Rent The Wolverine (2013)

The Wolverine (aka Wolverine 2) review by Alyse Garner - Cinema Paradiso

After the mess that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine it seemed a safe bet that Wolverine wouldn’t be back for another installment of the famous franchise but here is The Wolverine, an adaptation of a X-Men comic series where Wolverine travels to Japan to face an unknown enemy. While not the normal direction for a superhero film, The Wolverine is just as predictable, a redemption story for a character perpetually seeking it.

The Wolverine follows Logan (gorgeous as ever - Hugh Jackman) as he is taken to Japan to say goodbye to someone he helped years earlier someone who wants to thank him for saving his life. When he arrives he finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy involving Mariko (Tao Okamoto), the granddaughter of a multi millionaire, the same man Logan saved years back. He must try and discover why people want Mariko dead and quickly as unknown forces come into play seeking not just Mariko but Logan as well.

While that makes it sound complicated it really isn’t. The Wolverine is a simplistic story which tries to convey one very simple message, even the worst of people can find redemption. The choice to set this tale in Japan feels right as it allows time in the film for contemplation and the locals are absolutely beautiful making for some awe inspiring visuals as Logan seeks forgiveness from himself but also from the ghost of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) who appears in dream sequences as the cause of his quest.

While Japan is beautiful and Jackman is always reliable as the brutish yet lovable mutant, The Wolverine is poor film making as everything about it is unoriginal and most of all, dull. A high speed chase on a bullet train entertains but its shoehorned in for no real reason and ultimately following a story about a man in need of forgiveness is all well and good but watching said man murder countless people along the way seems to defeat the purpose