After Logan’s painful, almost fatal surgery (the good thing about a prequel is you know Wolverine doesn’t die!), he runs naked into a barn while the farmowners, driving up to their home, look on. Featured prominently on the back of their truck is a bumper sticker: “Not all who wander are lost.”

This Tolkien quote does two things.

First, it gives us the key to Logan and his search for his background. In the X-Men movie, Logan doesn’t know who he is or from where he comes. While we, as the audience, get to go back in time and discover this, Logan doesn’t. His memory can’t recall more than a small flash back to the surgery. But as he wanders Canada, does that mean he’s truly lost? His character–rough around the edges but tender and heroic–remains the same. He may not remember his first name. He may not remember his family. He may not remember how he came upon the nickname of Wolverine, but Wolverine he is, howling in grief and caring for the weak.

Second, the quote hints that perhaps this elderly couple, who take Logan in and care for him, are Christians. After all, the quote is written by a Christian about Christianity. I appreciate that this film displays this couple, who lost so much of their own and experienced pain and grief, risked their well-being, gave generously, for the sake of kindness and perhaps even of Christ.

Image by plynoi via Flickr

I loved this movie, but I love the X-Men movies, especially Wolverine’s character. I’m not a comic book fan. I didn’t grow up on them, nor have I turned to them in my adult years, but I’ve come to appreciate their movie screen adaptations when they tell good stories (as in the case of Wolverine and the Batman series).

X-Men Origins: Wolverine explores the theme of humanity v. base animal instincts. Through-out the movie, Wolverine is continually presented with the choice: will he act humanly (which means to show mercy and forgiveness) or will he succomb to animal instincts (which they portray as revenge and bloodlust).

His foil is his brother, Victor, who deteriorates in his viciousness and destruction until it can no longer be contained and filtered for “good guys.” (I wonder if there’s a bit of commentary about the United States in his character.)

Here’s what I find interesting in this: the theory of mutants is based on evolution (a philosophy I don’t agree with, to be upfront). Mutants have evolved into the next level of humanity. This evolution is not spiritual or emotional. It is purely physical (I would argue that even the power of mind-control and telepathic abilities require physical abilities to accomplish). Moreover, some of the powers borrow from the animal kingdom (although on steroids). (Why would evolution work that way? It’s not exactly forward momentum for survival, then, as much as “this feature in combination with this would be cool.”) As such, the writers suggest that as some of them take on animal abilities (with a kick), they struggle with animal temptations. But it’s not really an animal nature that tempts them this way. It is their human nature, combined with their abilities that allow them positions of power. (Lest you think this is only a struggle for the mutants, Stryker, who has no mutant abilities, manipulates the mutants for his own agenda and lust for power.)

In other words, though they base X-Men on the theory of evolution, the morality they use is based on mercy and forgiveness (which, I would argue, are qualities that are an intrinsic part of being human because humans are created in the image of the Creator, who is merciful and forgiving), rather than survival of the fittest.

Regarding the production, story, and characterization of this movie: well done. Bravo. I don’t know if there are plans for more X-Men origin movies (to be honest, who’s more interesting than Wolverine with his mysterious beginnings?). I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

Two things bothered me. One, if Logan is supposedly a bastard child, making him Victor’s brother (don’t worry, that comes out in the first couple minutes of the movie–I’m not spoiling anything), why does he look so much like the father who raised him (played by Hugh Jackman)? Two, if the Gambler character wants Victor dead so badly, why does he interrupt Wolverine in his attempts to kill Victor? That didn’t make logical sense.

But nevertheless, highly entertaining. Good for considering questions about humanity and anthropology. Also, fun to see a couple of Lost actors resurrected, as well as one of the guys from Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place, a TV show I still miss.

Psst–If you find this post interesting and think others might as well, would you mind taking a minute to stumble it? It would mean a lot to me.