Wolverine and the X-Men: Review

Being currently situated in the United Kingdom for a study abroad program, I have been able to view the first three episodes of the latest X-Men series before it airs in the United States via the BBC. Wolverine and the X-Men (undoubtedly named as such to gain publicity for the Wolverine movie due out this summer) will premiere on the Nicktoons Channel this Friday, January 23rd, at 8 PM. My initial reaction to the show is positive, though it is a bit rough around the edges. The animation is not as polished as that of its predecessor X-Men: Evolution. Still, considering the growing abysmal standards for animation, its probably the best that can be hoped for at the moment.

Plot-wise, there is no gentle edging into the world of mutants. The show hits the ground running, fully expecting its audience to have a basic grounding in the characters and their relationships. Since it seems to start in the middle of things, I'm hoping some of the back story of events that take place before the opening of the show will be explored in flashbacks later down the road. The tone wavers between bordering on cheesy and edgy, accomplished by mixing "We're going to save the world" camp lines with a setting where mutants are hunted by the government and locked up, where politicians manipulate prejudice to turn the public into an angry mob, and military police arrest any civilians suspected of helping mutants avoid detection. Add in a few main characters who have mysteriously disappeared within minutes of the opening, and you've got the groundwork for a good show.

If Wolverine and the X-Men can get through its initial growing pains, we may have in our possession something worthwhile to watch while we wait for the new X-Men movie (which is exactly what Marvel execs are hoping for, I'm sure). Be sure to check out the debut this Friday and leave your feedback here!