Good, summer-action flick with character introspection, and a few gaping holes

Rating: 7/10 (29 July 2013)

The Wolverine does not attempt to be too many things at once, but what you expect from it, or want, will dictate how distracting the plot holes are which will in the end determine your enjoyment level. Unless you are seeking fault, or seeking Oscar worthy attributes, all others should find redemption and enjoyment in the movie.
Hugh Jackman once again reprises the title character and he conveys the angst, apathy, and attitude admirably at various points throughout the film. He suffers only slightly at how the character is written to be portrayed, to which I do not hold him accountable.
Mariko, Yukio and even Harada are played well with Yukio earning the gold both acting-wise, and the most depth to the character. Harada seems to suffer with the direction of his character, but this can be attributed to a character flaw rather than storyline error if one wants. Mariko plays off the strength, individuality, and tempered vulnerability adeptly, but is surprisingly written fairly flat, impeding one aspect of the storyline.
The villains are sadly underdeveloped making it hard to a)understand motivations, b)care about the endgame. It doesn't help that both of those two things are the largest storyline plot holes both in design and execution.
In the end, buying into Logan's self-evaluation, growth, and emotions is done best by watching the main character in the moments between action, and not best served with the in your face 'dream' sequences. The action and the impact the storyline has on Wolverine physically is inconsistent, but the emotional depth within him rather than playing off others is the strength of the story.