With summer winding down and most of the major blockbusters out of the way, it seems like 'The Wolverine,' the latest entry in the 'X-Men' franchise, has somehow flown a little under the radar -- which is a shame, considering it's probably the best action film of Summer 2013.
Tackling a fan-favorite story from the comic books that has Logan traveling to Japan, losing his immortality, and fighting ninjas, 'The Wolverine' is a scaled-down, character-driven film, which is especially surprising considering the overblown mess that was 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine,' Hugh Jackman's previous solo outing in the franchise. It is obvious that director James Mangold ('Girl, Interrupted' 'Walk The Line,' '3:10 To Yuma') made a conscious decision to trade in the soulless city-smashing chaos of films like 'Origins' and 'Man Of Steel' for a more personal look at one man and his internal struggles (with some samurai thrown in for good measure -- this is still a comic book movie, after all). You know you're in for a different kind of superhero movie from the very first scenes of Logan's silent but meaningful encounters with a grizzly bear in the Alaskan wilderness. Darren Aronofsky was the first director attached to this project, and would have been a far edgier choice -- we'll never know what kind of movie he might have made, but Mangold's vision is more than suitable, fusing old-fashioned Asian epics with modern-age comic book sensibilities, creating a delightful collision of cultures that is unique in today's superhero cinema.
'The Wolverine' manages to get right everything 'Origins' got wrong, most importantly: if you're only going to focus on one character from the 'X-Men' stable, at least give him an interesting and compelling arc the audience can follow. Logan's struggle with his own immortality, while by no means an original story, carries at least the essentials of character development, which is far more than can be said for 'Origins.' It also helps that the film is largely populated by Japanese actors that will be unknowns to American audiences, which lends an air of reality to the proceedings that can't be matched by the all-too-familiar all-star cast of 'The Avengers,' for example. The breakout role here belongs squarely with Rilo Fukushima, who plays Yukio, the red-haired, fascinatingly odd-featured nymph who first seeks Logan out and instigates his journey. Tao Okamota is slender and lovely as Mariko, the woman Logan is charged with protecting. Hiroyuki Sanada may be the most familiar to audiences from his appearances on 'Lost' and 'Revenge,' and here he plays Shingen, Mariko's subtly maniacal father.
As focused as Mangold clearly was on Logan's internal journey (punctuated by ghostly appearances from Famke Janssen as Jean Grey), he also knows how to put together a lean and mean action sequence. Three in particular stand out: the surprisingly intense bombing of Nagasaki that opens the film; the attack where Logan first discovers his newfound vulnerability; and an adrenaline-pumping encounter on top of a speeding bullet train (the best action sequence set on a train since Spidey clashed with Doc Ock in 'Spider-Man 2'). The copious amounts of swordplay in the film are meticulously choreographed and impressive to watch. Unfortunately, the climactic battle with a hulking machine is clunky in comparison, devolving into typical action clichés otherwise avoided throughout the film. Apart from that final sequence, 'The Wolverine' manages to nail a difficult and admirable balance between inner turmoil and mutant-on-ninja combat. The film's successful blending of tones will undoubtedly please any moviegoer who felt let down by the inconsistencies of 'Iron Man 3,' the overwrought grit and action of 'Man Of Steel,' or the large-scale silliness of 'Pacific Rim.' In a summer full of semi-disappointing blockbusters, 'The Wolverine' is a refreshingly subdued take on a familiar character, and a worthy entry in the 'X-Men' series.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh1LdTFkm7I[/youtube]
