The Wolverine

Four years after his last solo adventure, Wolverine has returned to the big screen. Once again played by Hugh Jackman, the "star" of the X-Men fights evil in The Wolverine, the franchise's first 3D adventure.

This time, Wolverine is roaming the Yukon. Ever since X-Men: The Last Stand  where he was forced to kill the rampaging Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), the immortal mutant has little to live for. He's found by Yukio (Rila Fukushima), adopted granddaughter of the wealthy Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi). Wolverine saved Yashida from the bombing of Nagasaki back when Yashida was a Japanese soldier. Now, the dying Yashida wishes to thank him by removing his healing powers, the source of his immortality.

When Yashida dies, Wolverine gets involved in a plot involving the Yakuza, Yashida's son Shingen (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Yashida's granddaughter and heir Mariko (Tao Okamoto). That's when he finds his healing powers are suddenly gone. If he's to survive, Wolverine has to get to the bottom of that family mystery.

What killed that last solo adventure, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, was that it explained the mysteries of Wolverine's character rather anticlimactically.

This one, directed by James Mangold, doesn't have this problem. Here, it's no secret that Wolverine is the fiercest mutant around. But he's trying to keep his ferocity under control. This film's screen-story makes that struggle interesting and compelling to watch.

As photographed by Ross Emery, the film's Japanese scenery is great to look at. Its action scenes, such as a fight on top of a bullet train, are also excellent. One of its best effects is at the end, when the robotic Silver Samurai makes its debut.

Overall, this X-Men adventure is definitely awesome. Some might think that its final act is too outlandish, but at least it's fun...unlike some other films this summer. Whether in 3D or on Flatscreen, The Wolverine is certain to thrill.

Stay through the credits and you'll see the set-up for the X-Men's next big screen adventure, X-Men: Days of Future Past.