Review: The Wolverine

by. Joe Moss
★★★

The latest installment of the Marvel Comic Universe, The Wolverine, comes out as strongly as Iron Man 3 earlier this year--rocking, socking, and kicking ass.

Hugh Jackman delivers a far superior performance in this movie than in any of the years past--more proof that he is ever-evolving as an actor (and that he might have FINALLY embraced that he is the physical embodiment of the fans' expectations of Wolverine).

Logan (Hugh Jackman) has isolated himself into the northern Canadian wilderness residing among grizzlies...and trees...and grizzlies. He is still having the reoccurring nightmares about killing Jean Grey (Famke Janssen); however, this interplay shows that Logan does have access to his feelings and is actually still 'human' below the hard facade he tries to show the world.  He is not as carefree as he would like everyone to believe. In the midst of his self-pity in the wilderness (literal and mental), he is thrust back into present day activities when a young Japanese woman, Yukio (Rila Fukushima), requests his presence in Japan for her dying boss, Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi), who was saved by Logan during the bombing of Nagasaki in WWII.

Yashida hugely benefitted from his spared-life by rebuilding much of Japan in the wake of the WWII disaster and wants to properly thank Logan for saving him--and give him the present owed to him from that fateful day. As Logan is brought into the home of Yashida, he quickly realizes that there is more going on than a simple thank you and is immediately trust into a secretive and conspiring world of the extremely rich; the politically motivated; the Yakuza; and the bio-medically conniving. All of this revolving around who will inherit the company once Yashida dies--his son, Harada (Will Yun Lee) who strongly desires it, or his granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto), who wants nothing from it. In the maelstrom, is the sinister but beautiful Doctor (Svetlana Khodchenkova) later identified as Viper (mutant assassin biochemist).

Not to give to much away, but in the course of the script, Logan finally realizes what it feels like to be human--oh yes; and he finally realizes that there is more to live for than old memories of battles and love past. The screenplay, as written by Mark Bomback (Total Recall (2012), Live Free or Die Hard) and Scott Frank (Minority Report, Marley and Me) is beautifully written to show all aspects of the characters in the film. Their flaws, their strengths, and their personal fortitude are intricately woven through the action sequences. Character personification glorified. [The only acting I would like to single out (in a BAD way) is that of Svetlana Khodchenkova (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). While everyone else rose to the occasion, her acting seemed diffident and contrived. Maybe she was told to emulate a cold snake--but it translated to cold, dead snake.]

Some credit must be given to the talent behind the camera was well. Directed by, James Mangold (Walk the Line; Girl, Interrupted), this movie is more focused--actually telling a complete story from start to finish ratehr than focusing on action sequences to fill the void of plot. Sure, there are a few flashback sequences, but the editing by Micheal McCusker (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) was flawless. I could watch this movie again and again just for the joy of the bloody action.

GO!!  See The Wolverine...but stay through the credits for one of the best Easter Eggs of the 2013 summer movie season.