The Wolverine

I have to admit I am more of a Hugh Jackman fan than ever after seeing The Wolverine 3D, which combines Hugh Jackman, Japan, swords, Viper, ninja, and a lot of swords, in an all-out action flick in 3D…

I have to admit I am more of a Hugh Jackman fan than ever after seeing The Wolverine 3D, which combines Hugh Jackman, Japan, swords, Viper, ninja, and a lot of swords, in an all-out action flick in 3D.

Yes, perhaps I went to see it because Hugh spent most of the film trailer shirtless. Having said that there’s no sex scenes so you could easily take your teenage kids along – if they can handle the violence of sword-fighting and a lot of Wolverine-slashing.

The story picks up with a contemplative Wolverine living hermit-like in the forest with photos of his lover Jean to keep him company. When his radio batteries die, he treks into town and is spotted by a Japanese woman in a car. After he seeks vengeance on some hunters who leave his bear friend dying, he realises he can’t escape that he is a soldier. The Japanese woman, Yukio, takes him to meet her employer, Yashida-san, and the story unfolds.

Below: Yukio and Wolverine.

It transpires that back in WWII, Wolverine saved the life of a young Yashida when the Americans nuclear-bombed Nagasaki. It was refreshing to see an American film show the USA in this light, from the other side. Yashida went on to become the most powerful businessman in Japan and we are are introduced to a successional drama, very commonplace in Japanese storytelling. The family are all cut-throat to a Shakespearian degree and won’t stop at murder to get power and money. There are twists and turns I didn’t see coming, right until the final minutes.

Below: sexy villan Viper.

Having lived in Japan myself, I enjoyed the Japanese language and culture we caught a glimpse of. Hollywood does not have a great tradition of treating Japanese culture well in film, to say the least. The costuming of Mariko (Tao Okamoto), grand-daughter to dying Yashida, was exquisite, from black kimono at the funeral in Tokyo, to chyrsanthemum yukata at Nagasaki, to skinny jeans on endless legs. All the famous parts of Japanese culture are there: yakusa mafia, love hotels, ninja, Pachinko parlours, and Mariko’s best friend Yukio (Rila Fukushima) seemingly dressed as a real-life anime character in high boots and vivid red locks.

I liked that there are so many roles for women; in fact most of the screentime that wasn’t Wolverine slashing men was Wolverine and the women: Mariko, her friend Yukio, and Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova). They were all strong women. Women who could fight well.

What I didn’t care for: I could have done without the whole trip to the love hotel (no, they didn’t make out there) although I get that they hid there as it wouldn’t be expected, and it provided a light-hearted break in the action for pace. Also, the whole nightmare/dream sequences of Wolverine talking to his former lover Jean Grey (played by Famke Janssen), in a low-cut negligee with ghost-breasts, are giving me nightmares. Jean, speaking to Wolverine from the afterlife to beckon him to her, may well return in future films.

Much like Iron Man 3 out earlier this year, the godlike becomes mortal, and we see a human side to Wolverine as he faces his mortality – like Tony Stark without his suit. It is a personal journey – no saving of the world from aliens or meteors in this – just Wolverine fighting to protect Mariko and himself. What will happen to Wolverine? Check it out in cinemas now and find out. Sayonara!

I loved Wolverine 3D and give it 8.5/10.

Megan Robinson 24 July 2013