The Blades Singled Out.

Rating: 7/10 (30 July 2015)

The Wolverine (2013): Dir: James Mangold / Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tao Okamoto, Brian Tee: The most popular X-Men superhero gains his second film. What works here is its examination of Wolverine's healing power and its position of either being a benefit or a curse. Wolverine is sheltered in the Yukon forest where he is haunted by nightmares. We learn that he was a POW in a Japanese war camp where he ends up saving the life of a Japanese soldier when an atomic bomb is dropped. He is eventually contacted by a female red headed Japanese fighter who claims that the soldier he saved is dying of cancer and seeks an audience with him. Reluctantly Wolverine joins her to a flight to Japan. Apparently he desires to arrange to have the power transferred to his body. Wolverine declines the offer and the following day he dies. At the funeral the deceased's daughter is abducted and a lot of Samurai fighting rains in. This is all fun until a third act where lame plot twists occur that nearly subdues the film. Directed by James Mangold who made Walk the Line and Cop Land. Hugh Jackman is in fine form as Wolverine who lives with this condition and retractable knuckle blades. Rila Fukushima steals scenes as the red headed Samurai. Other characters are about as interesting as cooking oil but Tao Okamoto as the soldier's daughter is never believable particularly in an attempted romance with Wolverine. Brian Tee plays a groom to be that is not to be by third act finish. On par with X-Men Origins: Wolverine where special effects heal shoddy writing. Score: 7 / 10