Logan – Film Review
Hugh Jackman uses his signature Wolverine claws one last time in James Mangold’s Logan – a deeper, more gritty approach to the iconic X-Men character.
In the year 2029, mutants are almost completely extinct. One of the only remaining mutants is Logan / Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who is now much weaker and fragile due to the adamantium in his body wearing off, making him much more vulnerable. Now, Logan spends his time as a limousine driver and also takes care of his friend Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) who is extremely sick. But, when a young girl with strange powers known as Laura (Dafne Keen) shows up in Logan and Charles’ hideout, they set out on a mission together to protect the young girl from any danger.
Jackman not only delivers his best portrayal of the beloved X-Men character Wolverine with this film, but he also delivers one of the best performances of his entire career here. His portrayal of this character is so raw and gritty this time around, and you genuinely feel sympathy for him throughout every second of Logan. He is slowly dying from the adamantium in his skeleton wearing off, and you want him to succeed in protecting Xavier and Laura. This version of Wolverine is much different than what we are all used to, but it is definitely a side of the character that was immensely gripping and extremely investing.
Hugh Jackman as Logan / Wolverine in Logan (2017)
Newcomer Keen also does a terrific job here as the mysterious girl Laura. The picture slowly shows us bits and pieces of her horrific backstory that will deeply disturb viewers. Once you see the terrible things that happened to her in the past, you want her to be safe and you desperately do feel for her. In fact, there are many times where she steals many scenes that she is in, even at times surpassing Jackman.
One thing that is to be appreciated in Logan is how it really does take the time to actually delve deeper into the characters we have grown to love over the years, in particular Logan and Xavier. Whereas in other films that featured them, the two were always seen partaking in intense action sequences, in Logan, the two are much more settled down. In fact, one of the best scenes in the entire film simply focuses on a deep but extraordinarily heartfelt conversation the two of them have before they go to sleep for the night. It was one of the most emotional scenes in any X-Men film to date.
Dafne Keen as Laura in Logan (2017)
Logan also never holds back on the intense brutality it has. Many sequences involve the titular character using his claws to literally slice people’s arms and other limbs off quite often. This element is something that Wolverine fans have been begging for, and Logan finally delivers it.
This is also the best looking X-Men film we have gotten thus far. The cinematography here by John Mathieson is gorgeous to look at. Additionally, the score was beautiful by Marco Beltrami.
Logan is brutal, emotional, heartfelt, and an amazing sendoff for Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of the beloved X-Men character.
Overall Grade: A+
MPAA Rating: Rated R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook
Directed by: James Mangold
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Running Time: 137 minutes