The
Wolverine
(2013/Fox Blu-ray w/DVD + Digital Copy)
Picture:
A-/B Sound: A-/B Extras: C Film: B
Whereas
some are now suggesting that we are in the Golden
Age
of Superhero/Comic Book films; I still have my reservations. Are
superhero films better than ever? Yes, without a doubt. Is there
room for improvement? Yes, without a doubt. Films such as The
Dark Knight Trilogy,
Iron
Man,
and several of the X-Men
films
have proven that the superhero genre is a strong one with much more
to offer than some men flying around in tights, smashing the city.
Superhero films now have (or should have) depth, backstory, action,
suspense, and so much; making them a true film, rather than merely
big a big budget spectacle. The
Wolverine manages
to wash the bad taste of that atrocity known as X-Men
Origins: Wolverine from
our minds as it manages to infuse many of those aforementioned
critical story arch elements.
In
The
Wolverine we
are introduced to a world changing event for Logan (AKA Wolverine)
[again played by Hugh Jackman] as he stands witness to the bombing of
Nagasaki in WWII; saving a Japanese soldier in the process. We then
fast forward to present day (after the events of X3:
The Last Stand)
with a distraught Logan, living the life of a hermit, distressed and
tormented by the death of his love Jean Grey (Framke Janssen)
swearing off violence. When pushed to far by group of local mountain
men,
an unfamiliar face appears from the shadows to aid Logan, as well as
to harken him back to Japan to say goodbye to a ghost from his past.
Arriving in Japan Logan meets with that same Japanese soldier he had
saved over 68 years earlier. Now an old dying man, riddled with
cancer and regret; he clings onto life, not ready to go. He offers
Logan the chance to rid himself of the curse
his mutation has bestowed upon, the curse
of immortality. The elderly solider (now with riches beyond compare)
says he has found a manner in which he can extract Logan's powers;
leaving him to live a
normal
life and die an old man. In disbelief, Logan dismisses the dying
man's wish; shortly after the man passes away. The soldier's
fortunes are left to his granddaughter; a kind hearted girl who
surpassed her father in the will. At her grandfather's funeral a
band of Japanese gang members launch a full-fledged attack to kidnap
the girl; fortunately for her Logan senses things are a miss and aids
her in her escape. From this point forward, the duo are on the run;
but the twists and turns of their adventure leave viewers guessing as
to what plan is really afoot.
The
Wolverine plays
like a true action/adventure film with a comic book/superhero edge.
It's not overblown or superficial; as it possesses that necessary
level of depth and detail. I would not call this film on the level
of say The
Dark Knight Trilogy
or an Oscar winner, but at the very least is interesting and shows
that there is still hope for the X-Men
series.
My one worry for this film was that director James Mangold would
play the film like that of a samurai epic (like that of a Jackie Chan
flick) rather than allowing it to be the superhero venture it is;
luckily those worries were quickly dismissed. The film in end is a
balanced mix of creativity, culture, and comic book wonderment as The
Wolverine stands
above the pack to continue into the Golden Age of superhero films.
The
picture for the Blu-ray release of The Wolverine is presented in a
2.40 X 1, 1080p, AVC-Encoded, MPEG-4 that is stunning from beginning
to end with bright colors, solid contrast, inky blacks, and a supreme
clarity. The picture quality is crystal clear with astonishingly
realistic texture and detail, being nearly perfect. The colors pop
and the film is never bogged down in the darker sequences (of which
there are plenty); balancing wonderfully between the explosions of a
bomb and ninjas creeping through the shadows. The sound is equally
well done with as the entire speaker range is utilized in this 7.1
DTS-HD Master Audio lossless presentation. Dynamic with solid
panning effects, a booming bass, and succinct dialogue The
Wolverine stands
out as a brilliant presentation. The music, dialogue, and action
will surround you at all times as you are immersed in sound in a
really impressive mixdown from the Dolby Atmos 11.1 mix heard in
select theaters that offered the film's sonics at its best.
The DVD and Digital
Copy included in this set are merely downgraded releases of a
fantastic Blu-ray presentation.
The
extras for this (non-extended release) are pretty weak and short,
offering very few bonus features to explore. Extras include:
-
Michael P. Dougherty II
