Logan

When we begin to talk about the superhero genre, it's hard to pinpoint a direct start to the craze. 

There were many failed, goofy attempts throughout the early decades of film. 

Then there was Batman in 1989. As strong of a debut as that was, I'd argue it didn't necessarily start much as Hollywood struggled to churn out worthwhile superhero films for quite some time after that. 

Fast forward to the year 2000 and you arrive at X-Men. Personally, it's here that I dawn as the "arrival" of the superhero genre. It was soon followed by Spider-Man and, well, by the time we get to X2 and Spider-Man 2 a couple years later, the rest is pretty much history. 

The X-Men franchise that started it all is certainly no longer the best franchise. That crown fairly easily goes to the enormous MCU (which owes a lot to these mutants) and proof lies in their two submissions from last year. One of which made the #2 spot on my Top 10 and the other took home the Rath Award for Movie I Most Overrated. 

But there have still been a lot of really special things to emerge from the X-Men franchise. At the forefront of that statement is, almost unequivocally, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Throughout cinematic history there are characters that become owned by a particular individual. Someone who captures their essence so well and becomes them that you have a nearly impossible time of imagining anyone else in the role. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Marlon Brando as The Godfather. Ian McKellen as Gandalf. Leonard Nimoy as Spock. Most likely Robert Downey Jr.'s turn as Iron Man/Tony Stark will end up in that list if it's not already there. And of course, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. 

Through the good times and the bad (and boy was there some bad), he's remained Wolverine. In what has spanned 17 years, 4 X-Men films, 3 standalone Wolverine films, and 2 X-Men related cameos he has always been Logan and Wolverine. Considering his workout regimen alone screams dedication, but giving yourself to a role for that long and across what essentially became two timelines of film series is impressive and makes it clear he cares about the character and the fans. We all knew that eventually he'd have to hang up the claws and it seems that time has finally come with his final stand as Wolverine, Logan. 

With that in mind, there's obviously a lot of invisible weight that comes with the film outside of the confines of the story it wants to tell. There are rare times that you're sitting in a theater realizing/thinking: "This is the last time I'll be seeing [actor] portray [character]." I could probably right a whole essay about that feeling of life-moves-on that just the outward circumstances of the film carry with it, but instead I'll let you experience that for yourself and just get to reviewing the movie. 

Kanye West's new line of shirts. Now with holes and blood!

Logan is certainly one of the best X-Men films, if not the outright best. I'll get that out of the way now. I'm a big fan of Days of Future Past above pretty much all the rest of them but on any given day, Logan gives that one a run for its money. What's different about Logan when compared to the rest of the X-Men and Wolverine films (and really any comic book films in general) is that it's driven by character. Sure there are nefarious forces at work and heroism is needed to do X, Y, and Z, but at the end of the day this is essentially the character study of a man and the life he's lead and where it has brought him. We're catapulted more than a decade into the future without much context as it relates to the other films. It's clear the world is a darker and bleaker place now and that Logan and Charles Xavier are both suffering. Xavier from mental degradation and old age and Logan from waning powers, alcoholism, depression, and probably just general fatigue. Keep in mind that this is a man who's been alive for a long time. We find them both just "living" as Xavier is pretty much confined to a bed and Logan is an Uber driver of sorts who's saving money. They live without purpose and clearly after some large scale event wiped out their friends. 

The haircut of every hipster in Denver ^^

Logan gets moving fairly quickly as a woman and a young girl are introduced and soon some shady characters begin asking Logan questions about them. Eventually Logan and Xavier find themselves on the run with the girl and the chase that spans nearly the entire rest of the film is underway. At its core, it's a simple plot, but one with deep meaning for the character. Before he had no purpose, now he has one forced on him. Before he was living, hoping to die, and now he struggles to survive, still hoping to die. As we see Jackman through a lens, coping with saying goodbye to the character, so too do we see a weary Wolverine, struggling in nearly every fight. This Wolverine needs time to heal. He actually sleeps and needs rest. More often than not the bad guys are landing punches (and much more). Not that he hasn't in other films from this series, but he gets the ever living s**t beat out of him. By the end of it all, you're tired with him and the conclusion the film leaves you with is one that's both poignant and beautiful. 

Jackman of course embodies Wolverine and Logan once more and better than he ever has before. There's pain in his eyes and suffering on his face. In his most human moments he's a shadow of the man that we've come to know previously. It makes you feel sorry for him and the emotion that Jackman is able to bring to the role whether it be fear, sadness, loneliness, or rage is worthy of recognition. If I had more of a voice I'd humbly suggest him for a Best Actor nomination at next year's Academy Awards. Aside from my general distaste for them, I think it's a well deserved nomination (and even a win if he were to get it) not just because of this role but because of the effort he's brought forth to it for nearly two full decades now. At least to my knowledge, there's currently not a single other actor that can claim that achievement and evolving a character over a series of films, ending on about of much of a high note as possible is something that I think deserves highest honors. But what do I know? 

That Moment When...
You know you f**ked up. Big time.

Along with Jackman are several other great performances. Most notably Patrick Stewart in what is also "supposed" to be his final turn as Professor X. Stewart is an immensely talented thespian and he brings that capability to this role with Charles often challenging Logan to be better. He too has moments of great humanity where there are memories of fun times lost, and painful times endured both in his dialogue but also his face. Hell, I'd even nominate him for a Best Supporting Actor role while we're at it. Adding to the film's grand trio is Laura, the mysterious girl, played by Dafne Keen. She's incredibly badass but also impresses with her acting capabilities. Sincerely, it's one of the best child performances I've ever witnessed, especially given the icky subject matter at hand. Lastly is our villain, Pierce, played by Boyd Holbrook. He's not some big bad, CG villain but instead just a bad man with a horrendous moral compass. While he'll not be joining the annals with Heath Ledger as the Joker anytime soon, he's really just what the movie needed: a good, slimy villain that doesn't overshadow our main trio. 

Two superhero icons. No doubt about it.

Logan is also distinctly different because of its R-rating, as I'm sure many know. For any parents out there wondering, it's very R-rated. Truth-be-told, it's a bit shocking because Wolverine has been kept on the metaphorical PG-13 leash for so long, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't awesome. The action is violent, incredibly so, and bloody. Sometimes it's hard to watch but man oh man is there some great choreography. As usual, Jackman brings that signature rage to the role and ratchets the intensity up even more. A late fight where Wolverine uses some sort of drug (or maybe it's just really good pre-workout) sent literal chills down my spine as he roars to the sky, sprinting towards his enemies and disposing of them in grotesque ways, letting out a final rage roar before the scene transitions. Uncontrollable chills. And luckily we get a finale that is awesome for once, with all fights throughout the film measuring up fairly equally. Suffice it to say that while Logan is NOT for kids, it's crazy as hell to watch, particularly if you've been with the character since 2000. 

Director James Mangold and Co. brings a lot of talent to the film overall as many technical elements are also much stronger than most of the other X-Men films. Cinematography is often gorgeous, editing left me with no complaints, sound design is terrific, the pacing is a tad slow, but fine, and the script is fantastic. For the final 30 minutes of the film the original score is outstanding, but I would have liked to seen that in the rest of the movie too, which is a bummer. By the time the credits role there just isn't much wrong with this movie at all and it's nice to be rewarded with a character's sendoff that's well-worth the trip. 

Logan does indeed join the pantheon of great superhero movies, no doubt about it. It's not at the top for me personally, but I imagine that for others who adore this character, it will be. What Logan represents though is a mature step in a new direction for comic book series that are now entering double digit film series sizes. Not because of its R-rating, but because of its focus on the character. Because of the dedication it shows to the actor who's shown immense dedication to the role itself. Because it recognizes that sometimes superheroes hurt too, not just physically, and that sometimes they're not heroes anymore. Logan does all of these things in an entertaining, memorable, and poignant farewell to a character who has become iconic in the history of cinema. And whereas other characters are eventually recast, or the series has a reboot and gets a new star, Hugh Jackman has been and always will be: The Wolverine. 

Goodbye, old friend.

CONS

• Ever so slightly overlong
• Original score is forgettable for much of the film
• A bit of a generic tale, all things considered

PROS

• Focuses on the character more than any superhero film before it. A character that has been with us for many years now
• Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine is cemented as an icon, plain and simple. One of the best performances of his career in the role that has defined him
• Patrick Stewart turns in a touching performance as Charles Xavier as well. Equally as iconic
• Laura is a tremendous character and Dafne Keen is a step above other child actors
• A perfect villain for this film
• Consistently strong cinematography
• Strong, thoughtful script
• Amazing original score during final 30 minutes
• R-rating suits Wolverine incredibly well and it has been a long time coming. The violence seems to wear out our hero and add to the narrative of the film. Each fight is memorable and the film ends on a high note with one of the strongest ones
• A fitting end and tribute to the superhero that arguably started it all. Hats off to Hugh Jackman for sticking with a character and role and making it truly his own

Rath's Review Score | 9.5/10