Movie Musings: Spoiler Free Review: The Wolverine

So we just got back from a 9:00AM screening of The Wolverine at Resorts World Manila. While I feel very grateful for the free tickets there is still much to be said about their policy of having to register for a membership card to get a movie ticket (it was inconvenient and disorganized) I will still say thank you and leave it at that and go on to my spoiler free movie review. I still love you Resort's World - I'll make sure to be a member to avoid any inconveniences in the future. :P 

Okay so going back to The Wolverine - first off - I will say that I absolutely loved it! Liked is an understatement because I loved it! Easily 4 out of 5 stars! It was able to redeem itself from the awfully cliche-ridden X-Men: Origins movie - The Wolverine (which is a stand alone sequel after X-Men III: The Last Stand) has no cliches' what so ever and is in fact quite unpredictable. There are times in the movie where I found myself thinking 'Okay - so what's next?' because you absolutely have no idea what's coming and you'll definitely be quick on your feet and thinking throughout the movie, which is always a welcome experience when watching a movie. Sometimes it's not all about the effects and the fight scenes you also got to make your brain work and like a very good book 'The Wolverine' has surprises in every corner. Can I just tease that there is definitely a shocker scene and something that you definitely won't expect. (Wink. Wink). Oh and don't hold on to your horses for this one - you don't know who your enemies or allies are - so watch out! 

Set in modern day Japan - with a bit of the old - it was a refreshing change to the usual X-Men (Xavier school for the gifted setting :P) 

It was also refreshing to see a cast and pool of characters who are mostly human. You don't have to be a mutant to be a bad guy you know and the humans in the movie really make up for not having mutant powers by being modern day ninjas, complete with the running along roof tops and stealth mode. Not only does Wolverine's adamantium claws take on Ninja kunai and the Samurai sword in this movie but he also butts heads and takes an epic bullet train ride with the Yakuza. 

While the previous X-Men movies showed humans who hated mutants, in this movie you will get to meet humans who are obsessed with them and well, you know the saying - too much of something is bad- really bad. 

Straight out of an anime - Yukio - Logan's red headed sword wielding body guard. Don't let the red and white stripes fool you - this girl can kick butt!

The movie literally takes what makes Wolverine - Wolverine away from him - his ability to heal. The movie tackles with the idea of 'What happens if you take away Wolverine's healing powers? He's not so bad ass any more right?' Well- you'll have to see the movie to find out. But with this idea and concept you definitely know that you are in for a not so ordinary X-Men movie. More about that in my post here. 

Just in case you guys might be wondering there are some scenes that did not have any subtitles but I believe that this was done on purpose so that the audience would feel and think like Logan, an outsider not understanding the language but don't worry most of the scenes in Japanese do have subtitles. 

As usual it was an impressive performance of The Wolverine by Hugh Jackman can you honestly think of anyone else playing the role? 'Coz I can't! Hugh Jackman is the Wolverine! His physique in the role is amazing and the stunts are amazing and he really does portray that defeated and tormented century old mutant perfectly. Of course it's not all grim and dreary for Logan, there is still his spot-on dead pan humor which will have you laughing in the movie. 

I was just a bit skeptical about the rating of this movie - really MTRCB a G?!? Really?! Aside from the violence - Hello! You have a hero with Adamantium claws what did you expect him to do with those - tickle the bad guys?!?! There was also some cleavage and a butt cheek or two in there. They might want to reconsider the rating. 

You might want to skip the 3D version of this one - 3D does not really do much for this movie. You might want to catch it in 2D instead. 

Resorts Wolrd Manila has an amazing Wolverine Toy exhibit you might want to check out - sorry no photos we were in a hurry earlier. While Robinsons Movie World has the 'Be the Wolverine Kinect Experience' which I got to try out and you might want to check it also - more on that in this blog post. 

And do stay after the movie for a teaser for the next X-Men film: Days of Future Past! 

The Wolverine is now showing in cinemas from 20th Century Fox and is distributed by Warner Bros.