This is actor Hugh Jackman's swan song as it is (supposed to be) his last run as Wolverine, a role he has played since 2000's X-MEN. Recently, Jackman has wavered in his mutant retirement with his friend, and fellow actor, Ryan Reynolds putting the pressure on him to do one more film as Wolverine in a team-up with Reynolds' Deadpool (and has real potential to be $1 billion worldwide film). After seeing LOGAN, as well as after his performance in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, Jackman is doing his best Wolverine work right now. And that's not to discredit any of his earliest work in the role, but his last two turns as Wolverine are by far his best yet and if he is stepping away right now that really sucks.
As the headline for this review says LOGAN is an emotional journey about being a part of a family that is bloody good. The obvious pun is this is the definitive Wolverine movie you've been waiting for when it comes to the amount of blood spilled. It's hard to even give a count of how much impaling and how many body parts were chopped off in this movie, but that's the result of teaming Wolverine with Laura (X-23).
The reason mutants are being created in labs now — this is set into the X-Men future timeline past the ending of Days of Future Past, in 2029 — is because the mutant population is nearly extinct. The explanation behind this is tragic but we won't reveal it here and you'll just have to pay close attention when you see the movie. In this future Wolverine is sick and his healing powers are no where close to what they used to be and the same for Charles Xavier, who is ailing and having issues with controlling his powers due to age.
Moving along to Xavier, who is brilliantly played by Sir Patrick Stewart, you can tell the actor really loves portraying this version of Professor X because he brings more emotion to the role than he has in any other previous X-Men movie he's been a part of. Stewart seems to enjoy this particular protrayal so much because he can flex his acting muscles and show a side of Xavier fans have not seen on big screen. In fact there's even a line where he says, (paraphrased) "This is what life looks like... enjoy it for a moment." Solid advice that goes beyond the screen as it should be incorporated into everyone's daily life.
The movie definitely has the influence of a road trip movie as well as a Western and it is based on the comic book story arc 'Old Man Logan,' albeit in the loosest way possible.
It's action really picks up the pace of the movie which is intended to be slower during it's heavy dramatic elements which work really well and never get boring. The action though is brutally visual right at the start of the movie and it's in a not-so-over-the-top way you've always wanted to see it when it comes to Wolverine. It is filled with rage and, as said above, lots of blood. Like so much blood and gore but not an excessive way that makes it campy. This is not a movie for those who have trouble with blood and gore. So it is your call as a parent to bring your child who is younger than 17, since this is most definitely an R-rated movie.
Also, if you're wondering about the need to stay until the end for a credits scene, the press screener we saw did not have one so it remains to be seen if there will be one when the movie officially launches in theaters.
All of this may sound kind of vague, but there's some big surprises in LOGAN that need to be experienced first-hand while in your theater seat. Plus, the true villain of the movie is something that has been kept hidden and is worth not knowing in advance. Please do your best to steer clear of spoilers before you see it.
LOGAN is by far the best mutant work done by both Jackman and Stewart while being a terrific springboard introducing the world to X-23. The movie is not without it's moments of sadness though. Tears might well up at certain points which shows how the superhero movie genre is evolving right now by using more drama, heart and emotion. After DEADPOOL last year and now LOGAN, Fox is at its best when focusing on auteur- and character-driven movies that are not so much about the end-of-the-world disasters but more about the intimacy, struggle and normalizing these characters. Logan is a tortured soul. He is sad, lonely and always resistant to being a part of a family; yet in the end he has a caring heart behind all that rage, pain and anger.
If this is indeed the last time we see Jackman wear the claws, then we have to say thank you Hugh Jackman for owning this role for so long because he has been the best there is at what he's done with it.
LOGAN releases in the U.S. on March 3.
Written by Daniel Wolf, DailySuperHero.com Founder & Publisher
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