Hugh Jackman’s Action Movie The Wolverine Is Officially an HBO Max Hit 13 Years Later
A fresh chapter for Wolverine
The Wolverine is the second of three solo films about Jackman’s Marvel character. It follows 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and comes before 2017’s Logan, which brings the character’s journey to an end.
In the 2013 film, Logan is living in exile and haunted by Jean Grey’s death. Yukio, played by Tao Okamoto, takes him to Ichirō Yashida, played by Haruhiko Yamanouchi, a businessman whose life Logan saved during the bombing of Hiroshima.
The offer of a mortal life
Yashida, now near death, offers to remove Logan’s rapid healing ability. The offer gives Logan a chance to live as a mortal, but events draw him into a conspiracy that puts innocent people in danger.
The film presents Logan’s powers as a source of suffering as well as strength. He has outlived loved ones and allies, while memories of violence and loss continue to weigh on him.
A darker view of immortality
Based on the 1982 Wolverine comic series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, the film uses a Japan setting and a similar story arc. It offered a darker portrayal of the character after the much-criticized X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Yukio describes Logan as a soldier seeking an honorable death and an end to his pain. Yashida tells him, “Eternity can be a curse,” reflecting the film’s central question about whether a life without an end can become unbearable.
A path toward Logan’s ending
Logan does not accept Yashida’s offer, but the choice makes him confront what it means to live with his memories and powers. The film’s focus on that struggle gives its action a personal dimension.
In Logan, set in a near future, the former Wolverine faces diminished powers and the loss of his allies. He manages to save his daughter, a female clone, before his story reaches its end.
Key points
- The Wolverine is among HBO Max’s 10 most-streamed films.
- Hugh Jackman’s 2013 film is the second of three solo Wolverine adventures.
- Logan considers giving up his healing ability for a mortal life.
- The film’s focus on loss helps frame the ending in 2017’s Logan.