A C+ for the Australian Mutant

Rating: 6/10 (11 August 2013)

Ever since Hugh Jackman's debut as the Wolverine in X-Men, back in 2002, it was clear he was not just good at the performance - he was made for it. Thus, movie director Gavin Hood was hired to anchor spin off 'X-Men Origins Wolverine'; it was rather bland with boring characters but Jackman's acting was impeccable and the action sequences pleased.
Years later we have, 'The Wolverine.' A piece based on Frank Miller's graphic work, set after the events of the main X-Men trilogy. Jackman's Logan (alias to Wolverine) is a recluse, living on the edge as you may gather with his thick, bushy beard and scruffy general appearance. To his surprise a female ninja warrior (Rila Fukushima) whisks him away to Tokyo, Japan following her master's orders (Hal Yamanouchi). Her master is willing to reward Logan for originally saving his life - during a civil war in the past - by trading immortality for mortality. However, when Logan refuses, he then becomes protector to his grand daughter Mariko (Tao Okamoto) who is being sought by highly trained assassins.
'The Wolverine' lasts 126 minutes in duration; for approximately 90-95 minutes it had me intrigued. Action takes a back seat for story and character development which is great and when the sequences of action do arise they are excellent. One scene in particular where Logan battles with numerous Japanese assassins on a bullet train looks and feels exhilarating. The cast all perform with solidity.
By faults come in the final quarter or so of the film (90-95 minutes plus) when the story refracts off into a different direction in a pointless bid to extend the running time. It follows the villainous plots of Svetlana Khodchenkova's character Viper. Again she performs well in her role but is a pointless character which doesn't add anything to the main plot, just extends the running time.
Entailed in that final quarter is a flurry of action sequences that feel as if they have been forced in. It quickly becomes tiresome and this long, ponderous final half an hour (or so) becomes a little ridiculous, particularly with a twist many will struggle to find the logic behind.
Excellent for a larger portion than it is not, 'The Wolverine' can just about stand on its own two feet without Jackman carrying the entirety on his shoulders.