Numerous flaws spoil an otherwise entertaining movie.

Rating: 6/10 (27 July 2013)

If you're looking for a good flick to wile away a few summer hours with, you could certainly do worse than The Wolverine. Hugh Jackman is back in shape (both physically and mentally) as the title character; at this point in the game, it's hard to imagine any other actor taking over the role. The rest of the cast perform mostly admirably in their roles, although there are definitely occasions where Svetlana Khodchenkova seems like she was transplanted from a James Bond flick or a campy animated series. It's also nice to see a superhero film that spends more time examining its main character rather than subjecting them to repetitive action scene after action scene (looking at you, Man of Steel). However, the film suffers from a number of flaws that prevent it from being the ultimate superhero flick.
For one, although the film pays great attention to Logan, the other characters suffer in their development. Even when motivations are explained, they seem rather shallow or downright unbelievable, even considering the superhero genre. The characters also have little chemistry with each other; although I'm aware that it's present in the original comic book arc, the romantic subplot between Logan and Mariko simply bogs the movie down. It particularly seems distracting given that Jean Grey is such a huge presence in Logan's life still, as illustrated through his visions and flashbacks. Overall, despite the obvious efforts of Jackman and Okamota, the romance feels incredibly forced.
In the end, The Wolverine certainly isn't a horrible movie. Viewers who are used to more fast paced superhero movies may have a hard time enjoying the slower paced film but it's still a good popcorn flick. However, it suffers from some major flaws that prevent it from being a truly memorable film, rather than a merely decent one.