#and live action-Harada does not say 1 sexist thing!

[eleiyaumei]

(If you would like to know why exactly I don’t like HSSL-game-Harada, here’s a post explaining it. [CW: There is a brief mention of grooming there.])

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #172 - The Wolverine

Spoilers Below (including a major one for Logan)

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: Yes. #245

Format: Blu-ray

1) This film was originally meant as a second prequel to X-Men taking place between X-Men Origins: Wolverine and that film. However, director James Mangold and Hugh Jackman both thought the story would be better served by being a sequel and I have to say I agree. But more on that later.

2) The prologue.

The beginning of the film immediately sets itself apart from previous X-Men films. It embraces the war film and Japanese style and aesthetic as opposed to opening with a bombastic action sequence it’s one horrific historical event. That is when the film is at its best; when it acts more like a war or samurai film than a superhero film. The scene is remarkably powerful, with Logan saving what is essentially his enemy in the war. While the visual of Wolverine being effected by the atomic bomb also leaves a powerful impact on the audience. A solid opening to a solid film.

2) Famke Janssen returns as Jean Grey.

Janssen’s Jean Grey isn’t really a character in this film as much as she is a plot device. And I mean that in the most literal sense. She is Logan’s guilt and desires and pain personified in the choice that still haunts him more than any other (killing the woman he loved). This doesn’t give Janssen a lot of room to play around, it’s not necessarily a film made to fit her character, but it does serve the story well and gives us a peek into Logan’s intense regret. That regret is the source of his character conflict. He has been doing this since before the Civil War. He has killed and lost everyone he’s ever loved and he’s tired. He doesn’t want that pain, that suffering, and he doesn’t want to hurt anyone ever again. He even makes a “vow” to not hurt anyone ever again.

3) Of course that vow is broken very quickly when Logan finds hunters who caused a wild animal incredible amounts of pain.

(Screenshot taken of a GIF set originally posted by @wclverine-blog)

4) Rila Fukushima as Yukio.

(GIF originally posted by @kellymagovern)

I love Yukio. With all my heart. She is amazing. An incredibly strong addition to the film, Rila Fukushima is able to play Yukio as someone with a lot of charisma and heart. But when Yukio requires pain, sorrow, heartache, relationship, and depth, Fukushima is able to bring that to the role. She has an INCREDIBLE chemistry with Hugh Jackman which translates into a strong relationship between the pair. I am just in love with this character and her presence in the film. My biggest disappointment with Hugh Jackman being done with Wolverine is that we won’t get any more Logan/Yukio moments.

5) So I had an interesting conversation with @theforceisstronginthegirl about this film and realized the continuity of the X-Men films is a little more fucked up than we thought. Let’s go through it beat by beat.

In X-Men Origins: Wolverine we see Logan and his brother Victor fighting in every war, including being in Normandy on D-day (June 6, 1944).

In this film Logan is alone in Nagasaki on August 6, 1945 (when the atomic bomb was dropped). He is a prisoner.

Victor and Logan are seen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine fighting side by side in Vietnam.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

It can easily be explained how Logan got separated from Victor between Normandy and Nagasaki (there was a year between the two) and rejoined him before the Vietnam war started. But let’s keep going.

We know that in 1973 Logan teamed up with William Stryker’s mutant team for a brief stint with Victor.

We know it was in 1973 because there is a “six years later” text line in X-Men Origins after Logan leaves the team. The rest of the film takes place in this six years later time frame, which we know is 1979 because there is an in-universe explanation to what occurred on Three Mile Island during its 1979 incident.

In 1979 Logan get sot in the head with a memory erasing adamantium bullet (ugh) and loses his memories.

In X-Men, Professor X notes that Logan still doesn’t have his memories.

In X2 Logan begins to remember his experience with Stryker from 1979. Seeing him allows Logan to recall his name and he gets visions of the Weapon X facility after returning there. But most of his memories are still gone by the end of the film since Stryker offers him answers.

No mention is made to Logan’s memory loss or return of his memories in X-Men: The Last Stand. Supposedly, the magic adamantium bullet is still taking effect.

Yet somehow in this film Logan is able to remember World War II in enough detail to realize he saved this guy, remember where he saved him, and recognize his name when Yukio first mentions it.

(GIF originally posted by @chirrutimwae)

You could argue that Logan is remembering these things AS they happen. That his dream of Nagasaki in the beginning of the film is him getting that memory back and that the rest of his memories return as the film goes on (much like they did with Weapon X). You could argue that between X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, Professor X helped Logan retrieve most of (if not all of) his memories he’d lost. You could argue they slow came back naturally between The Last Stand and The Wolverine. But no matter what, the film does not offer a clear explanation as to why Wolverine can remember World War II when he’s not meant to remember anything that happened before 1979.

6) This is exactly Logan’s conflict in the film.

Mr. Yashadi: “A man can run out of things to live for, lose his purpose. Become a ronin.”

He is being offered peace in this moment. A way to end his suffering, but he turns it down. I can’t tell if this is because a part of him still fears death, whether he feels he doesn’t deserve this gift, or because he knows how dangerous someone else could be with his longevity. Hell, HE’S dangerous with his longevity. I’m inclined to think it’s the last of this three, but I’m not totally sure.

7) Harada isn’t greatly developed in this film, I feel. My brother - the first time we saw this movie - referred to him as Japanese Hawkeye.

He has a past with Mariko and is loyal to her family and...that’s it. That’s all there is to him other than he’s a really good shot with a bow and arrow.

8) Logan’s loss of healing makes him much more physically vulnerable than he has been before in his entire life, something which connects to his emotional state at the start of this film. He’s never been this low, he’s never let regret defeat him so heavily, and now his physicality matches that. It makes for a unique conflict and storytelling experience.

9) This film reclaims some of the great action scenes that the series lost after Bryan Singer’s departure. While X-Men: First Class was a real return to form, the hand to hand combat in this film is great. You understand that most of these characters are trained fighters and have the strength to match. While occasionally the pacing could be better (some scenes, in particular the attack on the funeral, can run a little long), the action itself is great.

10) Why are all the dudes in this film - in some shape or form - jackasses?

Shingen [Mariko’s father, to Yukio]: “You are a toy doll. A companion for a child who has outgrown you.”

Shingen’s a prick, Norbu (Mariko’s fiance) is a spineless piece of shit, Yashadi is a greedy murderer, Shingen is naive and an enabler for Yashida, and even Logan is kinda of a dick to Mariko (more on that later).

11) I’ve used this GIF in SO many recaps, I’d be remissed if I didn’t use it for the actual film it’s from.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

12) Also - and maybe because I saw Joss Whedon’s Wonder Woman script right before this so the word “princess” used this way REALLY bugged me - this is kinda sexist bullshit.

Logan [to Mariko]: “You can’t pretend shit isn’t happening when it is, princess.”

(GIF originally posted by @marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer)

Also, I know I haven’t talked about Mariko as a character yet. More on that coming up.

13) The bullet train scene.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

By far the best action set piece in the entire film (hell, possibly the best scene in the entire film), the bullet train sequence is incredibly creative. It uses the strong sense of place the film has along with the natural progression of the story to its advantage. Intelligently/cleverly choreographed (specifically with Logan’s jumping on top of the bullet train), it is unlike any other set piece in the entire franchise of X-Men films and definitely one of the stand out moments of the series as a whole. A great action packed ride from start to finish.

14) Okay...Mariko...

I think actress Tao Okamoto does a nice job in the part, but I think it is poorly written personally. I don’t know Mariko’s character in the comics so perhaps that’s a factor, but in this film she is almost exclusively a damsel in distress. Someone Logan has to constantly save and act as bodyguard for because she is in danger. And while that is not inherently an issue if written well, I don’t think it is here. We never develop Mariko’s behavior past, “pretty thing Logan has to protect,” in my opinion. That is until the very end, when she is able to stand up for herself and in fact SAVES Logan. If I focus only on the final act of this film and how Mariko behaves there, I like the writing. But for most of the film - especially the first half - she comes off as naive. Logan is constantly condescending to her and acts more like her bodyguard, so the fact that him protecting her like he’s her bodyguard leads to a sexual relationship between the pair feels weird. The emphasis of their relationship is almost exclusively on the fact that he has to protect her, so to turn that sexual feels like its taking advantage of her vulnerability. Again, I think Tao Okamoto is good in the part. I think she’s able to take the damsel role and make it less damsely (even if it’s still noticeable to me) and more human. But the writing doesn’t explore the character as much as I would like, reducing her primarily to Logan’s love interest. But again, these are just my feelings on the character.

15) Shouldn’t knuckles always be bleeding if he can’t heal? Like, the claws cut through his skin which then sews itself back shut when they retract. Shouldn’t those cuts always be open and therefore his skin always be bleeding?

16) This film’s greatest struggle - I think - is deciding on what genre it wants to work with. When the film comes across as less of a superhero film and more of a samurai movie, it is ridiculously strong and interesting. It really pulls you into the world. But when it doesn’t commit to that or even commits more to the conventions of a standard superhero film, it’s weaker and a little more forgettable. I greatly enjoy it, but I feel if it had committed to the samurai genre as opposed to the hemming and hawing (like how Logan committed to being a Western) it would’ve been truly great.

16) Viper.

Okay, can I just say this: you never seen a male villain kill with a kiss or with their overt sexuality over women. So when male writers do this with a female character, it feels sexist to me. Some characters can transcend the trope, but I don’t think Madame Viper does. She’s the sexy villain. We don’t understand her motivation (greed? She wants to? She feels like it?) she’s just sorta evil for the sake of evil. Svetlana Khodchenkova makes the character kinda fun to watch, but again the writing her is sort of generic. She comes off more like a Bond henchwomen than anything else I think.

17) The scene between Mariko and Logan at her family’s cabin is probably the best moment between them. We understand a bit of Mariko’s history, Logan isn’t in protector mode, there’s a change and understanding in their relationship. It’s not enough for me to love how the character is written but it is nice.

18) I have so many issues with this, which could be a primary cultural difference but dear god things like this bug me.

Mariko: “My father arranged [my marriage] last year. It gives him better access to the political theater. To disobey him would be to dishonor him.”

(GIF originally posted by @marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer)

Again, maybe this is a cultural thing, but your life should not be lived for anyone other than yourself. It should not be lived for your parents, your peers, anyone. It is YOUR life and the decisions which effect it the most - LIKE WHO YOU MARRY - are YOUR decisions. I think honor should matter very little as long as you’re not intentionally hurting anyone and you’re happy. So fuck Mariko’s dad. And fucked women being forced to marry dudes they don’t want to because it’s “honorable” or will help their parents’ lives or something. YOU GET TO LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR YOU!

19) Logan flashing back to the pit with Yashida is a strong example of how this film is at its best when it is more like a samurai film. This is not a scene about superpowers or mutants, but about two people surviving and trusting each other. It’s raw, vulnerable, and surprisingly moving. It also helps get you invested in their relationship, translating into what might be the strongest character scene in the film.

20) I mentioned before that there is an emphasis put on Logan being Mariko’s protector and how that translating into a sexual relationship is weird for me. What makes it weirder is the fact that Mariko’s grandfather told her bed time stories about Logan and how he would protect her. Logan is literally a prince charming to her and she is his damsel in distress.

(GIF originally posted by @marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer)

21) Remember this. Not for this movie, but for another one.

Yukio: “I saw you die...I see you on your back. There is blood everywhere. You’re holding your heart in your hand. It’s not beating.”

22) Did I mention I love Yukio?

Yukio [to Logan]: “Just think of me as your bodyguard.”

23) I love how Logan roughs up Norbu (Mariko’s cheating cowardly scum bag fiancé). And this bit at the end is truly badass.

(GIF originally posted by @isak-valtrsen)

24) Everything about the scene where Logan and Yukio return to Yashida’s house is great, starting before they even get there. The tone, the sense of danger, and feeling of mystery is all established from the get go. Then pushing Logan to a point where he has to cut into his own chest to pull out a device on his heart ALL while Yukio has a badass sword fight with Shingen is great storytelling.

Yukio: “Don’t hit my friends.”

(Did I mention I love Yukio’s relationship with Logan? Because I do.)

25) I mentioned that past X-Men films have some strong LGBT themes. Well Shingen refers to mutants as, “god’s mistake.” I don’t know if this is a saying actually used by homophobic assholes but it sure sounds like it.

26) The fight between Wolverine and Shingen is, well, incredible.

(GIF source unknown [if these are your GIFs please let me know].)

The tone is spectacular, making this scene more than any other FEEL like a samurai film. There’s a sense of darkness and just good old fashioned human action to it. It works as a better climax than the actual one does in my opinion, and the line mentioned in the GIFs above feed into Logan’s conflict wonderfully. This is the resolution of his struggles right here. He’s finally accepted who and what he is.

27) The last great samurai movie moment of this film is right after Logan tells Harada, “Go fuck yourself, pretty boy.” (This also makes Wolverine the character to drop the f-bomb in three X-Men films back to back.) The visual of all the archers shooting arrows into Logan’s back is absolutely stunning.

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

28) I would have to say the film’s weakest aspect is its final act, which devolves into standard superhero fare. Not necessarily a bad thing for most superhero films, but The Wolverine has had an identity issue ever since the first half hour. When it’s more of a samurai film it is remarkably strong, so to have the final fight be between a giant robot (albeit a samurai themed one) kind of minimizes that choice of genre. It’s not awful, but from a tone/style standpoint it feels like a bit of a mess. It could use more Yukio (as the rest of the film does) and we spend a bit too long not knowing the samurai’s identity (making it all the easier to guess it). There are strong elements: Yukio’s fight with Viper, and ESPECIALLY Logan getting his claws cut off by the samurai (with the return of his bone claws signifying a return to Logan’s roots). But if you have to pick out the weakest part of The Wolverine, odds are you’ll latch on to the climax.

29) I love that Yukio and Mariko address each other as sisters at the very end. It’s nice.

30) So Logan and Mariko go off into the world together, with Mariko sticking by Logan’s side as his, “bodyguard.” So, let me ask you: WHERE IS MY LOGAN/MARIKO BUDDY FILM WHERE THEY’RE TROTTING AROUND THE WORLD AND HELPING PEOPLE!?!?!? And a deleted scene gives Logan his costume from the comics.

(GIF originally post by @bambistark)

31) And X-Men took a page book out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s playbook with a pretty stellar end credits scene/set up for Days of Future Past.

Despite some problems (most notably with style and some character development), The Wolverine is a very solid film. At its best when it it adheres to the conventions of a samurai film, Hugh Jackman is remarkable as always in the film while Rila Fukushima as Yukio is the best new thing to come out of this movie. A wonderfully enjoyable if not perfect film, The Wolverine is a fun ride through and through.