RW Review: Logan (RPX)
Rating: R | Runtime: 2h 15minutes
Director: James Mangold | Writer:
Cast: Hugh Jackman (James Howlett, Logan, Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier), Boyd Holbrook (Pierce), Stephen Merchant (Caliban), Dafne Keen (Laura, X-23)
Spoiler Free Plot Synopsis:
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces. -via IMDB
Trailer:
Red Band Trailer for Logan on TrailerAddict.
My Take:
When Hugh Jackman announced that Logan was going to be his last role as Wolverine, I was saddened because he truly had made the role his own, albeit with the studio dropping the ball on the portrayal of Wolverine on more than one occasion. Jackman worked incredibly hard alongside James Mangold to bring us the truest interpretation of the character. Jackman was not alone for Logan’s final ride as he shared the screen with Patrick Stewart, who reprises his role as Charles Xavier. But, this was not the Charles Xavier we remember, rather one with erratic powers and mental illness whom Logan is caring for alongside another mutant (who comic fans will recognize). Logan’s world gets turned upside down as he is sought out to transport and protect a young lady who is on the run and whose origins are intertwined with Wolverine’s.
The young lady in question is Laura a/k/a X-23 (Dafne Keen) who is currently carrying the mantle of Wolverine in the comics. In the film, the character is younger and her origin is tweaked slightly but while the character was not part of original Old Man Logan story her addition succeeded in humanizing Wolverine and also giving him someone to protect and “mentor”. She definitely needed the guidance because X-23 is a clone of Wolverine and has all his bad habits and temperament. When Wolverine and X-23 were on screen, the body count went up at an exponential rate but it was not overdone and once again was textbook Wolverine. I tell people all the time that Wolverine is not a nice guy and has a ton of vices and flaws but his code of honor and self-sacrifices have endeared him to comic fans and moviegoers alike. James Mangold captured all these traits and the end result was an emotional rollercoaster that truly embodied what makes Logan who he is.
The success of Deadpool reminded Hollywood that R-rated superhero films have a place and making this film have an R-rating was never about shock value or headlines but a way to capture the rawest form of the character and bring him the closest we’ve seen to his comic book counterpart. We can only hope that Hollywood continues to respect the source material and allow the characters to be played closer to the books and less towards merchandising.
Recommendation:
Logan’s last ride is one that is tragic, heartbreaking and a fitting way to close out Wolverine’s story. It is without a doubt Jackman’s best performance of the character to date. Get out there and support the film because Hollywood needs to be shown that when a character is done right and not shackled to merch sales and ratings the fans will get out and show their support. Hugh Jackman has said that if Wolverine can be within the Marvel Cinematic Universe he would have stayed on board. We can only hope that the film’s success motivates Fox to entertain working with Marvel for the greater good. Thank you for an amazing performance, Hugh Jackman. You and Wolverine will be missed.
I will add that there is no after credits scene for this film but you definitely should make it a point to get there on time. You’ll be glad you did.
