--- title: "X-Men Origins: Wolverine: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine" critics_score: 45 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009): what the critics said Critics' score 45 from 20 reviews: 3 positive, 7 mixed, 10 negative. Most critics think little of it: ten of twenty reviews come down against the film, with seven more sitting on the fence. What praise there is clusters around the cast rather than the film around them. Liev Schreiber’s Sabretooth is the performance most often singled out, with Danny Huston and Ryan Reynolds also drawing notice, and Hugh Jackman is generally praised. Several reviews enjoy the opening section and credits before the plot takes over. The complaints are about everything else: a muddled, redundant story, perfunctory action, and effects that look cheaper than they should. The New Yorker objects to the close-up digital fights, Little White Lies to the claws, and The Hollywood Reporter to editing that sacrifices character for speed. The spread is wide, from outright pans to a few who find it efficient, brainless fun, among them the Los Angeles Times and The Wrap, and none of the admirers pretends it matches the earlier X-Men films. ## Los Angeles Times — Kenny Turan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 April 2009. Turan finds the film satisfying and efficient, delivering solid comic-book entertainment without reaching the heights of Nolan’s Batman films. He praises its brisk, thorough handling of Wolverine’s backstory and its action-focused satisfactions. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/hero-complex-blog/story/2009-04-30/turan-wolverine-is-somewhere-between-daredevil-and-dark-knight) ## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 30 April 2009. The page identifies this as a review, but the paywall prevents access to the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the available text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/x-men-origins-wolverine/5000617.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 1 May 2009. The page could not be retrieved, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint can be confirmed from the accessible text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/movies/01wolv.html) ## Little White Lies — Limara Salt Rating 5/3/3. 28 April 2009. Salt finds the spin-off entertaining but ultimately underwhelming, arguing it turns Wolverine into a conventional Hollywood hero. She particularly criticizes the conspicuously poor-looking CGI, especially Wolverine’s claws. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/x-men-origins-wolverine) ## Total Film — Jonathan Dean Rating 3/5. 28 April 2009. Dean finds the film entertaining but less magical than its predecessors. He praises the action set-pieces, especially the motorbike-versus-helicopter fight, while criticizing the story as an unnecessary retread. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/x-men-origins-wolverine-review/) ## Radio Times — Jamie Russell Rating 2/5. The review gives the film a two-star rating, suggesting an overall negative verdict. It praises the enjoyable opening section and Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-0r0gm8/xmen-origins-wolverine/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 2/5. 27 April 2009. The review finds the prequel disappointing. It singles out the film’s troubled, lengthy production as a concern. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/x-men-origins-wolverine-3) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 1.5/4. 29 April 2009. Schager finds the film a bland, indecisive disappointment with perfunctory action and little imagination. He singles out Danny Huston’s menacing performance as a bright spot amid the film’s weak characterization and clichés. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/x-men-origins-wolverine/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Rating D. 30 April 2009. Phipps dismisses the film as a badly told, uninvolving origin story. He praises Liev Schreiber’s menacing performance but faults the action, supporting characters, and increasingly ludicrous plot. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/x-men-origins-wolverine-1798206172) ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 2007. The critic finds the film a glum, muddled disappointment rather than a disaster. He praises Liev Schreiber’s feral Sabretooth and the opening credits, while faulting the plot holes and lack of fun. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/x-men-origins-wolverine-review/) ## Variety — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 April 2009. Chang finds the prequel noisy, dull-witted, and less compelling than the earlier X-Men films, though it still surpasses The Last Stand. He praises the effective action in places but criticizes its incoherent execution and the film’s lack of imagination. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/x-men-origins-wolverine-1200474340/) ## The New Yorker — David Denby Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 3 May 2009. Denby finds the film noisy, incoherent, and largely forgettable. He particularly criticizes its close-up, digitally enhanced fights as clumsy and lacking suspense. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/05/11/hard-knocks) ## The Guardian — Andrew Pulver Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 30 April 2009. Pulver finds the film redundant and largely unentertaining outside its hardcore fanbase. He singles out its clunky characterization and tired narrative, while noting that the opening sequence offers a promising start. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/may/01/x-men-origins-wolverine-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 30 April 2009. The critic finds the film a badly fizzled, unimaginative entry in the franchise. He singles out its excessive effects and breakneck editing for sacrificing character and coherence. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/x-men-origins-wolverine-83193/) ## Eye for Film — Maria Realf Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 May 2009. The critic finds it enjoyable, eye-catching popcorn entertainment, despite some minor gripes. She praises Hugh Jackman’s performance and the slick action, but laments the lack of a large-scale mutant battle. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/x-men-origins-wolverine-film-review-by-maria-realf) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 April 2009. The critic finds the film clunky and campy but ultimately enjoyable as brainless fun. They especially praise its colorful explosions and wall-to-wall mutants. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/real-truth-about-wolverines-origins-2804/) ## /Film — Brendon Connelly Rating 6.5/10. 27 April 2009. Connelly recommends the film, but says its ambition and intelligence are undermined by a collapsing final act. He praises Hood’s crisp visual compositions and the organically staged claw poses. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/503484/movie-review-x-men-origins-wolverine/) ## Den of Geek — Steven Hurst Rating 3/5. 28 April 2009. Hurst considers it a solid enough summer film, but says it is too tame and uneven to deliver the darker, more adult experience promised. He praises Ryan Reynolds as a standout, while criticizing the misplaced comedy and lack of grit. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/x-men-origins-wolverine-review/) ## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 29 April 2009. Papamichael finds the film entertaining but says its emotional tragedy never lands as forcefully as its action. She praises Liev Schreiber’s searing performance and highlights Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Kitsch among the standout turns. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a154261/x-men-origins-wolverine-review/) ## Paste — Jeffrey Bloomer Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 4 May 2009. Bloomer pans the film as a generic, listless spectacle. He gives brief praise to Jackman’s occasional memorable line, but criticizes the muddled story and poorly assembled action. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/x-men/x-men-origins-wolverine-1) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/x-men-origins-wolverine.md