GREAT FILM that delivers an austere, intense vibe!

Rating: Null/10 (29 July 2013)

Mangold has nailed the character and the action, and Hugh Jackman brought the character to the next level like he deserved to do. He is finally part of a Wolverine movie that truly showcases the true character and the true coolness of that character. The Wolverine has a more subdued tone than any of Logan's past screen appearances. They did reflect on the books as Logan is grim and silent throughout the entire first half of Act One. The austere, intense vibe of the piece is reminiscent of the solemnity of the 1980s Chris Claremont/Frank Miller comic book storyline upon which the film is based. It's not a direct adaptation of course but it's very true to that classic storyline and tone.
What is it with great comic book movies and train scenes? Spider-Man 2 delivered an all-time comic book movie highlight and now The Wolverine may have done it one better! The entire movie is awesome but the train sequence may be the highlight of the year. Logan takes on a number of Yakuza inside a Japanese train car and, because of a plot turn, he's VERY vulnerable. With his life on the line, It's full on berserker rage that we all wanted to see! This is a perfectly realistic and wonderfully choreographed fight and the best gritty action in any X-realted film to date by far. They play with the claustrophobic space of the train car and that adds another unique element. When the action shifts to on top of the train car, it's as good if not better than what we saw in Spider-Man 2. I say better because the entire fight demands Logan use some thought in how he'll attack; it's not just slash, hack, slash. At super high speeds, it becomes a game of chess with the deadly Yakuza. As with the rest of the film, here the film delivers some excellent and fitting humor that never breaks the tension but is perfect and adds to the enjoyment. This is a terrific action scene and one terrific movie.