The Wolverine

Rating: 9/10 (29 July 2013)

In this exciting Wolverine tale, Hugh Jackman returns as the brooding mutant with adamantium claws, still haunted by the loss of his beloved Jean Grey (the goddess, Famke Janssen) whose "spirit" visits him often in his dreams. He has been hermitting in some rural wilderness (where giant grizzlies and human hunters equally frequent), found while predisposed with barfly hunters (one of whom used a poison-tipped arrow to down a bear) by a highly trained fighter from Tokyo named Yukio (Rila Fukushima). Yukio has orders to bring Logan to Tokyo to "say goodbye" to her mentor (and the man who raised her), Yashida (Hal Yamanouchi). Logan had saved Yashida's life when Nagasaki was bombed in WWII. Yashida (who had developed a technological empire in Tokyo) is dying and wants to be immortal, offering a chance for Logan to die a human death in exchange for his eternal power. Logan is stunned by this but Yashida supposedly dies not long after the proposition. When Yashida's "nurse" (a chemist with a vast knowledge in toxins), Viper (the deliciously wicked, luscious Svetlana Khodchenkova, having a field day as the nasty, but delectable heavy) "poisons" Logan while he sleeps, causing him to feel pain and lose the ability to heal immediately after harm; when wounded, he'll need medical attention. And does he ever bleed and suffer during this movie! Yashida leaves his empire to his granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto), much to the disgust of his insidious son, Shingen (Hiroyuki Sanada, a nasty piece of work) who himself longed for the lofty power of such a position. There's an attempt to kidnap Mariko by the Yakuza, and Logan will take it upon himself to protect her. It seems everyone is out to either capture or harm Mariko and while vulnerable after Viper's handiwork, the Wolverine will still put up quite a fight, using his claws to full effect. Also showing up in the film is Will Yun Lee as a former childhood boyfriend (and disciple of the house of Yashida), Harada, and the sleazy Brian Tee as the arranged fiancé for Mariko, Noburo. Harada is handy with a crossbow, Noburo has political ties (and a taste for American hookers), and Viper has an agenda that will surprise both Mariko and Logan. Viper likes to use her acidic breath to spread a "death kiss" or leave marks on those that provoke her anger, even peeling away her skin at one point when suffering a bad fall towards the end.
There's plenty of action in the refreshing Tokyo setting: a phenomenal chase through the streets and buildings heading into (and on top of) a bullet train, with Harada scaling atop the rooftops with graceful agility, and the conclusion (into a village that leads to a large fortress) includes ninjas (the roped arrows, some tipped with poison by Harada, sticking from Logan's back is an amazing visual) and a giant Adamantium Samurai Robot, is all kinds of radical. Jackman gets to flex his acting muscles thanks to a plot that allows this character to suffer a wide range of emotional dilemmas. Falling in love with Mariko, while still dealing with the punishing memories of Jean (who beckons him to "come to her"), enduring his deteriorating physical state due to the multitude of wounds on his torso, addressing his mortality and acknowledging how vulnerable he now is, and having to face enormous obstacles. The scene where he must surgically remove his heart to return to his immortal state, while Yukio tries to fend off a determined Shingen, is a corker. Speaking of Yukio, she's a badass with that kendo stick and can go toe to toe with just about anybody. Yashida's role in the film is a fascinating development that has quite a twist by film's end. But, to quell any doubts of Wolverine's involvement in action, he gets plenty of henchmen to obliterate. Wolverine even gets to swear, which deters this Marvel Comic Book action flick from the possible viewing of little kiddies. Mariko and Logan's blossoming romance is actually not a detriment; in fact, it gives us a chance to see Wolverine humanizedhis aching and potential for a brand new love offers promise for a new lease on life. The credits leads to a scene that fuels anticipation for the next X-Men movie. This is far superior to the previous Wolverine film, and, despite the naysayers who claim this will be a disappointment, I am not alone in the endorsement of this movie...it has a vocal following of positive feedback.