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Parents' Guide to

The Wolverine

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Thrilling, action-packed adventure treads dark waters.

Movie PG-13 2013 136 minutes
The Wolverine Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 22 parent reviews

Brendan M.
Brendan M. Adult
December 4, 2019
age 15+

Dark and Mature Comic Book Movie is Intense and Violent. Extended Cut Review Only

Note: There are 2 versions of the film. The PG-13 theatrical cut (126 mins) and unrated extended cut (138 minutes). The unrated cut is more explicit. Movie (4/5): Following the events of X-Men The Last Stand, Logan (aka Wolverine) has left the team and has secluded himself, still haunted over having to kill Jean. Soon, he meets a young lady that wants Logan to come to Japan to say goodbye to a man he saved in World War 2. But things go wrong, when an attack for the man's granddaughter leads Logan to become her protector while also dealing with the fact that his healing factor isn't working like it's supposed to. Great action, an excellently told character driven story, and fantastic directing. This is a movie that cares about being engaging with story and character first before getting into action. Taking pages from samurai and other Asian cinema in telling Logan's story of self redemption and healing, learning to let go of his trauma and accept who he is. While the third act stumbles, it still doesn't lose the character development it has built, making it a smart kind of blockbuster film. Violence (4/5): Many moments of clearly shown stabbings throughout, with several instances of bloody violence. The unrated cut has zoomed out the picture greatly from the PG-13 version to make stabbings more visible. Blood is also added to several stabbings and shootings to make them more graphic. An extended ninja fight now has ninjas getting sucked into a snow blower and chopped up with gore and blood shooting out, extremely graphic. All in all, the added/unedited violence in the extended cut absolutely pushes it into R rated territory. Language (3.5/5): The language is mostly the same in both versions, with uses of s--t, d--k, damn, hell, etc.; however this versions has 3 f bombs (while the PG-13 version only has 1). Drinking (3/5): Logan is seen drinking in several scenes, some scenes in a bar. Sex (2/5): Characters go to a love hotel, but nothing graphic is shown. Characters have sex, nothing is shown, just the characters in bed afterwards. Logan is bathed and we see his butt. Suggested MPA Rating (for extended cut): R for Sequences of Strong Violence and Some Language
1 person found this helpful.
Tony F.
Tony F. Parent of 11-year-old
April 21, 2023
age 15+

Brutal 15+

This movie is more brutal then X-Men origins Wolverine It’s also very violent. This one is way too frightening for kids.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 22 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Logan, aka THE WOLVERINE (Hugh Jackman), is lost in the far reaches of the wilderness. Struggling with nightmares that plague him daily -- often starring his beloved, late Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) -- Logan wants out of his immortal, superhuman existence. But a stranger from Japan named Yukio (Rila Fukushima) won't let him be. After Logan avenges the death of a grizzly bear at the hands of a cruel hunter, Yukio finds him and spirits him to Japan at the behest of Yashida, a Japanese soldier in Nagasaki whom Logan had saved. Yashida is dying, and he longs for Logan's immortality. His death sparks a kidnapping attempt on the life of Mariko (Tao Okamoto), Yashida's granddaughter, which raises bigger questions that even Wolverine himself may not be able to answer.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (22 ):
Kids say (74 ):

Director James Mangold's venture into the X-Men canon doesn't let its romantic plotline interfere with the action -- which borders on the overwhelming. (Note to filmmakers: The violence doesn't have to be unremitting for a thriller to be thrilling.) The script still sounds wooden at times. But there's enough here to make us fall in love with Wolverine all over again (past appearances in previous disappointing outings notwithstanding).

Superhero movies often use their characters' pain as catalysts for more mind-bending (and sometimes mindless) action sequences. Not so with The Wolverine. Here, Mangold informs the action with a relevant, significant look into Logan's origin story, turning the past into Wolverine's haunting -- and ultimately freeing -- present. Jackman is more than well-equipped to handle the complications. His beefy physique is in stark, affecting juxtaposition to Logan's vulnerability. And it's so nice to see an action movie in which the women aren't just window-dressing to be calmed and rescued after carnage. Fukushima and Okamoto stand shoulder to shoulder with Jackman, sometimes saving him from the brink. Stick around for the end credits, which offer a tantalizing hint of things to come.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether the violence in this movie has more impact than that of the earlier X-Men movies. Why or why not? Does the violence serve the story?

  • How are Wolverine's fights different than those of characters with different powers/abilities? Is he comfortable with his strength? How does he control it?

  • Why is Logan so tortured by his identity as Wolverine? Are his feelings understandable?

  • What did you think of Viper's character? Did her outfit seem practical for a supervillain? Would she have had the same impact if she wasn't so sexualized, or does that make her seem even more evil? Why?

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