The Wolverine: Review

It's been four years since Marvel hero Wolverine had a central role in a film, with 2009's  X-men Origins: Wolverine, which was met with mediocre reviews. This, rather appropriately named, told the origins to the popular mutant hero, providing further depth to his already fleshed-out character. Now, The Wolverine intends to go in the other direction, taking place after the events of the X-men movies, with a severely run-down Logan (Hugh Jackman) being portrayed. Wolverine / Logan is brought back into public attention after an old friend from the Vietnam era gets in contact, seemingly wanting to thank him for saving his life and say goodbye before he passes away. It is soon revealed however, that a now very old Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi) intends to receive the powers Wolverine has been cursed with, allowing him to live on indefinitely. Things do not go entirely to plan, and it isn't long before the expected over-the-top fighting and martial arts come into play. 

I won't divulge much more about the plot as in my opinion the trailer gives away far too much already, a sin many films have committed, but it's notable that the storyline is particularly interesting and not simply a device to move from one action scene to the next. The unique setting of Japan also allows for lots of cultural references and locations, which makes a very nice change from the now typical backdrop of a non-specific American megacity. Ninjas also feature in the movie, which can never be a negative. 

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)

As usual, Hugh Jackman presents the popular character of Wolverine to an exceedingly high standard, making it now impossible to imagine any other actor portraying him. The same however, cannot be said for the entire film's cast. The fact almost all of the cast members were of Asian descent made the film feel much more authentic, but their acting talent unfortunately did not. That's not to say everybody was a disappointment, but certain characters such as Yukio (Rila Fukushima), the woman whom tells Wolverine about the dying man's wish, were simply unlike-able, making it difficult to care about what happened to them. Still, I did not go to see The Wolverine expecting Oscar winning performances, so this should not come as a huge surprise. 

Verdict

Overall, The Wolverine is yet another enjoyable yet largely forgettable addition to the X-Men franchise. It's worth seeing if you've been a fan of the other films in the series, or simply if you enjoy superhero movies, but I can't find myself demanding that you have to see it. Simply put, I'd recommend it, but you won't be missing anything if you give it a miss.     7.5/10

"What kind of monster are you?!"

"The Wolverine."