Movie Review (No Spoilers)
Logan — Marvel’s solemn
Wolverine, an identity created through marvellous imagination. Perfected by the honourable Hugh Jackman who personified the role since the first X-Men movie. Comics pay homage to Human ideals through the thrills of graphic storytelling, compiling the contentiousness of Society with the fascination of what if’s in a field of expansive innovation. Logan gifts the audience one of Marvel’s most humane pictures yet. Though a feeling steadily crept, the 4th Wall installed something greater to expect. I was left saddened, disappointed by a sense of wanting, yet I was surely moved by this movie. I cannot complain but I witness Logan as the result of the Film industry’s demands and endeavour away from pacifying avid comic readers — who are understandably hard to appease.
The grittiness of Wolverine has remained evident throughout his representations in movies. Jackman’s adamantium claws cautiously slash their way out as this swansong ends an era for Marvel. Of course the comic and cartoon versions remain supreme, though these methods of depicting such characters are eternally different. When Wolverine comes to mind, rage and violence follow behind. This dishevelled version of him is weak enough to be harmed by usual thugs, with his rapid healing process stunted and wearing down. Living around the border of Mexico working as a Limo Driver for cash, Logan is merely alive to get by and protect an ill and ageing Charles Xavier. The readiness and recovery was not so much there though it was gruesome and reminiscent of Jackman’s stint as Wolverine. I felt this was a good thing, it gave me more feeling toward the story which they failed with in the previous two Wolverine films — and they gave up with the horrific CGI.
I often encourage myself to consider the state of the culture industry, meaning the industry at hand and how it the status quo is propagated. For instance, the process of becoming an award winning Film or best actor, the recent concerns regarding diversity and representation in Hollywood. Culture industry is dictated by a white middle class mainstay who tend to fill most impacting positions, evident through reviews, ratings and how we even craft the film. For me this means how we receive film trickles down from the top, considering the budget of films, its actual content and reception. Hence Marvel sold the rights to many great characters to be shown on screen. The Hulk to Universal, Fantastic Four, Deadpool and Wolverine to Fox. Despite demand for such Characters to have their own films, or join a greater cast of superheroes as we witness in the comics, these rights prevent that challenge of projecting the real Marvel or DC Universe on screen.
Having watched Hugh Jackman etch the image of an ideal Wolverine in my mind, like Robert Downey Jr with Iron Man and Patrick Stewart with Professor X, the film is instantly worrying — bridging that gap of reality and imagination. This duality is constant within the film as it shows a contrast to the Wolverine we know, Logan — the steadily crumbling veteran who’s powers are dwindling. Hugh Jackman’s announcing that he is leaving this established role summed up the mood of the film, each minute amounts to one less we will witness our Wolverine. The film highlights the vulnerability of Logan who is clearly rotting, pitting against his former invincibility true Human qualities punish him. Not only in a physical or mental sense, but an existential one — an angle I feel humanised this film to its core. Logan battles alcoholism, can be said to be depressed or rather stressed, he is gradually weakening and reacting in a much more refined manner.
Logan’s dialogue with Charles captivated me, as I observed it as two actors sharing their admiration for their characters. I feel the film was so tailored to Hugh Jackman, somewhat rightfully, that it adds an intenser dynamic to the film. Understanding Wolverine is coming to his end places a gloomier lens on viewing this film, we can relate to this aspect a lot — especially the scenes in which bodies are failing. This humane fact that we will all gradually pass on is marked on a character famed for being immortalised. This whole angle influenced how I received the film spending it most concerned instead of being engaged in action which is a fraction of what’s contained in the film. One thing I really admired about the film was X-23, played by Dafne Keen. She reminded me of 11 from Stranger Things, an aware and dictating presence on screen. Her chemistry with Hugh Jackman quite commendable considering the cast is not so wide. Boyd Holbrook, who played Steve Murphy in Narcos, steps in as Donald Pierce — a cyborg who has business with Logan.
There are some halting moments of dialogue within the film, which is quite compelling since a Wolverine film is usually so jam packed with action or CGI that it misses out on that bridge to truly communicate with the audience. A passion to see Logan consider his health more, communicate to alleviated the accumulated stress. There are moments which admire normality from the perspective of this unrealistic World, I could appreciate it. It also touches upon mental health which I feel is quite important in terms of self care and preservation. One criticism I have of the film apart from the budget concerns is the setting, they did not do much to make me realise it was 2029. The narrative of mutant obsessed company tracking down mutants is overplayed but through the comics it is with reason, the Marvel Universe ties back in. The film made me ponder whether Logan was necessary for other films to come through, more dynamic stories Marvels can bring into its forever expanding commodity. The recent wave of Films, starting from Iron Man and continuing through to Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 have built a new respect away from the Legacy and stiffness of those X-Men films to the benefit of Marvel.
