Film Review: "The Wolverine" (2013).

"Life is a gift. Immortality a curse" which is what sums up The Wolverine. This superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Wolverine. It is the sixth installment in the X-Men film series. Hugh Jackman reprises his role from previous films as the title character, with James Mangold directing a screenplay written by Christopher McQuarrie, Scott Frank, and Mark Bomback, based on the 1982 limited series Wolverine by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. In modern day, Wolverine is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, he becomes embroiled in a conflict in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed.

McQuarrie was hired to write a screenplay for The Wolverine in August 2009. In October 2010, Darren Aronofsky was hired to direct the film after Bryan Singer rejected. The project was delayed following Aronofsky's departure and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. In June 2011, Mangold was brought on board to replace Aronofsky. Bomback was then hired to rewrite the screenplay in September 2011. The supporting characters were cast in July 2012 with principal photography beginning at the end of the month in Kurnell, New South Wales before moving to Tokyo, Japan in August 2012 and back to New South Wales in October 2012.

The film stars Jackman as Logan / Wolverine (respectively), Haruhiko Yamanouchi, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova and Tao Okamoto, in her debut role. The performances in this film were all fantastic. Jackman brought a great performance once again that not only stole the show, but added a new layer of emotional and physical complexity to the role. Regarding Logan's struggle with immortality, Jackman said, "He realizes everyone he loves dies, and his whole life is full of pain. So it's better that he just escapes. He can't die really. He just wants to get away from everything." Yamanouchi gave a great performance as Yashida, the head of a Japanese technology empire and the man Wolverine once saved during World War II. Sanada gave another great villainous performance as Shingen Yashida: Mariko's father, and crime boss. Khodchenkova gave a great, wicked performance as Viper: a mutant, who has an immunity to toxins and one of the film's main protagonist. Lastly, Okamoto gave a great debut performance as Mariko Yashida, Yashida's granddaughter and Logan's love interest. Okamoto had been known for her modeling with Ralph Lauren. Over the course of watching performances by models starring in their debut films, Okamoto is one of the few models-turned-actress that actually succeeded in delivering a great perfomance whose personality and chemistry with her leading man were nothing but pure emotional gold for a movie fan who longs to see a great emotional plot within the context of a movie like this.

Although its loyalty to its source material is sliced and diced, The Wolverine is one superhero movie that manages to stay true to the spirit of its character while being a solid piece of entertainment.

Simon says The Wolverine receives: