The Wolverine: Movie Review

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The year is 1945 and Logan (The Wolverine), played by the originator of the role Hugh Jackman, is a POW in Japan.  It's there that sets up the events of the movie and brings Logan back to Japan, setting the stage for amazing action and fighting!  And some really cool shots of Nippon.

One of the things I absolutely loved about this film was the way it showed aspects of the Japanese culture.  Little things like not sticking your chopsticks directly into the rice were in the film.  And most of the Japanese characters were played by Japanese actors.  I hate when movies assume we can't tell the difference between Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, which was my biggest complaint with "Memoirs of a Geisha."  There are distinct differences between the Asian cultures.

For the most part the CGI was spot on, but there was a scene in the beginning of the movie where there was a CGI bear.  Personally I think the scene was unneeded.  I guess it was there to prove Logan has honor, though the whole arrow poison bit was a little confusing.  But the bear was just off and obviously fake, and was a huge distraction.

The acting was pretty solid.  At first I had a hard time with Yukio, Rila Fukushima, but as the movie progressed she really grew on me and I loved her character.  The character I really loved was the that of Mariko, Tao Okamoto, who showed the gentleness and true honor of the Japanese culture.

Apparently this movie follows a story arch in the Comics which I'm not familiar, but curios.  I had some issues with the plot and the development of the Yashida men.  And some of the conclusion left me filling a little cold, which I can't say without giving something away!  Though I would recommend everyone stay to watch the credits because there is a treat there that sets up X-Man: Days of Futures Past, which I'm quite excited about!

Overall I did enjoy this film and would recommend for any X-Man/Marvel/Comic lover.  And this movie was far stronger then the first.

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, some sexuality and language.  (I hate the token F word!!!)