MOVIES: “LOGAN The Wolverine” TRAILER #2 REVEAL

20th Century Fox has just released Trailer #2 of the most anticipated movie this year “Logan The Wolverine” featuring a thrilling series of action-packed scenes and intense moments introducing a young mutant girl, Laura (played by Dafne Keen), who possesses the same powerful claw and strength like The Wolverine.  Laura, as seen in the trailer is being protected by Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart) from groups of armed men wanting to take her.

Directed by James Mangold, “Logan The Wolverine” will open in Philippine cinemas nationwide on March 1 (Wednesday) from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Trailer link:  https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=gdsz4XFc1Kk

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. 

Be The Wolverine Kinect Experience

Cosplayers cosplaying The Wolverine and The Silver Samurai during the event. I don't really want to give away anything during the movie....but... this one's a pretty good give away. 

So it's only 7 days before The Wolverine shows in Cinemas (July 25). If you have been following the blog you would notice that I already have a couple of posts featuring the upcoming stand alone sequel. So I won't be blogging about the movie itself but this fun event that Paul and I got invited to attend. 

This was actually my first assignment as a GeekMatic contributor so I was doubly excited. :) 

In Keeping with the theme of the event, the cocktails that were served had 'sake' since 'The Wolverine' is set in Japan. Paul just loved that! 

So this was the 'Be the Wolverine Kinect Experience' where guests were encouraged to play The Wolverine game on X-Box :) and was held in Robinson's Cinema World.

It was a really fun game since you would really get 'The Wolverine' experience since you are on board a moving bullet train and slashing through signs and bad guys. Guests were challenged in a good old - highest score wins match! 

Both the gents and the ladies stepped up to give it a go - oh did I mention that limited edition 'The Wolverine' items were up for grabs as well as movie posters for those who got the five highest scores? :P That just made the deal even sweeter for the eager guests who took turns getting that Wolverine experience. 

For those of you who want to get that Wolverine experience also - fret not since the game will be available in a number of Robinson's Cinemas (Robinson's Movieworld) Check out the Schedule and details below! 

The Wolverine Kinect Experience

July 19-21 - Metro East

July 22-24 - Forum

July 25-27 Galleria

July 28-30 Magnolia

July 31- Aug. 2- Manila 

Not only will participants have fun being Wolverine but they also get a chance to win an Xbox 360 Kinect! So make sure you head on to get your hands in those claws (so to speak :P ) 

Boys with their toys. Adamantium Claws battle against Samurai Swords and Ninja Kunai in the movie- The Wolverine. 

Wolverine is back on the Big Screen

Everyone's favorite mutant (favorite pertaining to popular) Wolverine is back on the big screen. After lead roles in all three X-Men movies, a hilarious cameo in X-Men: First Class and a not so popular X-Men:Origins: The Wolverine movie; Logan is back with a stand alone sequel to X-Men 3: The Last Stand and this is the action filled The Wolverine. 

Stricken by guilt at having killed Jean Grey/The Dark Phoenix, Logan is plagued by loneliness, being a century old mutant and watching the people you love (sometimes at his own hands) can really get really old, really fast. 

The uninspired and vulnerable mutant is thrown into a battle royale of ninjas, samurais, the Yakuza and the good old bad mutant as he travels to modern day Japan and is reunited with an old friend whom he saved 60 years ago in WWII. 

While every one is looking forward to the amazing fights in the film, (bullet trains, ninja, a cyber samurai-what else can you ask for?) the viewers will also get a front seat to view to the real battle and that is the one going on within Logan who has been dealing with the burden of immortality all of his life - What if he doesn't want it anymore? in the movie, Logan is offered mortality, the chance to die like any one else and after travelling the world for a century, this is indeed very tempting to him. 

Hugh Jackman who not only plays The Wolverine but is also an executive producer in the film, says that "This story takes Wolverine into a world that is vastly different from any seen before in the X-Men series- it's visually different and the tone is different. There are a lot of battles in the story, but the greatest battle of all is the one within Logan, between being a monster and becoming a human being". This chapter of Wolverine's legacy is a rare chance to see his character at a vulnerable and indestructible state.  

The Wolverine without his healing powers shows us the mutant in a never before seen light-he can actually die and this just multiplies the interesting factor in The Wolverine.   

Second Chances: The Wolverine

While we all know that the X-Men: Origins Wolverine movie was bad, (in a bad way) really bad with the nauseating cliches and all too familiar narrative we are hoping that Wolverine will be able to redeem himself with this upcoming movie: The Wolverine. 

The Wolverine is a stand-alone sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand, (X-Men 3) while a direct sequel to the film, X-Men: Days of Future Past (which is also a sequel to the to the prequel film: X-Men: First Class (I know! It's confusing!) is set to be released in 2014. 

Anyways, going back to The Wolverine, the important thing to note here (so you won't be confused) is that The Wolverine is a sequel to The Last Stand where in Logan, had to kill (the unrequited love of his love) Jean Grey/The Phoenix so that he could stop her all out massive destruction. Haunted by his guilt and memories, Logan runs into an old friend. A soldier in Japan, whom he saved 60 years ago during World War II. Now this friend of his has become old and weak and is clinging on to dear life and who has also become a powerful person in Japan. He offers something that Logan has always escaped from -death. 

'Wolverine, without his healing powers-it's another story!' says the Producers of the film and this is the conflict that they played with in the movie. So probably when you watch this movie you won't think 'Ha! It's Wolverine- he will just heal his way through everything!' because this time he won't be able to and that should really make things more interesting indeed. Especially since he is up against, ninjas, the mutant Viper and a Robotic Samurai. Whew! The guy can't get a break now can he? 

The feature video above, compares Wolverine to a 'Ronin' although it has many translations it could also mean 'a Samurai without a cause/purpose', or 'a wandering swordsman' in the case of the famous Ronin - Kenshin Himura, that is where the 'Rurouni' in 'Rurouni Kenshin' comes from.  

In the movie, Logan finds himself in Modern Day Japan, where Samurai swords and Ninja Kunais meet with his Adamantium claws. I'm really hopeful that this would be a whole lot better than the Origins movie. I have always been fascinated with Japan and being an Otaku is a staunch evidence of that. 

'The Wolverine' stars (the only actor, who in my opinion can play Wolverine) Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi, Tao Okamota, Rila Fukushima and Brian Lee. It is directed by James Mangold (Walk the Line, Knight and Day). It will be released in The Philippines on July 25, 2013. We are lucky enough to be watching it on it's premiere on July 24, 2013. 

It is distributed by 20th Century Fox - like their Facebook page here and follow them on Twitter:  @20centuryfoxph