The Wolverine (2013)

Plot Summary

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before

Director: James Mangold

Writers: Mark Bomback, Scott Frank, Christopher McQuarrie

Stars: Hugh Jackman, Rila Fukushima, Will Yun Lee

Budget: $100,000,000 (estimated)

Trailers

Reviews

IGN: The Wolverine is a standalone adventure for the classic character that reminds us that there's more to this genre than universe-building and crossovers - 4/5

Mirror: An astutely structured film (beautifully directed by James Mangold, best known for Walk The Line and 3:10 to Yuma) is a complex drama, its mood ranging from serious and taut to funny and even silly, with a welcome side order of spectacular action sequences. - 4/5

The Hollywood Reporter: Until a third act that collapses in a harebrained heap, the director largely succeeds in keeping the more cartoonish aspects at bay, roughing up the surface with organically staged fight scenes and, crucially, raising the stakes by stripping his hitherto indestructible hero of his self-healing powers. - 3/5

Total Film: It’s a step up from the garbled silliness of Wolverine’s first solo outing. Unlike Origins, the storytelling is more sharply focused here, ignited by flashes of stylised superheroism. - 3/5

Empire: An improvement on the last outing for Jackman’s not-so-merry mutant. If only it trusted enough in its unique setting to forgo a descent into aggressively awful formula. - 3/5

The Telegraph: The previous X-Men film, First Class, was secure enough in its own skin to embrace its comic side. Mangold’s picture affects a pubescent snarl instead: that’s the difference between comic and daft. - 2/5

The Guardian: The flat hammerblows of The Wolverine bear little relation to the zing and pop of Matthew Vaughn's colourful treatment. Inconsistency is inevitable in a world that's constantly being dug up and done over, but it leaves us no time to fall in love with anything being flung at us. - 2/5

MovieMoReview Rating of The Wolverine -  3/5

"Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr. is Hollywood's highest paid actor

With estimated earnings of $75 million, "Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr. is Hollywood's highest paid actor, ahead of Channing Tatum and Hugh Jackman, according to Forbes.com.

Downey, 48, starred in Disney's Marvel superhero films "The Avengers" in 2012 and "Iron Man 3" in 2013, each of which earned more than $1 billion at the box office, assuring him the top spot in the annual ranking of Hollywood's top acting earners.

New father Tatum, 33, who self-financed the male-stripper movie "Magic Mike" that made $167 million with director Steven Soderbergh, captured the No. 2 spot with estimated earnings of $60 million. Australian actor Jackman, 44, whose new movie "The Wolverine" opens in U.S. theaters next week, was not far behind with $55 million.

Mark Wahlberg, 42, had a comedy hit with "Ted," a film that earned $550 million and pumped up his earning to $52 million to secure fourth place, and wrestler-turned actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, 41, rounded out the top five with $46 million.

Johnson starred in "Fast and Furious 6," which made $500 million at the box office in less than two weeks, and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation."

Adam Sandler, 46, at No. 7, was the only comedian to make the top 10 thanks mainly to the animated hit "Hotel Transylvania, which grossed $347 million and helped bump his earnings up to $37 million.

Last year, Tom Cruise, 51, topped the list with earnings of $75 million. This year, he dropped to eighth place with $35 million, gained largely from his international audience, Forbes said.

Denzel Washington, 58, took a cut in pay in exchange for a share of the profits for "Flight," which turned out to be a shrewd deal. The film made $162 million putting the Oscar winner in ninth place with earnings of $33 million.

Forbes.com compiled the ranking and estimated earnings by talking to managers, producers and agents.

Take a look at the income of all of this past year's top leading men:

1. Robert Downey Jr -- $75 million

2. Channing Tatum -- $60 million

3. Hugh Jackman -- $55 million

4. Mark Wahlberg -- $52 million

5. Dwayne Johnson -- $46 million

6. Leonardo DiCaprio -- $39 million

7. Adam Sandler -- $37 million

8. Tom Cruise -- $35 million

9. Denzel Washington -- $33 million

10. Liam Nieson -- $32 million

Source: www.forbes.com