The Wolverine (2013)

"Eternity can be a curse. The losses you have had to suffer...

A man can run out of things to care for, lose his purpose."

Not when you're Wolverine...

Directed by James Mangold who previously directed Walk the Line, 3:10 To Yuma and Knight and Day, The Wolverine takes place after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand and continues the story of  Logan (Hugh Jackman), famously known as Wolverine, the mutant with Adamantium claws and healing abilites, rendering him immortal. Trying to move on from his past and living in the wild, a Japanese girl named Yukio (Rila Fukushima) was sent to bring him back to Japan at the orders of an old friend, Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi) whom Logan save during his time in Japan back in World War II. Now, the head of a multinational technology corporation but old and closing on to death, Yashida gives Logan a chance to reverse his healing abilities and become mortal. When his friend Yashida finally dies, his corporation and his daughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto) and including Logan's life comes under threat from the Yakuza clan and even from within the corporation.

 I know she's a Japanese and all, but she still look a lot out of place in Japan as well.

Too often a comic book movie requires the hero to stop worldwide calamity, the smaller scope and the personal story works really well with this film. There's certainly a good story to tell when he's not only being an outsider as a mutant, but as a stranger in a very different world. What's more, he is made vulnerable when he loses his healing abilities and may actually have the potential to meet death. The story is conveyed rather well but not to its fullest potential. When the news of the next Wolverine sequel will take place in Japan and talks about him having to fight Samurai and ninjas, especially as showcased in the trailers that he will lose his healing abilities. I was thinking we could actually have a Wolverine movie that will truly unleashed him, but sad to say he still tamed and very much emotionally attach to his women and still very much a gentleman as in Origins: Wolverine. But compare to Origins, this is a much better movie and a story to tell. When I mentioned of not hitting to the fullest potential, I was referring to the character development of Logan, there's really not much there. I guess that's fine for Wolverine since he had lived for a long time and I think his character should be fully formed by now. But then again, don't you think there's something for him to learn or think about after being for the first time, vulnerable. Well, bub... apparently not.

I've always wanted Hugh Jackman to put on the yellow/brown and black spandex.

I thought this is a good opportunity to put him in a Samurai armor of brown and black.

But I'm guessing him going topless is not only cheap but marketable.

I'm actually glad they showcased Japan culture rather well, especially the mention of the ill-mannered act of Logan stabbing his chopsticks into his rice bowl. Japan is so full of culture and honour that having an uncultured and disrespectful person like Wolverine there, you expect more than blades to clash. It comes of a little humourous at times, especially seeing him being violated by the bath maids or him struggling with manners at a funeral. Despite showcasing the Japan culture, I think it's a little over the top when they start bringing in ninjas into the picture, especially when you bring them in overwhelming numbers and do unnecessary flips now and then. But having Wolverine come face to face with the warriors in black was really cool especially when they had to overkill him in order to bring him down.

I love it when they showcased Japanese culture properly.

I think the last time they did something like this was in The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise.

Hugh Jackman once again, played his version of Wolverine excellently. I don't think I can carry on life if they ever recast Wolverine with another actor. As for the other cast, they played their roles well, including Rika Fukushima as Yokio. Although a little over the top, but I'm impressed that she gets all teary eyed when foretelling Logan of his doom. I must say the Japanese cast did a superb job in their roles, even their delivery of their English lines didn't come off too bad either. Not perfect, but not bad. I'm glad James Mangold retained the Japanese language in the film and uses English subtitles for the audience. It brought not only authenticity to the scenes but I can clearly tell the Japanese cast were so much more natural in their performance using their mother tongue. Now, I'm surprise at the significant role and screen time of the deceased Jean Grey had to be in, played by returning cast member, Famke Janssen. I thought she's going to be in one or two flashbacks, but apparently she's haunting Logan much like the way Mal intercepts Cobb's dream in Inception. But ultimately, I'm very well pleased with a former X-Men star returning to their roles on screen... I'm especially excited that at the end of the film, she's not the only one reprising her role...

As of now, I can't think of anyone who can play Wolverine other than Hugh Jackman.

Like Robert Downey Jr to Iron Man, he certainly owns this role.

As for the action scenes, the spotlight goes to the fight on top of the bullet train going 300mph. That was really exciting and humorous at one point when Wolverine had to use his wits to dispatch his enemy. As for his duel with Shingen Yashida in his Samurai armor, the Samurai blade and Wolverine's claws clashing were really impressive to watch but failed to engage me as an audience, primarily because Wolverine is no longer facing a threat. But as for the final fight with the Silver Samurai, he is clearly facing a threat, that for once his Adamantium steel is no match. The scene was really cool to watch but then again came off a little short and a little cliche. The final reveal of who is behind the Silver Samurai mask was actually predictable, especially since when Yukio mentioned a certain foresight that didn't come true. I was half-expecting the "predictability" would not come true when I saw the Samurai's head lobed off and I almost thought it was a robot, but it's good to know that the size of the armor is way bigger for a man to be in. If that didn't come true, I would end up scratching my head over the initially mysterious and confusing plot. The first two third of the movie does feel really unique on its own, but when Logan is brought into the lab it begins to feel a lot more like a generic comic book movie. It almost reminded me of the lab in the final scene of Origins, including the unleashing of the Silver Samurai is somewhat mirrors the unleashing of Deadpool as a final boss fight.

At least it ain't Deadpool

If you're into the comic book movies, you should know by now to STAY BACK for the POST-CREDIT scene. This is perhaps the best Post-credit scene I have ever seen, and should be modeled after by other comic book movies. It teased the upcoming movie, X-Men: Days of Future's Past. We've got enough of Wolverine's solo outings and it's about time he got back into the original team. I would give this an 8.5 out of 10 Adamantium Claws.

Click below to view the trailer.

Hugh Jackman as Jesus in the near future, maybe?

UPDATE: You know how I've always wanted Hugh Jackman to don the classic yellow/brown and black suit before he retires from this role. Well, there was a scene that completely cut which actually shows Yokio giving Logan a suit case with the iconic suit inside. Why would they cut this out?! Why?! Click below to view the alternate closing scene.