In the case of the "X-Men" franchise, there is little doubt that Wolverine is a fan favorite. And since the first "X-Men" film in 2005, Hugh Jackman has worn the role like a pair of comfy sideburns. But even the goodwill hurled toward the immortal, adamantium-clawed bruiser couldn't save the attempt to launch an "X-Men Origins" franchise with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". That unfairly-dismissed 2009 film featured far too many side characters and the plot was so forgettable you might think Professor Xavier wiped it from your memory.
And so the character returns in a sort of mea culpa called "The Wolverine", an attempt to return the character to its loner roots. It's another valiant attempt, and Mr. Jackman still owns the character, but with a few exceptions, the film is so bogged down in plot machinations and lapses in logic that it barely hangs together.
"The Wolverine" finds a shaggy, bearded Logan wandering the wilderness, haunted by dreams (and dreams within dreams) of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen, returning for a thankless cameo). He manages to remain under the radar until he happens upon a pack of drunken hunters who catch him on a particularly bad night. No sooner does he peak his head out of hiding than he is discovered by Yukio (Rila Fukushima, carving out a nice role for herself) who convinces him to go to Tokyo to say goodbye to an old friend.
Once in Japan, Logan (and the film) become embroiled in a cobbled together plot involving a billionaire industrialist, the yakuza and Logan's own immortality. The film, directed by James Mangold ("3:10 to Yuma"), moves along at a brisk clip but never finds its footing as either a brooding return to graphic novel form (a la, "The Dark Knight") or a rousing actioner (ie, "Iron Man 3").
There are a few good action scenes along the way - particularly a chase through the city and on top of a bullet train - though director Mr. Mangold seems to have no idea how to direct a fight sequence. However it could be that he, like Logan, is declawed by the film's PG-13 rating. When your hero fights with indestructible blades protruding from his hands, there are only so many different ways to edit around the carnage. And that, fans of the character may not forgive.
| Movie title | The Wolverine |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2013 |
| MPAA Rating | PG-13 |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This second attempt to bring the "X-Men" character to a solo franchise moves along at a brisk clip but never finds its footing as either a brooding return to graphic novel form or a rousing actioner. |
