch's The Limits of Control, starring Isaach de Bankole and Bill Murray in an existentialist gangster flick set in Spain, is at 22 percent.
Finally, props to Sulaco2k for correctly guessing Obsessed's 20 percent Tomatometer.
Related Items
| Movie: | Ghosts of Girlfriends Past |
| The Limits of Control | |
| The Merry Gentleman | |
| A Wink and a Smile | |
| Battle for Terra | |
| Revanche | |
| Newcastle |
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Solonik -. writes: on Apr 30 2009 05:12 PM Wow, Wolverine missed the mark, what a surprise. (Reply to this) |
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HectorMoran91 writes: on Apr 30 2009 05:39 PM The only surprise here is...none. (Reply to this) |
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Mr. Bo Ziffer writes: on Apr 30 2009 05:44 PM Meh . . . I still might see Wolverine. 44% isn't too bad of a rating for a 20th Century Fox movie. Sure it's got Will.I.Am, but it's also got The Blob . . . the one mutant that I can really relate to! I mean, I'm sure we have the same eating habits. I like to buy that microwavable bacon that comes in a Ziploc bag and dip it in mayonnaise. Yeah, a catch like me is still single. But I'm getting off topic. It HAS to be better than X3 at least. It's got all of the fanboy's favorite mutants (Deadpool, Gambit, etc.), a halfway decent cast, and it's the first Summer Movie of the season. I agree that once Star Trek comes out, this will fade from memory, but it might actually be a decent movie if I don't get my expectations too high. (Reply to this) |
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707PG13 writes: on Apr 30 2009 05:47 PM Wolverine ain't got nuthin on Beyonce'! "You think your crazy? I'm a show you crazy..." (Reply to this) |
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ARTaylor writes: on Apr 30 2009 05:51 PM Going to see Wolverine regardless of what the critics say. Looks interesting and I'm hoping it's better than X-Men The Battle for Terra looks interesting. Depending on how it does and what people say I might go see it, or just rent it. (Reply to this) |
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megan o. writes: on Apr 30 2009 06:19 PM ok heres the thing. it just depends on you. all fans know going into this movie it wont live up to the 1st ones. but come on give the movie a break. im sure it is slightly funny and action filled. now im sure you have to like xmen and it may not hit the mark but still that doesnt make it not good. im going to see it and im very excited. i would rather spend my money on this then some lame movie thats trying to hard to be funny (Reply to this) |
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Bigbrother writes: on Apr 30 2009 06:49 PM Damn shame if this is as bad as claimed. Still hoping Jackman, Shreiber and Reynolds can make this enjoyable for me. (Reply to this) |
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Hans M. writes: on Apr 30 2009 07:21 PM Man, watching Wolverine's rating drop so fast (it went from 43 percent when I got my email to 37 percent as I type this post) is depressing. I liked the X-Men movies, but this one already felt sell-out when it was announced: a focus on the obvious fan fave with the peppering of such obscure characters, then the interviews and stuff talking about the darker edge (it could never be no Dark Knight, though the producers wanted it to be). So many harsh slams this week! I expected Girlfriends Past to be crap, but not that bad. Very disappointed to see Jarmusch's new one got so many bad reviews. I'll look into those more to see whether I really want to see it or not. (Reply to this) |
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Hans M. writes: on Apr 30 2009 07:28 PM Yeah, The "Limits of Control" seems like a waste. Enough critics seem to agee it's slow, lacks development and consequence. The few praise is weak, like "it looks pretty." Does not seem worth it at all. One guy said it was his best since "Dead Man." He obviously did not see "Broken Flowers," which was definitely up there with "Dead Man." (Reply to this) |
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stg writes: on Apr 30 2009 07:30 PM From the studio that brought you such classics as Daredevil, Elektra, Fantastic Four and Dragonball Evolution comes another critically acclaimed faithful adaptation "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"....'nough said. (Reply to this) |
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matt w. writes: on Apr 30 2009 07:36 PM i think its "the best x-men ever"... The back story and the Chemistry between Jackman and Schreiber is very apparent and really works well, the acting is overall very well done and there are no slow spots in the storyline. There is a scene were Jackman as Wolverine takes out troops in hummer and a helicopter that are after him, the special effects and the music and cinematography is so well done, really world class stuff. I was never a big fan of the x-men series of film, I thought that characters and their mutant powers were kind of invented as they went along and didn%u2019t follow any set of rules, their reality was not defined so therefor kind of unbelievable ( even for a fantasy ). This film was more down to earth as to what was and was not possible and there for much more entertaining. (Reply to this) |
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Looselycult writes: on Apr 30 2009 08:19 PM Thank you RT meter, not only are you a very reliable way to know what movies to go see and what not to go see, but you are also a very reliable tool in these tough economic times. You have just saved me $9.00 that I would've wasted on that disastrous catastrophe "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", that up until now I was tempted to actually go see. But now I can save my money for something that might actually be worth it like "Star Trek". (Reply to this) |
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CountBezukhov writes: on Apr 30 2009 08:24 PM I%u2019ll only go see it if it has my favorite mutant from the first X-Men. Since it%u2019s a prequel there%u2019s no reason why it shouldn%u2019t. That worthy was, of course, The Toad, the mutant whose special abilities I most envy. If only I had that superpower, the ladies could resist me no longer I%u2019ll bet. **CB (Reply to this) |
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Superzone writes: on Apr 30 2009 08:31 PM Wolverine wasn't really expected to get a high tomatometer. I'm still going to it though, and I know it's going to be a fun time. (Reply to this) |
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toats m. writes: on Apr 30 2009 08:44 PM thank you superzone. you people are so negative all the time. i quit reading reviews it always puts me down. you people look at all these movies as if they have to be oscar worthy. summer movie season is all bout fun movies that r worth buying a ticket for. howerd stern said it was better then ironman(lol) but hes a huge comic book fan and so am i so i fell like im gonna love this movie. hell i ****in loved transformers. stop dissin before u see the movie. thats you jokerboy. go finger urself to watchmen somemore (Reply to this) |
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Looselycult writes: on Apr 30 2009 08:44 PM Wow, so with a 37% Tomatometer rating, yeah sure it will sweep the Box Office this weekend but will be swiftly unseated at least in the 2nd week of "Star Trek%u201D, and then it will quietly whimper off into silence. You then realize that with "Wolverine" being the only super hero flick coming out this summer what this means? It means that not only is this the death nail in Fox%u2019s coffin, but it could very well be the death nail for a good chunk of the entire super hero film genera. You may mock me now but remember how fickle in such a short amount of time and in really rough economic times film studios can be. Honestly if this is the case, so be it. I%u2019m quite sick of the genre anyway. (Reply to this) |
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Logan A. writes: on Apr 30 2009 09:10 PM In reply to this comment (#2445629) Reynolds would have, he was great, but the screenwriters ruined him. DAMN YOU FOX!!!!!!!!! (Reply to this) |
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ledawg writes: on Apr 30 2009 09:19 PM I'll still see "Wolverine", but I'm setting the bar low. (Reply to this) |
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toats m. writes: on Apr 30 2009 09:19 PM hey theres only 70 reviews in usually theres about 200 something u never no what can happen this could be a movie that critics didnt like but the fans loved it just wait u wait (Reply to this) |
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Carlos S. writes: on Apr 30 2009 09:43 PM In reply to this comment (#2445888) i agree...never go by what so-called critics think...i'm still going to go see it and come up with my own conclusions...see ya there! (Reply to this) |
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