This week, I caved and watched the Wolverine work print. I’m sorry, 20th Century Fox, it was totally not my idea. Turns out that I’m not the only one of my friends who is totally into downloading stuff, but I am one of the few folks I know who wasn’t that interested in sitting down and watching the whole film unfinished. But, I’m also polite enough to not boo and hiss at my friends who want to watch some cool internet booty.

That being said, the full and official cut of Wolverine has started screening with most of those who see it embargoed until next Wednesday the 29th. The cut being shown is 107 minutes long, just like the leaked cut, casting doubt on Fox head Tom Rothman’s comments to EW that the leaked version was about 10 minutes shorter and “doesn’t have key scenes.”

What key scenes made it back in? Prepare to dislike Fox again…

From AICN:

Well, having seen the finished film, the mystery is solved: the workprint version IS in fact identical to the release print, sans effect and some audio work. It’s obvious that FOX is trying their darndest to keep this news from getting out, because it will eliminate most of the motivation for people who have seen the workprint to pay for a ticket.

Some scenes from the trailer are not in the finished version, either.

The finished effects are lackluster, to say the least - some really bad CGI work made me groan numerous times (especially, but not restricted to, Patrick Stewart’s cameo). The scene with Stewart looks so much better in the workprint - trying to digitally de-age him did NOT work this time around…

Those scenes from the trailer specifically apply to the Wolverine carries his lover to the beach scene and young Ororo (Storm) in Nigeria. They both appeared in THIS trailer, both shots around 1:43.

Sooooooo…I’ve seen Wolverine is what you’re telling me?

Huh.

Look for some reader reviews of the workprint coming this way next week, if we’re not judging the effects and the story is going to remain the same, then it really just depends on your imagination, I guess.

So how was Wolverine?

My one sentence summation to friends: “If you’re not tired of every X-Men movie being about Hugh Jackman falling in love an horrible things happening to those people, then it’s probably what you’re looking for.”

And as far as a summer-starter goes, Wolverine fits the bill. Top Ten 2009 movie, it is not.