In "The Wolverine," Hugh Jackman returns as the mega-jacked superhero, this time avoiding epic action in favor of a quiet, remote life in the wilderness. Perhaps needless to say, fate intervenes when a man from his past gets in touch and offers him the one thing that he cannot have: death. From there, he gets into a bunch of fights, finds a love whose life is constantly in danger, and is forced to decide whether or not he wants to live. Sounds like a cheerful film, huh?

Critics were mixed about the film's overall effectiveness but celebrated its complex and much more nuanced portrait of a superhero's life (and death). Keep reading to see what they're saying.

Hugh Jackman

"Thirteen years after his mutant debut in Bryan Singer's terrific 'X-Men,' Jackman, also a producer here, owns the Wolverine character. The charismatic Aussie has added some martial arts moves to his character's slice-and-dice repertoire, is buffer than ever and shows no sign of flagging." -- Megan Lehmann, The Hollywood Reporter

Real World Vs. Superhero World

"There have been films that tried to realistically portray what reality would be like if ordinary people put on a cape and mask ('Super' and 'Kick-Ass,' namely) but this reverses it. 'The Wolverine' doesn't show our world with a comic book injection, it shows a comic book world with an injection from our world." -- Jordan Hoffman, Screencrush

Compared To 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'

"While hardly on par with Christopher Nolan's 'Batman Begins' trilogy, this movie represents Fox's attempt to repair damage done to the most iconic of those characters by Gavin Hood's silly 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' solo outing (which didn't hurt the box office, but weakened audiences' faith in how he might subsequently be treated onscreen)." -- Peter Debruge, Variety.

The Villains

"Alas, 'The Wolverine' gets too distracted by corporate intrigue, Yashida's diabolical plans and the villainy of the doctor; none of that stuff is as compelling as the two female leads, particularly since Khodchenkova gives a singularly flat performance. I can't remember a less engaging villain in contemporary superhero cinema." -- Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

The Final Word

"Those just wanting a solid, well-made action film might be surprised by how much depth Mangold brings to the mix. The results are the best comic book movie of the summer and one that rarely feels like a comic book movie." -- Ed Douglas, Comingsoon.net

Check out everything we've got on "The Wolverine."