[Movie Review] The Wolverine (2013)

Posted on August 23, 2013 by thegrandshuckett in Movie Reviews // 0 Comments

Plot Summary: When Wolverine is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, he is embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.

Director: James Mangold

Writer: Mark Bomback (screenplay), Scott Frank (screenplay)

Runtime: 126 min

Main Cast:

Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine
Tao Okamoto as Mariko Yashida
Rila Fukushima as Yukio
Hiroyuki Sanada as Shingen Yashida
Svetlana Khodchenkova as Dr. Green / Viper
Brian Tee as Noburo Mori

Review: by Anthony

The next Wolverine solo movie was here in time for summer, and I hoped this attempt to tell a Wolverine story would fare better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine. My first impression, based on the initial trailers, was that it looked like a great, action-packed sequel.

What I Liked:

It wasn’t completely terrible. If I compared it to a contestant in a race, it didn’t finish in first place, but it didn’t finish last either. It placed somewhere in the middle.

The action and fighting were great. Anytime there are ninjas in a fighting scene, it is hard to mess it up, and the fight on the train was just awesome.

Although the plot was nothing spectacular, it was a typical Wolverine story, straight from any of his comics. There was even a young mutant whom he begrudgingly mentored/fathered.

The more Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine, the more I am reminded of how perfect his casting was. He even put on more muscle for this movie. I hope he continues to be Wolverine for at least a few more movies.

What I Didn’t Like:

I think I’ve figured out the problem movie makers are encountering when attempting to properly translate Wolverine from the comics to the big screen. In order to sell and be marketable, Wolverine movies will always be PG-13, so it cannot be as violent and bloody as his character truly should be. “He’s the best at what he does, and what he does isn’t pretty,” but when you can’t show any of that due to the child friendly rating the movie is severely limited.

The flashback scenes were annoying after the second one. The point of his haunting past and his struggle with his “immortality” was effectively driven home in the first two. It became repetitive.

Summary

The Wolverine was far better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine; however that isn’t saying much when compared to all of the other superhero blockbuster movies. It was an average, safe, middle of the pack Superhero movie.

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