Review: The Wolverine (2013)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima
Director: James Mangold
Country: USA
Genre: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Official Site: Here

Editor’s Notes: The Wolverine is now out in wide release. For an additional perspective on the film, read Kyle’s review.

The Wolverine is an improvement from its predecessor, but that is not saying much as the last one was so dreadful. The film’s improved storytelling and pacing does make it more bearable and watchable than X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but its odd plot choices makes the film predictable and this makes it lose a great deal of the steam by the third act.

The Wolverine takes place sometime after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, where Wolverine/Logan (Hugh Jackman) has become a recluse due to the traumatic events of Alcatraz Island. He is summoned to Japan, from his self-imposed exile, by the head of the Yashida family whose life he saved in 1945.

…its odd plot choices makes the film predictable and this makes it lose a great deal of the steam by the third act.

Now an old man and dying, Yashida wishes to repay his debt to Logan, but the many conflicts and politics being played around his death leave his granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto), in danger causing Logan to become her reluctant protector. However, Logan’s healing power has been mysteriously removed and it forces him to face his mortality for the first time and the demons he has been carrying with him for so long.

The film is loosely based on the series of Wolverine comics written by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller in the 80s, which detailed Wolverine’s earlier exploits in Japan. The time Wolverine spent in Japan, both before and after this series, are among the richest aspects of his journey in the comics. It provided new characters and villains well removed from the X-Men world, which happen to be its greatest appeal. The influx of Japanese culture and storytelling being brought into a Western format was also something that was enjoyable for readers. With The Wolverine, director James Mangold attempts to capture that same excitement and tries to push the film adaptation of Wolverine in the same way as the comics were pushed. Unfortunately, the roles of some of the supporting characters, such as Mariko, Harada and Viper, were not at all compelling or as interesting as their comic book counterparts. This was due to the writing but also to the fact that the actors portraying them were not very memorable.

The film is mostly set as an action mystery, with conspiracies and betrayals abound. However, due to an incredibly cliché and uninspired third act, the films mysteries and conspiracies end on a ridiculous note. The plot decisions the writing staff and Mangold came up with for the story and supporting characters were made incredibly simple, which cost the film its climax. Of course, movies cannot follow the comics exactly, but the changes to characters made for the film was a detriment to the story and its presentation. Had The Wolverine been a little more faithful to its source material the film would indeed be a complex story with more interesting characters and villains. The actions sequences and special effects are good at least, but feel they could have been a great deal more impressive and intricate. The film definitely benefits from its Japanese setting, as the use of samurai swords, ninjas and the beautiful landscapes all add to the film more than some of the characters.

The film is mostly set as an action mystery, with conspiracies and betrayals abound. However, due to an incredibly cliché and uninspired third act, the films mysteries and conspiracies end on a ridiculous note.

As state previously, the acting overall was nothing exceptional. The main villain, main love interest and some side characters were not very intriguing, deep or compelling. That is not to say they were terrible, but felt very two-dimensional. The real gem of acting for The Wolverine comes exclusively from its main star.

Hugh Jackman returns and continues doing the role of Wolverine/Logan justice. If there has ever been a problem with Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine, it comes from the writing and not from his performance. Jackman’s acting skills are a benefit for this role as he is able to show the layers of Logan’s psyche. In this film, we find Logan with a beaten and wearied soul who wishes for nothing more than to end his ‘immortality’ and die. Jackman portrays this sorrow very well while also having the physical presence to engage in entertaining battle sequences. Like Iron Man 3, which was released earlier this summer, The Wolverine showcases its title character weak in both body and mind, and like Robert Downey Jr., Jackman succeeds in bringing the characters complex state to life.

Overall, Mangold brings a story so focused on the characterization of Wolverine and his personal development; he almost forgets to make a compelling story to go with it. While Jackman’s performance and physicality is an inspiration, The Wolverine suffers mainly from a very stagnant and predictable story and ending. While definitely not the worst comic book movie of the summer, it unfortunately is nothing special either.

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Umar Shameem

When I was 6 years old, my mother showed me the 1978 Superman movie. I watched that maybe 1000 times by the time I was 7. Ever since I have loved movies, and comic books. Fast forward 20 years, a couple film courses, several thousand comic books and over 2000 movies, and you get me. I continue to watch films of all genres and read comics. It is apart of my identity and it is something I love and hope to be able to continue loving and enjoying until the end of my days.

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