Film Review — Logan
The comic book genre is one that has certainly seen its ups and downs over the years. From the cheesy over the top adaptations in the 60s and 70s, to the resurgence in the 90s to its brief downfall in the early 2000s to the golden age we now live in, the comic book film is ever evolving. And if Logan is any indication as to where this genre is going, we fans have nothing to worry about for a long time. Logan is amongst the best comic book to film adaptations with incredible action, dialogue and performances, and a worthy send off for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart.
For the most part, I really haven’t been the biggest fan of X-Men franchise. The original trilogy (beginning in 2000) has aged horridly, with X-Men First Class and X-Men Days of Future Past being really the only X-Men film’s I truly enjoy. However, the one shining constant remains throughout these films; Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. And boy does he bring it again in this film. Logan gives Jackman the chance to play a version of his iconic character that we haven’t seen before. This Logan is vulnerable, traumatized and broken and Jackman plays this perfectly. I really hope that this isn’t Jackman’s last time in the role (I’d love to see him in a Deadpool film), but if it is he’s certainly leaving on the highest of notes.
Another actor who is departing the franchise after this is Sir Patrick Stewart in the role of Charles Xavier. Minor spoilers here, but I just want to say that I never thought in a million years that I would be sitting in a theatre listing to Sir Patrick Stewart babble on about Taco Bell specials and telling Logan to f*** off while racing around on a wheelchair. And it works so perfectly. Stewart sells the dying, ailing old man so well, I was legitimately worried he was going to keel over and really die. I’m really gunna miss him in this role.
However, perhaps my favourite performance (and character) in this film was from the newcomer Dafne Keen in the role of Laura/X-23. The sheer ferocity and animalistic qualities she brings to the character is incredible but she can also switch that right off and become a vulnerable child who’s just looking for a father. One moment she’s ripping a man’s throat out with her claws and the next she’s looking longingly at Logan in an emotional plea for attention. I hope to see more of her in the future.
This is a warning to all parents. Do NOT take your children to see this movie. If anything, Logan earns that hard R-rating. Blood, guts, gore, swearing, boobs everything you can think of? It’s there. Finally we get the gritty, bloody berserker Wolverine we’ve all been waiting for. The action holds nothing back. There’s a scene near the end that is akin to the Vader scene in Rogue One, and it will make your fanboy/girl heart soar with bloody glee.
In a film landscape dominated by large spectacle, over the top, high budget superhero films, Logan is a welcome change. If there’s some negatives about the film it’s that it tends to overuse the F-bomb and there are some plotlines that don’t pan out in the best way, but overall it’s incredible. Essentially being an indie film that just happens to be a comic book movie, Logan is the perfect send off for two iconic actors, packed full with jaw-dropping gory fight sequences and introduction of a great new character.
Logan gets a GOLD rating.
