
Set in its own, confined timeline, separate to the rest of the X-Men universe and thankfully devoid of all continuity mishaps, Logan sees the end of mutant kind as we know it. It’s been decades since the last mutant was born, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), now only going by Logan, having given up the mantle a long time ago. He works as a limo driver, drinking himself to death despite knowing that his healing factors make that physically impossible. He’s old. Time has run out for him, the same being said for Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). The two find themselves hiding out on the Mexican border, raising money in the hopes of moving on to a better life. But like the good old days, complications soon arise.
We are currently living in the Golden Age of comic book movies, the genre dominating the box office year after year, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing. As a comic book fan, it’s a dream come true. So many stories and characters have been brought to life that didn’t seem possible ten years ago. Despite being as big of a fan as I am, the films don’t come without imperfections, the main one being that, at times, they do occasionally feel reminiscent of one another. There are obvious exceptions every year, but generally, they’re all big scale, end of the world disaster films. That’s what makes Logan so refreshing. It’s a comic book movie unlike any you’ve seen before, feeling more so like a character driven drama than a superhero movie.
No longer restricted by a more teen oriented classification, Logan is able to go all out, showcasing the most comic book accurate interpretation of the character yet. Pushed to the edge by a world out to get him, nothing is holding Logan back. When he’s pissed, he shows it. The claws come out, slashing and severing his way through the world. Heads are removed, blood is spilt, and the action is pure insanity. Shockingly, it’s used sparingly, adding further proof to the fact that this is more so a drama than an action film, but when it’s going down, it’s going down. I can’t tell you how many times I audibly gasped at the sheer gruesomeness of the violence, first made evident through an opening scene that gives you just a taste of what you’re in for.
This is, however, absolutely Hugh Jackman’s movie. Logan sees the end of an era for Jackman, going out in the best way possible. The character is weary and dying, his beard grey and his mind muddled. Ramped up with rage and an ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude towards life, every time he’s on screen is almost heartbreaking. He’s missed out on having the life he deserves, tormented in his dreams and devoid of a family. Death has consumed him, struggling to live with the sins of his past, hesitant to settle down. Nothing’s ever gone well for him, Hugh Jackman bringing that sense of fierce, distraught charisma to the big screen in what is easily his best performance as the character. It’s the version of Logan we’ve always wanted to see, true to the spirit of the comics, and Jackman was born to play him.
There’s a lot to love when it comes to Logan, whether it’s the staggering brutality or the genuine emotion it’s able to bring to such a story. This moving farewell to the iconic character is all sorts of brilliant, one that I can see myself liking more and more as I continue to rewatch it. Logan deserves to be a box office smash. It deserves all the money it can get. It might even deserve a higher rating than the already high one I’m giving it. This is a comic book movie that’s going to be remembered. Thank you, Hugh Jackman. Thank you for seventeen years of memories.
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