RBR: The Wolverine

Given the lukewarm reception that the first solo Wolverine film received back in 2009, I wasn't sure if we really needed to see another movie featuring the mutant with the adamantium claws. However, credit director James Mangold and the rest of the crew behind this new adventure for delivering something dramatically different. Set almost entirely in Japan, the film focuses Wolverine being asked to say goodbye to a dying Japanese man he once saved back in World War II. On his deathbed the man offer Wolverine the opportunity to remove his mutant power and make him a mortal man. From there the plot kicks into gear as there are several parties involved trying to take over the dying man's corporation. The action in the film is quite compelling, especially a scene that involves Wolverine battling members of the Yakusa on top of a speeding bullet train. However, the film does suffer from some pacing issues. The middle of the film sags and the risk of having a cast of unknown actors alongside Hugh Jackman does not always pay off. The woman who plays Mariko, the granddaughter of the dying man and potential love interest for Wolverine is a real bore. However, the actress who plays Mariko's adopted sister is a real fine. She is compelling and brings an energy to the scenes she's in with Jackman. Overall, the film's flaws prevent it from being an out-right winner. However, I applaud the efforts of everyone involved for trying something different. I want to see more attempts like this rather than safe, bland, inconsequential stories like the one featured in Thor: The Dark World. Perhaps best of all, this story serves to get me all that much more excited to see X-Men: Days of Future Past. If nothing else The Wolverine showed that there's plenty of life left in this immortal being. Rating: ****

RBR: Taken 2

The first Taken film was pretty stupid and forced audiences to severly suspend belief when it came to its story. But what ultimately made that film a winner was the testosterone-fueled emergence of Liam Neeson as an action star. There was a certain joy watching him cut down foreign bad guys with reckless abandon. If this sequel had managed to give us another dose of that, this would have been fine. Instead we get an even dumber film that also lacks the satisfying action sequences needed to offset its stupidity. This time around Neeson and his ex-wife (Famke Janssen) are taken by the living family members of the people he killed in the first film. Of course, daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) is along for the ride as well. Kim is the source of a lot of the film's problems. First there's the disorienting fact that this character is supposed to be a teenager despite the fact that the actress playing her is 30. The film doesn't help this problem by shoehorning a ridiculous subplot involving Kim learning how to drive, which of course will come into play as the film progresses. Not only does Kim need to drive, but she also needs to display some of Neeson's "particular set of skills" for him while he's abducted. This includes recklessly throwing grenades on the rooftops of Turkey so that she can find him. Again, all of this would be forgiven if the action was satisfying. However, director Oliver Megaton, taking over for Luc Besson, once again displays his inability to film a fight scene that doesn't include at least 50 edits. In the first film, Neeson was filmed in a way to make it look like he was a believable bad ass. The use of quick shots in this one makes it seem like they are trying to mask the abilities of a senior citizen. Taken 2 is a complete downgrade over the original film and just makes your head hurt as you watch it. This one gets an easy thumbs down from me. Rating: * 1/2