It's not hard to top the train-wrecks that were X-Men: The Last Stand or X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The third X-Men film dropped the ball on what could have been a great trilogy. It didn't help matters that the scond X-Men film ended with such an amazing emotional cliffhanger, only to be followed up with a jumbled mess of a conclusion. Then, Hugh Jackman was left with a mess of a script and a movie overloaded with unneeded characters and subplots in his characters previous attempt at solo-ing in an adventure.

There was a glimmer of hope in Wolverine's cameo in X-Men: First Class (a movie that I was so so on). As a young Charles Xavier and Magneto attempt to recruit Logan, only to be answered with a growl of a curse word, one quickly remembers that Hugh Jackman is this character.

So, with word that Wolverine was being given another shot at starring in a film, there were mixed feelings from media and fans alike. I am happy to report that under the direction of James Mangold (Cop Land, Walk the Line, 3:10 TO Yuma) and more involvement from producer Hugh Jackman, Wolverine is back in true form.

The plot is slimmed down, the character is it's loner samurai forced into being a hero best, and there's a sense that everyone involved actually had a love and respect for the task at hand. It's not hard to top the last couple of X-Men efforts, but The Wolverine succeeds in bringing everyone's favourite mutant Canadian back in true form. I love Wolverine, and I think this movie got it right. And (somewhat of a spoiler alert) the after the credits epilogue got my very excited of what is to come...and maybe even a little geekily choked up.

The Wolverine screens at the Mayfair tonight and tomorrow at 7:00pm.