"foX-Men" Re-Watch: "The Wolverine"

"The Wolverine" (2013) 

"X-Men: Origins" was a disaster. It was hot garbage. Literally one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It would have been understandable if 20th Century Fox had wanted to just shutter it and just save Logan for appearances in the X-Men movies. But they had faith they could turn it around. They initially hired Darren Aronofsky to direct the movie, but he had to drop out. James Mangold who directed the Oscar winning film "Walk the Line" stepped in. This is all good news for Logan fans.

Principal photography on "The Wolverine" began in July 2012. It wrapped in October 2012. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/The Wolverine, Tao Okamoto as Mariko, Rila Fukushima as Yukio, Hiroyuki Sanada as Shingen, Svetlana Khodchenkova as Viper, Brian Tee as Noburo, Haruhiko Yamanouchi as Yashida, Will Yun Lee as Harada and Famke Janssen as Jean Grey. The film was written by Mark Bomback and Steve Frank. It was directed by James Mangold. "The Wolverine" was released on July 26, 2013.

Dem abs tho.

"The Wolverine" is loosely based on the first Wolverine solo series written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Frank Miller. They are both legendary and if you have never read this mini, you should, particularly if you feel like you are a Wolverine fan. 

"The Wolverine" gets so much right. It feels like a Wolverine story right from the start. Japan is such a huge part of Wolverine's backstory. I was so happy when it was teased that the bulk of the movie would take place in Japan. One of the great things about Logan is that he has had such a long life span and in that life span he has touched a lot of people and how those interactions affect Logan and affect the other person. Logan is being held prisoner in by Japanese troops when the atomic bomb is dropped on Nagasaki. Officer Ichiro Yashida refuses to commit sepukku and instead is saved by Wolverine who reveals his regenerative mutant powers in the process. This dramatically impacts Yashida who pretty much uses this moment as the template he lives by. 

From the beginning, "The Wolverine" shows that it is a far different film than the first one. Where the first film used Logan's longevity as basically a way to show the passage of time, "The Wolverine" shows us how Logan's long life may be more of a blessing than a curse. It's one of the best way to attack this character and the movie really kills it. 

Viper is white... OK.

You have to really give it up for Hugh Jackman. It's because of this movie, I'd argue even above "Logan," that proves that whoever takes up the mantle when the X-Men eventually get incorporated into the MCU will have huge shoes to fill. Jackman injects Wolverine with so much pathos and infuses him with a world weariness that is palpable. Since killing Jean Grey at the end of "X-Men: The Last Stand," Logan is in self imposed isolation, living as a recluse who has sworn off violence. His damaged psyche continues to torture him. Images of Jean Grey taunt him, encouraging him to just end it finally and be with her for good. Telling him this vow of non-violence is a fools errand. That violence is engrained in Logan's soul and he can't set it to the side. No matter how adamant he is that he is finished with that life, Logan continues to slip. He just can't seem to help himself. He has to confront some illegal hunters when he finds a poisoned bear near the wilderness where's he been staying. Then, things really go downhill for him when he finally makes it to Japan to pay final respects to Ichiro Yashida. It's not all doom and gloom for our favorite hirsute mutant. Jackman finds ways to inject humor when he can. The sequence of Wolverine getting bathed and groomed by the Japanese women is pure gold. 

Jackman is the only big name, at least to Americans, but that works to its advantage. You don't feel like there was any stunt casting. It's filled with Japanese actors, a lot of whom you probably recognize if you are a genre film viewer. And I'm guessing if you're reading this blog, you probably are. 

Rila Fukushima and Tao Okamoto as Yukio and Mariko respectively, kill it. They play off Jackman very well and each have insane chemistry with the actor. Yukio is very much the little sister character that thrives when paired with Wolverine. While she struggles with her power of seeing when people are going to die, she is still playful and that energy really works well when bounced off Wolverine's gruffness. A role like Mariko in a movie like this can be thankless. Mariko could have been relegated to a generic damsel in distress and her love affair with Logan could have bland and perfunctory. But, neither of those things are true. Mariko may get captured in the movie, but she is always on the defense. Fighting back. Even saving Wolverine from some yakuza at one point. The movie takes time and great pains to develop the relationship between Logan and Mariko and it is legitimately kind of beautiful. Some of the quieter scenes between the two are some of the very best. 

This is what a badass looks like.

As I mentioned, the story in "The Wolverine" is very strong. The focus on Wolverine and his relation to his healing factor and long life and what it means for him to potentially lose that, is a really great angle that brings a lot of new facets to the film version of the character.

If you were concerned that the action would suffer due to this renewed focus on telling a coherent story, you'd, thankfully, be incorrect. The action is fucking amazing. If you do watch "The Wolverine," I'd definitely recommend the unrated, extended edition. I'm not sure if it is the one that is available on Disney+. The unrated edition amps the violence up a bit from what was shown in the theatrical cut. It is a whole lot bloodier and more bone crunching than what was shown in theaters. Take the scene where the yakuza crash Yashida's funeral. You get Wolverine in full berserker mode, in a way you've never seen him before. Slicing off body parts, stabbing, tossing bodies into the pools. It's crazy and literally like a "Wolverine" comic come to life. 

I had totally forgotten about the train scene and I'm surprised because it may be my favorite action scene in any Fox "X-Men" film. It's so cool. Logan using his claws and inertia to basically movie from car to car, using the environment around him to take out the yakuza pursuing he and Mariko. Or the first part of the final battle where Wolverine and Yuriko, using a snowplow, pretty gruesomely take out lots of dudes. That scene where Wolverine's back is embedded with at least 30-40 hours and is still moving. That is quintessential Logan. 

I have to give a shot out to the cinematography in this movie. It really incorporates Japan into the film and makes it feel like it's a character in the movie. Whether it's the neon drenched streets of a city or the breathtaking views of the countryside, every shot is impeccable.

"Silver Samurai"

I'm sad to report that not every aspect of the film is a winner. The villains are a pretty huge let down. First off, you cast Viper as a tall, beautiful blonde woman? Yeah, no. And I don't get the reasoning. Just too many Asian characters in this movie set in Japan? You had to cast one more and Viper was the safest one to change? And the actress who plays her is just so freaking bland and blah. So far we are 0 and 2 with attractive blondes playing iconic villainesses in the Fox X-Menverse. 

Then there are the three male villains who are all pretty non-descript. I love Hiroyuki Sanada. He's so great in "Westworld" and as Scorpion in the 2021 "Mortal Kombat"reboot but his Shingen is toothless and lame. The same can be said about obvious villain and bad boyfriend. Brian Tee is another great actor but he's given very little to do except parade around in his briefs and get threatened by Logan, not that I'm complaining about the briefs scene. Then, there is the Silver Samurai who is an adamantium cyborg piloted by Yashida. It is a truly "what the fuck" plot twist that doesn't seem that well thought out which is surprising based on how thoughtful the rest of the movie is. It just feels like they felt they needed Silver Samurai in the movie and they needed Wolverine's claws cut off and this was the idea the came up with.

The climax of the movie is kind of a big mess and the movie sort of falls apart in its final act. It basically devolves into the sort of mindless, CGI style, explosions a plenty battle that we've come to expect in movies like this. It's sort of the same issue that "Wonder Woman" and "Shang-Chi" fall victim to. 

Plus, we get a post credits scene featuring an alive Charles Xavier and a re-powered Magneto asking for Logan's help. Say what?

Despite it's few flaws, "The Wolverine" finally gives fans the movie they deserve setting the scene for Jackman's swan song as the character in "Logan."

Next up, Bryan Singer returns and puts his spin on a classic X-Men story in "X-Men: Days of Future Past."

What do you all think of "The Wolverine?" Do you love it? Hate it? Have mixed feelings? I'd love to hear them in the comments below.