The subtleties of Japanese culture lost amidst American crassness, writes Christine Powley.
Director: James Mangold
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Tao Okamoto, Hiroyuki Sanada, Svetlana Khodchenkova, Brian Tee, Hal Yamanouchi, Will Yun Lee, Famke Janssen
Rating: M
3 stars (out of 5)
Hugh Jackman has been playing Logan/Wolverine since 2000 so he has had plenty of time to read the source material (comic books to us non-fans) and work out how the character ticks.
Just as Wolverine has had spin-off movies, he has also had spin-off comics which sent him to Japan.
Jackman thought it was an interesting concept for the aggressively manly Logan to be pitted against the elegantly formal Japanese and that is the thread they took into The Wolverine (Rialto and Hoyts).
Of course it does not hurt that there is a lot of money in the Asian market. Yet in the way of these things, the crassness of the American take on Japanese culture is just as likely to repel the market they are pandering to as entice it.
As a taster, here are some fun facts about Japan that you may not have known before watching The Wolverine.
Japanese mobsters always rip their shirts off to display their impressive tattoos before undertaking a big gun battle and major Japanese technology companies routinely employ their own ninja army over and above standard security.
There are plenty more unique insights to be had but you will have to watch the movie to find them out.
Best thing: Logan's fight atop the bullet train gives a fresh spin to the old fighting-on-the-train-roof stunt.
Worst thing: The camerawork in the big shoot-'em-out sequence is so wobbly you feel as if you are on the bullet train, but unfortunately the train has not yet made its appearance.
See it with: A very tolerant Japanese friend.
