MINOR SPOILERS
Let me start by saying that going into this film, I've been a fan of the X-Men storyline since I was a child. Growing up I loved the SEGA Genesis X-Men game I played as a kid as well as enjoying the cartoon that aired on FOX. I still have fond memories of going to see the first few X-Men movie with my brother, and have attended every X-Men film in theater since then. I also watched both previous Wolverine movies in theaters prior to this one, despite my overall feelings towards them being unfavorable. It's not that the character of Wolverine isn't a compelling one, he is, it's just the storyline that he had for both previous movies wasn't strong enough. Despite those issues, I always found Hugh Jackman to be perfect for the part of Logan as he shined the most in the direct X-Men films he was in with X2 and Days Of The Future Past being his best moments as the character along with a stellar cameo in X-Men: Apocalypse. Seeing the first trailer for Logan, I was impressed with the emotional depth the filmmakers were taking the new story and gained hope that they could make a finale to the Wolverine storyline, that would not only be satisfying but make up for the lackluster portion of the Logan trilogy as a whole. Having seen Logan now, I can assuredly say that the third film in the popular Wolverine franchise does not disappoint, and is a great finish to Jackman's 17-year reign as the iconic superhero character despite his exit being a heartbreaking one.
Logan as it's own movie, will unquestionably go down as being one of the finest comic book movies ever made as it's raw and powerful with its presentation, while giving Hugh Jackman one more hoorah in the title role. He gives his absolute all here and perhaps his greatest performance of any X-Men film ever. The greatest satisfaction that one gets out of seeing Hugh Jackman in this film, is watching how he's progressed and grew into the role of Wolverine since audiences first witnessed him in Bryan Singers first X-Men movie. With each X-Men and Wolverine film, Jackman feels as if he's grown to become more and more of the character as time went on even to the point of him physically looking like Wolverine. It is an achievement for any actor to don a role like Logan's and spend nearly two decades playing this character and making audiences believe that he is that person. With Logan, Jackman gives audiences a Wolverine, that they are proud to rally behind, support, and ultimately shed a tear for as his journey has come to an end. One truly wishes that there's a chance that Hugh Jackman could receive an Oscar nomination for his terrific yet heartbreaking performance in this movie, but no one should hold their breath as it's still very early in the year and the Oscars generally doesn't take comic book movies seriously unless it's Health Ledger. With Hugh Jackman doing a fantastic job as Wolverine in Logan with the filmmakers allowing him to be brutal by having him in R rated mode (Believe me, he doesn't hold back in this one and is at his most brutal, tolling the Weapon X scene in Apocalypse), Patrick Stewart delivers a stunning performance as an older and more senile Professor X, whose having trouble controlling his mutant powers at his age. Although it's referenced that the real reason behind the X-Mens absence on this film is that Xavier accidentally kills them, one still wishes that the filmmakers filmed a sequence showing such an event as audiences could better understand the love, hate relationship that Wolverine and Professor X possess in the story. Watching the two characters interact as well as the two actors, the audience feels as if they've been on a 17-year old journey with these men and are now witnessing their retirement. Both men are simply and utterly fantastic here, giving their all to these parts as well as making their exits richly satisfying yet hard for many fans to bear. Outside of Jackman's and Stewart, the side character that steals the show is Logan's young daughter Laura, X-23 played by Dafne Keene. When Dafne is on the screen, she steals the show as well as making it believable that she is Logan's daughter, creating a complexed yet sentimental relationship between them. With those three main characters driving the story, the films main fault lies within the lack of a strong villain such as Boyd Holbrook as Pierce, an effective but not necessarily a memorable antagonist as his sole mission was to pursue the young mutant Laura, whom falls into the care of both Professor X and Logan. Perhaps that was intentional as the main focus of the story appears to be on Logan during his later years while caring for the Professor along with carrying all the pain and loss he experienced over the years. In terms of the films overall look and style, the film is darker than any previous installment in the Wolverine franchise and more emotionally depressing. The film looks as if it's shot like a modern day Western as Logan and Pierce fight over X-23 with Logan caring for an ailing Professor X along the Mexican border. One of Logan's greatest traits outside of its fantastic performances and terrific cinematography, is how it aspires to break apart from being a standard Marvel comic book movie and try to transcend the genre like what Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy did for DCs side of comic book movies. The messages that Logan delivers to the audience, is more along the lines of being who you are and not what someone else wants you to be, as well as there is some form of good in everyone. Logan is a story that plays off themes pertaining to death, pain, grief, love, acceptance, and ultimately caring for others with the ultimate message that sums up the entire X-Men and Logan franchise is simply that everyone needs a family. Logan's story resonates with audiences because of the power it delivers with those themes being incorporated into the story as well as Logan being a character in the franchise whose experienced constant pain throughout his life, yet in the end chooses to do the right thing.
Overall, Logan represents a fantastic finish to the Wolverine storyline thats played on the big screen for 17 years, giving both the character and Hugh Jackman a proper finish as audiences will surely miss seeing both on the big screen together as a team. The story of Logan is the heart of the film as it is first and foremost about pain and loss with the main villain being time itself that allowed both to take its toll on the main characters. With those key things, Jackman, Stewart, and director James Mangold captures those themes perfectly while offering audiences a combination of a modern Western combined with being an emotionally gripping drama disguised as a comic book movie. While other actors will undoubtedly take over from where Hugh Jackman left off, Jackman's Wolverine for most fans is a fanboy treasure, and an entity that is going to go down as one of the most triumphant achievements in the comic book movie genre. As a finale to both the Wolverine and Professor X arc of movies, one could not have asked for a more satisfying finish except that they'd have a much stronger villain. Both Jackman and Stewart deserve high praise for their performances here, as well as applauds from fans for the 17 years of deep commitment they brought to these roles as both casting choices were not only brilliant but damn near absolute. The best compliment that can be given to the film itself, is how it dares to go beyond its own genre and come across as being a genuine work of art as well as making the audience feel for these characters they've grown accustomed to for nearly two decades by the films end. Whether or not one finds the end outcomes for both Wolverine and Professor Xs story arcs satisfying, they'd be hard pressed to not feel something for these characters by the end of the film. Whereas most Marvel movies aim to entertain their audience without leaving much of an emotional impact with them, Logan dares to reach further and for that, it deserves much credit. Logan is one of 2017s breakthrough filmmaking achievements but also one that should not be seen without a box of tissue.
P.S. Hugh Jackman's evil clone was badass.
9 out of 10
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