The Wolverine (PG-13)

First thing’s first: “The Wolverine” is leaps and bounds better than “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” If that’s all you need to know to make up your mind about throwing down your cash, thanks for your time and enjoy the flick. However, you may want to stick around, because I’m also going to argue that “The Wolverine” had the most engaging third act of any superhero/geek movie so far in the summer of 2013.

“The Wolverine” is rare for a recent superhero movie not directed by Christopher Nolan, in that story and character take the lead over spectacle and special effects. Equally rare for the genre is the fact that it is a study in vulnerability and weakness as opposed to being a male power fantasy. For most of it anyway. Make no mistake, there’s no shortage of action for action’s sake, but the action is in service to the story — for the most part.

The plot follows the seemingly immortal mutant, Logan aka Wolverine, as he drifts aimlessly through life after the events of  “X-Men: The Last Stand.” He’s shackled with guilt and all he wants is to be free of it, but because of his healing factor, he doesn’t age and is nigh unkillable. His existence is an endless, torturous journey where he is haunted by the ghosts of his dead loved ones. A dying man Logan once saved in World War II offers to take his “curse” from him, leaving Logan mortal and able to find peace. And while Logan doesn’t consent and his would be benefactor soon dies, Logan finds that his healing factor has, indeed been compromised. And, of course, it’s just when he needs it most as he has to protect a young woman from Yakuza kidnappers. There’s more to the story, but it’s all mostly detail that’s better viewed than read about. Suffice it to say that by the end of the movie the labyrinthine plot rife with twists, turns and double crosses has been resolved satisfactorily —for the most part.

My largest complaint is the villainess Viper, played by Svetlana Khodchenkova. I’m sure she’s a competent actress, but she gets no help at all from the script. Her character’s motivations, allies, enemies, hell even her mutant powers seem to fluctuate from moment to moment. Her very presence in the film is an unnecessary distraction that drags down the finale. The rest of the cast and characters are all serviceable to excellent. Aside from Hugh Jackman (who turns in his best, most nuanced performance as Logan yet), the standout in the cast is newcomer Rila Fukushima who plays anime-flavored assassin Yukio. That most of her non-fighting scenes consist of her sharing the screen with Jackman, and she is able to hold her own against such a formidable and charismatic presence, is a credit to her own acting and natural charisma.

Compare the one sour note of Viper to the one bright light of Ryan Reynolds’ Wade in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and you have a microcosm of the movies themselves. In one we have a well-executed film that wants to be earnest and about more than just punching and kicking, but is brought down a little bit by an incomprehensible caricature that clearly doesn’t belong in this movie. The other is an unintentionally goofy affair that just wants to rush to the end while throwing in as many cameos as possible, but whose saving grace is a brief comedic performance by an actor who clearly is performing above the level of the script.

Now, about that third act…We get a finale that, with the exception of the aforementioned Viper, is fairly straightforward and answers most of the questions the movie has been asking thus far. We get a finale that, instead of battering us numb with scale and spectacle, keeps the action intimate. We’re not seeing nameless drones battling each other, or untold amounts of collateral damage; no we’re seeing a handful of characters that we’ve been following and learning about for the last two hours work out their personal issues with violence. Fear, jealousy, love, all their emotions come out in sword and claw slashes. And we get a finale that actually leaves our characters noticeably different (physically and emotionally) from how we found them. It’s not an amazing movie, but it could teach a whole lot of so-called blockbusters how to craft characters and action that matters in the end.

– by Jared Moore