Logan is a perfect send off for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Fans of the “berserker” Wolverine will be pleased by the bloody violence and very well-staged action sequences. But it is not only a great comic book movie, it is also a great film regardless of genre.
The film, which is more akin to a revisionist western than a superhero blockbuster, features an emotionally subtle and often devastating performance from Jackman that will leave you shaken. Logan is not a perfect film…the second act lags and a couple of the supporting characters feel unnecessary…but it is still one of the stronger films of 2017.
Logan follows an aged Wolverine in the far future where mutants are nearly extinct. He cares for an elderly Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) with fellow mutant Caliban (Stephen Merchant). Their hiding place is compromised when a young girl named Laura (Dafne Keen) appears, a clone of Logan with his healing powers and claws. They go on the run, pursued by bounty hunter Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) and the secret lab that created Laura.
When The Man Comes Around
Hugh Jackman gives one of the more nuanced and layered performances ever given in a comic book movie. Logan is a brutal beast in some scenes and a broken man in others. Jackman does this effortlessly, but the most impressive aspect of his performance is the vulnerability he gives the Wolverine.
There is a great sadness in Jackman’s eyes. Sometimes it is more pronounced, especially when he talks about his violent past. The rest of the time, it is barely there, but always present. It is a subtle touch that gives the character heartbreaking depth. Logan makes you care for him in nearly every moment because of this.
Patrick Stewart is great as well. Seeing Charles Xavier in this condition is very disturbing and Stewart adds dramatic weight to the character’s weakened state. The charismatic leader of the X-Men is now a man clinging to a past he can barely remember. Stewart still has some charming moments, but his struggles with his memory often get in the way, a heartbreaking but welcome touch of realism added to the character. As someone who has seen something similar happen to a loved one, this is truly sad to see because it is so real.
Dafne Keen’s Laura is one of the best aspects of the film. A force of nature in many of the action sequences, she is silent for nearly eighty percent of the film. She is more than a simple “stunt” though. Keen does most of her acting with her face and eyes, expressing anger and even some hope whenever she looks at her “father.”
The three of these characters have great chemistry together, forming something of a mix-matched family. They argue, joke around, and most importantly, care for each other. Almost every scene involving Logan and Xavier is strong, playing on a wonderful father-son dynamic between the two. The standout scene occurs at a dinner scene where Logan and Xavier reminisce about their past and they exchange genuinely warm smiles. It is a small moment, but it is also incredibly powerful.
Laura plays well with Logan as well. The two head strong characters delightfully spar with each other early in the film, but eventually soften as the two go through hell together. What should have been a cliche (Two emotionally stunted people find each other and form a bond? I have never seen that before…) works incredibly well here mostly due to the writing and the actors.
However, this leaves poor Caliban as the odd mutant out. While Merchant manages to inject some humor into the story and has some fun interactions with Jackman, the character feels a little useless. What is the point of his character? The film never answers that question.
As for the villains, Holbrook is perversely fun as Pierce. He never becomes a mustache twirling villain, but he exudes a charming cockiness that is incredibly compelling. His motives are unclear as he just seems to be a sadist, but that is enough of a motivation. This is a film about Logan, so the film does just enough to make a solid antagonist.
On the other hand, Richard E. Grant’s Dr. Rice feels shoe horned in. His character feels like an unnecessary reminder of Logan’s origins and actually is the mustache twirling villain that Pierce is not. Honestly, the character feels like a complete waste of Grant’s talents.
Right Out of a Western
Director James Mangold, who also co-wrote the story, does something remarkable in Logan. In a brilliant “meta” move, he incorporates the X-Men comic books and the mythos behind them into this world. They form the legends of his past, adding to Wolverine’s already loaded cinematic history. Essentially, he turns this film into a revisionist western.
Mangold creates a realistic and grounded future where the myths of super powered mutants are not fantasy, but the mangled legends of a real past. This is basically how the legends of the Old West are seen in a revisionist western. Logan is akin to a legendary gunfighter from the Old West on his last legs. It is a nice departure from the current generation of comic book films and adds a compelling dramatic layer to the film.
And much like those westerns, Logan features a grim and violent world. The “Wolverine” is allowed to completely tear his enemies apart in this film, but none of the violence feels gratuitous. The violence in the film exemplifies the kill or be killed mentality of this future. Logan is one of the last mutants and almost every one wants to take a shot at him because of his past.
The action sequences are directed nicely, letting us see The Wolverine and X-23 (Laura) in their full physical beauty. The increasingly overused “shaky cam” cliche is virtually absent in Logan. One sequence is particularly creative, involving a chain link fence versus a few motorcycles. All of the action gives the film an indie aesthetic that fits this gritty world perfectly. The gloss and C.G.I. from the previous X-Men films is refreshingly not here.
Not everything is handled well in Logan as it drags in the middle. In the second act, our trio of heroes meet a kind family headed by Eriq La Salle, which contains the strong dinner scene between Logan and Xavier mentioned above. It feels like a completely different film at this point. It is not a terrible moment and its pay off is powerful, but pacing wise it is an abrupt change to the narrative.
Throughout the second act, it feels like Logan stops and starts over again, especially whenever Grant’s scientist enters. At these moments, you cannot wait until the film gets back to the pressing matters surrounding Logan. As a result, the third act feels much stronger and focused, excusing the lagging second act.
Beyond A Comic Book Movie
Logan is exactly what other comic book movies should aspire to be. This genre often sticks to what it knows best: Big action sequences, wise ass heroes, an over reliance on C.G.I. Don’t get me wrong…they are incredibly fun to watch.
But as I have said several times before in my other reviews, the best films can touch you emotionally. Logan does this in every way possible, making a super human hero become a compelling and vulnerable human. Ultimately, that is what film is about.
SCORE: 9 OUT OF 10