The Wolverine

On 9 August 1945, in a WWII prison camp near Nagasaki, Japan, from a guard tower, a young Japanese officer Yashida (Ken Yamamura) watches a pair of B-52 bombers appear over tranquil Nagasaki. Air Raid alarms sound and Yashida sounds an alarm and hurriedly descends from his watchtower at the POW camp. While other Japanese Officers prepare for death, Yashida quickly breaks open prison cells, freeing dozens of captured American soldiers and lastly comes to a peculiar-looking cell: what looks like a tank turret securely welded over a well, chained securely to the ground; a hyper-secure prison cell. Inside is Logan (Hugh Jackman), who while suspended by his bone claws) watches as all the inhabitants of the camp run for their lives. Yahisda cut the chains from Logan’s cell and tells him to run. Each Japanese officer kneels in line and ritualistically commits seppuku (or ritual suicide) Yashida cannot bring himself immediately to die. As he prepares, Logan stops him. Yashida ultimately watches the bomb fall from one of the bombers, and a massive fireball consumes Nagasaki. Yashida tells Logan to escape, but Logan tells Yashida to climb down into the pit, as he'll stand a better chance of surviving the nuclear blast below. He makes up his mind and jumps into the pit, followed by Logan. Logan grabs a metal door and covers Yashida with it. Seconds later the wall of fire is swept into the well, and Logan is consumed by it; burnt to a crisp. Yashida survives the bombing, with only a scar on his cheek, and watches, in horror, as a black-and-red Logan heals before his eyes.

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

“You don’t want what I’ve got.”  But we do is what I was thinking when I heard this line.  Why would I not want to be made of Adamantium? I see nothing but positive things that can come from it.  There are a lot of mixed reviews on this movie and I understand why but if you really get into this story and go along with it, it’s actually a great movie.  We have become so used to Wolverine being so strong and indestructible that when a story comes along that makes him mortal some people get upset with this and I’m not sure why because we all know he will never stay that way.  This was a very interesting story and it was filled with enough action to give it the perfect balance.  A fun story that I really enjoyed and be sure to stay for the extended scene that appears about 2 minutes into the credits, it sets up a big plot point for the upcoming X-Men movie. 

Enjoy the show.  5 out of 5 bubs.