Logan - Movie Review

Logan is a comic book movie that will likely come along only once in a lifetime. Much like Captain America: Civil War, it's a film that can only exist because of every previous film in its comic book movie franchise. Over the past seventeen years, Hugh Jackman has made his interpretation of Wolverine one of the most well-known and entertaining comic book characters on the big screen. Jackman's decision to make this film his final outing as the character is a significant one, and one that might create an expectation of some kind of all-out, enormous, final battle. Rather than going all out into ridiculousness - like the Old Man Logan comic - this film is stripped-down, mature, and gritty struggle to close out Jackman's tenure as the titular character.

Logan picks up a few years after X-Men: Days of Future Past left everything, but the world has changed. Mutants have disappeared, and the once-powerful Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is living as an outcast. Working as a limo driver and caring for an ailing Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), Logan's healing factor is starting to falter. But when Laura (Dafne Keen), the first new mutant in decades, appears at Logan's home, she's pursued by forces who seek to control mutants. Logan embarks on a journey to get Laura to safety, while also trying to avoid his now legendary reputation as his hero. In terms of tone and scale, this is a very new chapter in the X-Men saga, and one that provides a powerful finale to Logan's journey.

The more grounded nature of this film is very much reflected in the characterisation of Logan. Gone is the man who sought to save the world and bring mutants together. This Logan is beaten-down, world-weary, and just wants to find peace. His violent history is written all across his body because of his ailing healing ability, and his characteristic short temper is always on the surface. This new depth to the character gives Hugh Jackman a new freedom and range to explore, and he shows how talented of an actor he really is. He plays Logan's rage well, but the more quiet, subtle moments are far more effective for understanding how broken he is. It's ironic that this version of Logan is the one I want to see more of, and we'll never see Hugh Jackman in this role again.

For the first time, Wolverine is able to be truly unleashed in the most brutal action sequences that the X-Men series has ever delivered. With the R-rating, heads roll, limbs fly, and blood splatters all across the dry, desert landscape. At the same time, there is a lot of reservation to the violence, and it never reaches a cartoonish level. The gore lies just on the line between realism and silliness, so every wound that Logan inflicts into his enemies has weight. His new vulnerability makes his injuries feel impactful for the first time ever; when he gets shot, it knocks him back, and he gets hurt. Seeing Wolverine's claws go through someone's head may not seem like something I needed to see, but it is. It very much is. Maybe that's a result of me growing up and maturing with the X-Men films, or maybe I'm just a psychopath. 

Logan presents a brutal story all around, but the emotion behind it is what drives the story forward. It will be a greatly enhanced experience for any fan of the X-Men films, especially because we get to see a deranged, curmudgeonly Charles Xavier. It's very strange to see Xavier as frail and foul-mouthed after being the stoic, reserved character he's always been through all of the other films. The mutually paternal relationship that Xavier and Logan have feels like a very natural progression from what's happened to them before, and the connection between them is very heartfelt. The newcomers to the franchise really shine, especially Dafne Keen as Laura (or X-23). She's the only character who exceeds Logan in brutality, and Keen delivers an impressively subtle and layered performance. Caliban (Stephen Merchant) also adds a layer of dry wit to the heroes. After the stale spectacle of X-Men: Apocalypse, it's immensely satisfying to embark on a journey with characters who feel so human.

This is far from your typical comic book movie. It's similar in intention to The Dark Knight; more of a deconstruction of the character than a spectacle built around them. For the first time, we see a damaged Logan, with the weight of his long life always hanging over him. There is a sense of self-awareness - certainly not on the same level as Deadpool - which can especially be seen when Logan pulls out an X-Men comic and lambastes it for its lack of realism. It's not quite making fun of the source material, but there is an acknowledgement of the silliness of it all. Because Logan stands so far apart from standard comic book movie fare, its criticism feels earned. At the same time, it's not totally realistic, and the more "comic book" elements of the story are a tad jarring in comparison to the more grounded elements.

Tonally, Logan feels more like a western than a comic book movie. Small touches help set its semi-futuristic tone, but it's still based in a familiar world. It's not even really a superhero movie, which is why it's probably the best film in the X-Men franchise, but not the best X-Men film. It's a character study; an exploration of a broken man forced into an adventure that he has no interest in. There's an element of tragedy to Logan's character now; he wants his life to end and he has nothing left to lose, but he just keeps on living. At the same time, he sees a version of himself in Laura, one that can be saved. While Xavier is a part of Logan's past that Logan wants to keep safe, he's also a constant reminder of the tragedy that he's faced, and all that has been lost already. It's a bold, mature story, that only works because of the history that the character has. This isn't the kind of story you're going to see in an Iron Man movie, and in the midst of a genre that can feel a bit stale, Logan is a breath of fresh air.

Another aspect of the film that makes it feel so unique is that it makes a conscious effort to not be uplifting. Every development in the plot is oriented around some kind of disappointment, and the desolate atmosphere just reinforces the dark nature of the story. This isn't an uplifting adventure in any way; it's populated with mistakes, downfalls, and even the ultimate victory comes with a heavy price. Every element of the story operates like this. Did you expect a Cyclops or Storm cameo? You won't get it. Logan isn't poetic; there's no moment where he reflects on everything he's been through. He just moves forward. This film doesn't intend to satisfy, only to beat you down as badly as it does the characters. Through that, we gain a better understanding of who they are.

Any detriments to Logan lie in the structure of the story. It does run a bit long, and there are elements of the story that didn't feel entirely necessary. Exposition is a large point of weakness, as it's largely delivered in a stilted or unnatural way. As with almost any comic book movie you'll find in theatres lately, the villains are fairly weak, even if one of them was a very clever thematic mirror to Logan himself. Maybe it was just because of possibilities building up in my own head, but the payoff of the mutants' ultimate fate lacked impact, or real relevance to the story and characters. Because blunt, straightforward moments between characters can be so affecting, leaving certain story elements vague wasn't the best move.

Logan may not be a masterpiece, but it is an emotionally resonant send-off for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. When the film ended, tears were rolling from my eyes, but the real impact of what the film represented was far more important than the emotional impact in the moment. As the credits rolled, I realised that Jackman's Wolverine has been a staple of film for my entire life, and saying a final goodbye to him is a notable thing. When Fox inevitably reboots the franchise, I'm curious very curious to see who will film his shoes, and if they can live up to his legacy. Logan stands out among the other X-Men films in many significant ways, but the most significant is its self-contained nature. There are some references to past films, but they're few and far between. On its own, Logan delivers a beautiful, bloody, haunting love letter to the titular hero. It's not perfect, but its a satisfying goodbye, and that's all I really wanted.