Film review: The Wolverine

Hugh Jackman puts down his song sheet and picks up his CGI claws so that he can get all slashy again. This time he heads off to japan to meet some old war guy he used to know who is getting on a bit now and wants to say goodbye, awww ain't it sweet. Once over in Japan Hugh meets lots of Japanese people who love a bit of sword play and an American lady who likes spitting on things. Once the storyline is set up Hugh unsheaths, his claws you dirty minded people, and really starts to tear japan a new one.

We all know the x-men franchise has had its ups (1, 2 and first class) and it's downs (3 and origins) so expectations were almost non existent for this new adventure and anything could have happened. This new story from the universe brings us our favourite cigar smoking anti hero in a completely new environment facing completely, almost, new kinds of enemies. There are not many mutated super beings knocking around and for me this is a bad thing considering we are watching film primarily about a mutant. It is not to say I don't like samurais and the ilk, on the contrary actually seeing as I won a lot of martial arts films, but it just didn't fit for me. I don't see the point of having what seems like a samurai film and then plonking wolverine in the middle of it, he just felt out of place, and yes I know this happened in the comics but it doesn't mean we need to put it on screen. Then there's the love interest which is verging on creepy old man issues and doesn't really work. It isn't a terrible film by any stretch and is better than the first wolverine film in both storyline and acting but it just felt a little off. Maybe I am being picky but can we stop with the solo wolverine efforts now and stick with the superior, in my opinion, first class series of films.

Verdict: 2.5/5