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After revisiting “X-Men Origins: Wolverine“, it makes sense that 2013’s “The Wolverine” would receive the same treatment. After all, it’s mostly known now as “the forgotten one,” and that applies to me as well. All I can recall about this movie is Wolverine fighting a giant silver robot samurai on top of a bullet train. This is a perfect example of how memories can blend together because, while Wolverine does fight a giant robot, the bullet train is part of an entirely different action scene. Clearly, this warrants a rewatch and a subsequent re-review.
Originally, I watched the extended cut, but the Blu-ray I recently acquired has the theatrical version. Since I complained about the movie being boring and overlong in my original review, this could be a change for the better, as the theatrical version is about 10 minutes shorter than the extended cut.
“The Wolverine” follows Logan, also known as Wolverine, as he travels to Japan to bid farewell to a dying friend, Yashida, whom he saved during World War II. Once there, Logan is drawn into a complex web of betrayal and intrigue involving Yashida’s ambitious son, Shingen, and his granddaughter, Mariko. Stripped of his healing powers by a mysterious and malevolent force, Logan faces his own mortality while protecting Mariko from deadly enemies. As he confronts formidable adversaries, including the venomous Viper and the lethal Silver Samurai, Logan must grapple with his past traumas and the enduring struggle for his humanity.
Like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine“, “The Wolverine” also proved to be a far more enjoyable viewing the second time around. While I still found the movie dragging, especially in the second act, it stands out as one of the better non-MCU superhero films. At the time, the MCU was in full swing, with “The Avengers” released a year prior. Everything had to be interconnected, with a lighter tone and quippy superheroes becoming the norm. In contrast, a more serious, standalone movie about Wolverine saving a woman in Japan, while battling a female mutant who can spit venom and a giant silver robot, just didn’t seem as impressive as an army of aliens trying to take over New York.
Eleven years later, in a world where superhero fatigue is real, a movie like “The Wolverine” feels like a breath of fresh air. The plot is fairly straightforward, the action scenes are expertly choreographed, and the special effects are miles ahead of the abysmal CGI in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine“. The movie looks great, with the cinematographer doing an excellent job of giving it a warm ochre tint, making it a pleasure to watch.
But the movie is not without its flaws. Aside from the moments that tend to drag, it is unnecessarily convoluted due to the sheer number of characters. It’s not always easy to keep track of who’s who and what their motives are. Among the mostly Asian cast, the villain Viper, played by Russian model Svetlana Khodchenkova, stands out due to her white skin, long blond hair and lethal powers. However, compared to many other mutants in the X-Men universe, she is one of the least impressive mutants to grace the screen.
The movie makes up for its faults by making Wolverine vulnerable, finally putting him in real jeopardy. The inclusion of a robot made of adamantium ups the stakes for our hero. With his regenerative powers and bones covered in indestructible metal, Wolverine is nearly immortal. However, with his abilities now weakened due to Viper’s poison and adamantium being vulnerable to hot adamantium, many scenes in the movie now have a tension previously unseen in any film starring Wolverine.
Upon rewatching, “The Wolverine” is certainly a better movie than I originally gave it credit for. However, time will tell if this movie is as forgettable as it is often labeled. That judgment will have to wait for another rewatch in 10 years or so.
