Code Name: Wolverine

I knew next to nothing about "Wolverine" before I sat down to watch it, but it didn't take me long to guess that it had been made for television in the 1990s. The movie is shot in a flat way, with grain and dull colors throughout. While the movie took the expense to actually shoot in Italy, the way the Italian background is shot makes it often look like it was shot in California. As for the rest of the movie, there's nothing really of interest on display. The movie has practically no action for the first 50 minutes, and the little action there is in the remaining 40 or so minutes is not the least bit exciting. And while Antonio Sabato Jr. may not be as bad an actor as some other B movie stars (such as Lorenzo Lamas), he gives an absolutely passionless performance. Even if you watch the movie for free on TV, you'll feel cheated far before the end.

Well it's quite amusing I suppose, very slow considering it's < 2 hours long, but there are some funny lines

The ending is however the lamest attempt at leaving it open for a sequel I've ever seen.

... for a made for TV movie, which by the way, is why the "fade to black" business the previous viewer commented on. That's what happens when HBO uses a TV movie and there are no commercials shown!! Actually, for being born Italian, Sabato, Jr. (his family moved to the U.S. when he was very young) is a convincing American and incredibly easy on the eyes which is worth an extra star alone!

Before I say too much I think it's important to point out that this was a made for TV action movie, so right away that takes away any serious bloodbath potential, as well as any serious language or nudity possibilities.

So working under those parameters, not to mention a tight budget, I guess the creative team did OK with this one. There are a couple of sweet moments where the Wolverine shows how quickly and effortlessly he can crush a persons hope of survival.

That's about it. A couple of sweet kills sprinkled in a large vat of mediocrity. What's a hard-hitting action thrill ride without any of the vices discussed above and without a budget for special effects? It's a movie like Wolverine, with long periods of tough guys talking and making decisions and out-toughing each other, and a cliché ridden boring mess.

Some other reviewer already mentioned it, but the ending is really bad. Not even like "oh, that's not the way I would have ended it" or "I don't understand the point the director is trying to make here", but just awful. It's a cliffhanger for all the wrong reasons, and made me want to go Wolverine on the production team

Rating: 12/40