The Wolverine - Hugh Jackman still has it as the eternal X-man.

     Well, I'm back and ready to deliver another movie review from Hollywood's summer stable of films. Now, looking back at this summer as it starts to wind down, Hollywood has not had that big of a blockbuster summer with most of their big-budget films being big bombs financially and with audiences. Films like The Lone Ranger, R.I.P.D., and White House Down have fared worse than expected. I don't think that The Wolverine falls into that category. 

 

     When a sequel was announced for X-men Origins: Wolverine (2009), I will say that I was sad because origins was not that good, despite Hugh Jackman's great performance of Wolverine. Then they lost the director and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami happened so the film was set back. But behind every dark cloud, there is a silver lining ready to break through. That came through with a new director, a reworked script, and, therefore, a wonderful superhero movie is created. 

     In The Wolverine, set after the events of X-men: The Last Stand, Logan (Hugh Jackman) lives in seclusion and being haunted by his memories of Nagasaki in 1945 along with hallucinations of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). Being summoned to Japan to visit a man from his past, he must battle assassins, the poisonous Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova), and the Silver Samurai along with his personal demons once he's stripped of his immortality. 

     I applaud that Hugh Jackman and the director, James Mangold, were determined to make this entry into the X-Men film series a stand alone film. It proved the staying power of the Wolverine character and Hugh Jackman's performance of this hardcore hero. The writers could not have picked a better story than the Japanese story arc, arguably the favorite story arc of this character. While I didn't read this comic (trust me, I plan to), it is an awesome story that resonates with the depth of the X-man and it was definitely shown on the silver screen. 

     Seeing Famke Janssen was a small surprise to me but I understand her importance to Logan so she was needed  in Wolverine's pursuit for an end in the movie. The characters, Yukio (Rila Fukushima) and Kenuichio Harada (Will Yun Lee), were both particularly both cool and lethal to watch. Mariko (Tao Okamoto) is not the typical damsel in distress and helps in Logan's personal journey as he protects her. Also, with next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past on deck for the superhero film series, it would be best to stick to your seats after the post credits to see a scene that will open up the door and prepare us for that incredible ensemble movie. 

     I hope you all go see The Wolverine this week and enjoy it as much as I do. I'll be back with another post possibly today or later this week with some Comic-Con news, in case no one keeps up with it. 

     Enjoy the movies everyone!