The Wolverine from Marvel and Fox Films, Presented by West Coast Midnight Run

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The Wolverine
Marvel and 20th Century Fox
MPAA Rating PG-13
(Action, adventure, science fiction)

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto

Directed by: James Mangold

Story: Mark Bomback, Chris McQuarrie

Running Time: 2 hr. 15 min.

Score: B+

By Jon Shiin

The Wolverine is the latest adventure from the X-Men franchise, not to be confused with X-Men Origins: The Wolverine released in 2009 from the Marvel and Fox teams.

This time around there is no ominous Magneto, nor Professor Xavier, Storm or Cyclops to protect his flank as he finds himself on treacherous grounds in the lands of deadly ninjas and warfare where strategic gamesmanship, stealth and mortal combat is viewed as an artistic expression and philosophy, a way of life and not just for military campaigns.

Portrayed by Jackman from the original

X-Men series, arguably the Marvel franchise that launched all others with its huge success including Spider-Man, and Captain America, The Wolverine manages to shed the image of the ensemble cast and the overpopulated world of mutants.

The setting in the Far East, the location shooting in Japan and the use of an all-Asian cast helps in creating an entirely different tempo and mood removed from the usual X-Men universe crafted with three consecutive films. In this film three very able Japanese actors land the plucky roles of a modern day Howard Hughes heiress (Okamoto), Yun Lee as a Ninja leader

and Rita Fukushima as an extremely shrewd and loyal Yakuza bodyguard who keep Logan more than busy in his foray in the East.

Haunted and tormented by his recent heroics in X-Men 3 The Last Stand, Logan is visited by a stranger who invites him to meet someone from his past in the Land of the Rising Sun. Audience and giant wolf in sheep's clothing are whisked to a nation, which despite decades of technological innovations, consumer electronics and the internet, remains partly moving forward into modernity and partly self absorbed in time honoured traditions. The movie serves up a Karate Kid II

flavour on a little more adult and super adrenaline level. The film is fast paced and incredibly good at giving us a different slice of the present day world that is full of intrigue and danger -until we get to the finale and the movie can't help but pull a "Godzilla" on the viewer.

I won't spoil the surprise for you if you haven't seen the movie yet or read any plot leaks.

In retrospect The Wolverine could have been the best movie of the X-Men franchise yet, however its ambitious efforts fall short and leaves the audience with a better than average action adventure film.