Edge-of-your-seat metal-clangin' epic

Rating: 7/10 (6 November 2013)

A standalone comic film adaptation is supposed to bring astonishing development to a superhero to establish a deeper understanding of its existence in its own universe. The long-time Marvel superhero Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) gives us a new breath of fresh air in this new film The Wolverine. Unlike the 2009 film "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", the new Wolverine film helmed by director James Mangold (3:10 To Yuma, Walk The Line) grabs the opportunity to deliver an even anarchistic Wolverine and a fitting to the X-Men universe.
The narrative is entirely focused on the Frank Miller and Chris Clairmont comic issues, which is set in Japan. Logan as the Wolverine, embarks on his way to Tokyo accompanied by Yukio (Rila Fukushima) to bid adieu to a Japanese WW II veteran back in 1945 during the Nagasaki Bombing, Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi). The dying Yashida, who presently owns a tech company, wants to pay Logan a price for saving him from the atomic bombing. Yashida wants him to be mortal by transferring his own healing factor, but Logan refuses.
The film takes off after Yashida's death and a sinister event involving one of the mutant physicians who turned out to be the Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova) who plants an anti-Adamantium substance-like to Logan reducing his healing ability. A group of Yakuzas captures Mariko (Tao Okamoto), the granddaughter of Yashida. Logan must see to it that Mariko is not in the wrong hands.
"The Wolverine" is a slam-bang CGI-induced movie unlike the passable "Man of Steel" which is packed with bloated CGI wallop and less humor. With Japan as the setting, the Wolverine character's given an anarchic feel and out-of-this-world dire ramification of being out of his powers and learning of his own as an outsider. The action packs a punch, especially if we arrive at the bullet train scene at the speed of light. And of course, one of the rivalries of mutants, the ninjas gives helping in providing real clash for Wolverine.
The only thing I'm disappointed would be the overuse of CGI in some obvious fragments of the film. If you've seen the trailer, you know whom am I referring to.
Among the superhero films of 2013, "The Wolverine" is one of the best. At least the Wolverine this time knows how to make a difference and proves that he's one of the badass superheroes of this generation. "The Wolverine" is an edge-of-your-seat metal-clanging new offering which never fails.