The Wolverine

Set in Japan, this latest film based on a popular X-Men comic book character benefits from the charismatic ferocity of a buffed-up Hugh Jackman as the titular indestructible, mutton-chopped, metal-clawed mutant. Logan (aka Wolverine) is alone in the Yukon wilderness, where he is haunted by tortured dreams about Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), the woman he loved and killed. One night in a bar, Logan takes revenge on a cowardly hunter who poisoned a grizzly bear, and he's accosted by Yukio (Rila Fukushima), a mysterious, sword-wielding martial artist who has been dispatched by Tokyo industrialist Shingen Yashida (Hiroyuki Sanada), whose life Logan saved at a POW camp during the 1945 bombing of Nagasaki at the end of WWII. Yashida is dying and wishes to bid a final farewell--or, at least, that's what Logan is told; actually, Yashida covets Logan's immortality, precipitating a family feud when Yakuza gangsters threaten Yashida's granddaughter, Mariko (Tao Okamoto), who has been designated to take over his empire. Brooding, glowering Logan is determined to protect Mariko not only from the mob, but also from her avaricious father, ambitious fiancé, and Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova), a mutant geneticist. Director James Mangold stages several spectacular action sequences, including one atop a speeding bullet train, where bands of ninja warriors swoop in for an ambush. Not quite in the same league with the flagship X-Men movies, this will still appeal to fans and should be considered a strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include an "Inspiration: A Ronin's Journey" production featurette (12 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the multi-part behind-the-scenes featurette "The Path of a Ronin" (54 min.), a set tour of the upcoming companion film X-Men: Days of Future Past (3 min.), an alternate ending (2 min.), and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a reasonably entertaining popcorn flick.] (S. Granger)