The Wolverine

I saw this last week. This it the fifth movie where Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine. I have to say this is a much better movie than the first stand alone Wolverine movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That one was just completely flat.

On to The Wolverine. This picks up after the last X-Men movie. Logan has given up being Wolverine. He’s hold up in the forest in Canada (I think that’s where he is). He essentially has become a bum. He dreams about Jean Grey and how he’ll never again be The Wolverine.

He’s sought out by Yukio, a woman samurai. She’s employed by a man Logan saved back in World War II. Logan saved Yashida from an atomic bomb blast. Yashida is asking him to come to Japan. Once there Yashida says that he can make Logan mortal. Allow Logan to live out a normal life and die. Yashida knows Logan can no longer handle being immortal.

That’s the basic premise of the movie: Logan dealing with his demons (thus the scenes with Jean) and whether or not he will become the Wolverine again.

There are some really great action sequences. The scene on the bullet train is fantastic. One of the fake outs is especially funny. But the twist is not all that much of a surprise especially if you pay attention to the dialog earlier in the film.

But there are a few slow spots too. The romance between Logan and Mariko, Yashida’s granddaughter, slow down the pace of the movie. I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing but pace and timing are important in a movie. These scenes just go on too long. I’ve noticed that in comic/action movies lately that directors have a hard time getting the slower scenes to flow correctly with the rest of the movie.

I will say this stay for the credits. There is a scene well worth waiting for. I won’t spoil it but a couple of old friends show up in it.