The Wolverine - "That day ain't here yet"
The Wolverine returns in this 2013 sequel to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" which didn't quite hit the mark, I'm pleased to say this one succeeds where the other did not. It's comic book reference heavy whilst also being simple enough for the casual viewer. There is much more character development in this film of the supporting role and for Logan himself. At times it was dull and we needed to keep the ball rolling so the pacing has some issues, it's not going 100MPH like the it's predecessor. Hugh Jackman seemed much more settled and comfortable in his role, I would think Director James Mangold had a large role to play in this as he is a tried and true actor director, his visual aesthetic for action was very appropriate, no quick cutting and extreme close ups like in the Bourne series. The camera doesn't jump and the action is in full frame.
Japan was a very interesting storyline to choose, a Japanese soldier Logan saved in WWII requests Logan's presence to say thank you, or does he have ulterior motives? The plot was coherent and had enough semi-twists to keep you guessing, the villains were actually a threat unlike in the terrible "Iron Man 3". These villains were formidable & it showed, Logan is vulnerable the entire film & his human side really shines, it was nice to see that he still cares about something, they made a point of showing how he is in the comics a guy with a hard edge but a heart. The action isn't terribly entertaining, younger boys and girls should be deeply satisfied with it, it's not rated MA15+ so the lack of blood in these films is getting tiresome especially since we came so close to an R rated Wolverine film.
It was fantastic to see the focus purely on Logan, the problem with Origins was that it was saturated with too many mutants and terrible hollow CGI. The CGI in this is fairly flawless and there are roughly 3 mutants in the entire film. The tone is consistent, it focuses on the right people and is the stand alone Wolverine film we wanted. It also sets up "X-Men: Days Of Future Past" with a fucking amazing post credits scene that you need to stick around for. I can't wait to get back to the original cast and have a true X-Men film.
Overall it's serviceable, not perfect but a big step up from Origins. I can't imagine too much disappointment, go in with low expectations and just enjoy an actor orientated director play with a superhero like "Wolverine". It redeemed the character and will renew faith for the entire X-Men franchise, especially since Brian Singer has returned to the directors chair. 3.6/5
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