Judge The Wolverine?

Judge The Wolverine?

Written by: Jenna De Bono

I remember reading a quote somewhere that read something along the lines of, “There is no such thing as a bad film just bad analysis”.  What an interesting and difficult concept.  Is there no such thing as a ‘bad’ film?  Could I read The Spice Girls Movie and Hitchcock’s Psycho both of equal in cinematic quality?

I went to see the latest instalment of the X-Men series The Wolverine directed by James Mangold, which I did not particularly enjoy.  In this critique I want to explore this concept of good analysis VS a ‘bad’ film by offering insight into the film rather than my personal option.

The first X-men film (titled X-Men) was released in 2000 when I was ten years old.  In 2001, The Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Fellowship of the Ring were released.  For me, these fantasy films define a large part of the cinema-viewing experience as a child/adolescent.  My parents and I would go to our closest cinema (occasionally the drive-in) to watch the next instalment of these film series.  We created a viewing tradition around these films.

Unlike the previous X-men films, The Wolverine is set in Japan and this heavily influenced the look and tone of the film.  The Wolverine begins during the actual devastating event of the atomic bombing on Nagasaki.  We see Logan (the main male protagonist and mutant) save Yashida (a Japanese solider) from the fatal bomb.  I appreciated how the film respectfully highlights Japanese customs and culture.  We see the importance of food, for example chop sticks standing upwards as being a bad omen, for they are a reminder of intense-sticks at a funeral.  We learn that in Japan, everything is symbolic.  We also see Markio (the main female protagonist) say to Logan, that he will never understand the importance of respecting his father’s wishes or arranged marriage because he is not Japanese.  The Wolverine does not criticize nor judge Eastern culture but it does highlight the differences between Western and Eastern cultures.

The fighting scenes in The Wolverine were very entertaining.  The combination of CGI (with Wolverine’s claws) and stunt performers, achieved a captivating performance. For me, this was the most interesting aspect of the film.  Mangold based most of the fighting sequences around the traditional Samurai art form and this further entrenched the Japanese feel of the film.  However Mangold did add a few modern aspects; obviously we see Logan fighting with his claws and we also see female Samurai fighters.  In fact, Logan’s ‘bodyguard’ is a female and a very skilled Samurai.  The Wolverine could be read as a film that explores old and new traditions. Yashida creates a new monster to gain ultimate control and become immortal.  Traditional Samurai is abandoned and modern technology is embraced.  Old traditions are being constantly challenged in The Wolverine however the old traditions win over new tradition and new technology.  We see Logan destroy this new monster using physical strength and Samurai fighting. The Wolverine could be viewed as being a warning of the technological world we are relying on more and more. We need to respect our old traditions and use technology wisely.

The Wolverine’s plot is nothing new; Logan saves girl, Logan falls in love with girl.  Logan must leave girl.  This was a disappointing aspect of the film.  There were many impressive cinematic and thematic aspects in the film; the fighting chorography, the Japanese look and the philosophical divide of cultures.  It was a shame that the plot was not given the same creative attention and time as other aspects of production were obviously given.

Perhaps our opinions on films are shaped by our own personal experiences.  I have a sentimental connection to X-men and this makes my viewing experience completely different to someone else.  It is because of my personal connection to X-men that I may interpret The Wolverine as ‘bad cinema’ and in turn may be the reason why I interpret the other X-Men films, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings as ‘good cinema’.  There is definitely merit to the statement; ‘There is no such thing as a bad film just bad analysis”.  Opinions are based on experiences outside the film and therefore does not increase or decrease the value of the film.   I was comparing The Wolverine to the previous X-Men films and it was this comparison that created my opinion on the film.  My opinion is not absolute; it is simply something that I think.