Overall verdict: 9.5/10
The one where Wolverine..... does something that rhymes with cries
The Good: masterfully written script, gripping atmosphere, brilliant performances by the cast, intense action scenes, emotionally engaging, takes itself and the genre seriously.
The Bad: derivative overall plot that feels like a rethread of Terminator 2.
***********Review***********
Free from the confines of a PG13 rating, we are finally able to behold Wolverine's legendary berserker rage. This movie boasts the most intense action scenes to date in the whole Fox X-Men franchise. It is masterfully shot with minimal camera tricks or wire stunts giving it a very realistic feel almost too real at times yet it is wholly necessary to compliment the deconstruction of our hero.
He is the best at what he does. And what he does is not very nice. He has lived through decades of war, prejudice, extremism, hate and fear. He has faced powerful beings, clandestine organisations and killer robots. Now the mutant known as Wolverine will have to face his greatest enemy: old age.
The above synopsis does ring with a certain sense of satire but believe me, the film LOGAN is anything but. The X-men have disbanded, many of them victims of a disaster caused by one of their own. Mutant kind has dwindled to near extinction with the remnants hunted or raised in captivity for human experimentation. Logan's own powers of regeneration are waning as he cares for the dementia stricken Charles Xavier, former leader of the X-men.
Life has passed him by, ground him up and spat him out as he lives on the fringes of society in Central America, eking out a living day to day as a driver. One day he is tasked with transporting a girl across the border to North Dakota. But there is more to this youngster than meets the eye as a sinister squad of soldiers seem intent on hunter her down, with little regard for collateral damage. Now on the run and under the gun, the gripping final journey of the Wolverine is presented as a powerful neo noir influenced thriller.
Devoid of much flashy special effects that have become so staple to superhero blockbusters, LOGAN revels in its gritty influences and banks on what matters most: its characters. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine has been a mainstay of X-men movies since the very first one in 2000. It was through his story and his eyes that the dark world of the X-men was first realised.
Jackman turns in a powerful performance as the weary Wolverine aka Logan. His experiences has caused him to shut himself off from any emotional connection. His co-star sir Patrick Stewart plays against type as the once noble Professor Xavier, now a rambling old man kept sane by drugs and harbouring a dark secret. Complimenting the duo is Stephan Merchant's Caliban, a fellow mutant and Xavier's caretaker who provides the minuscule amounts of comic relief.
Into this dysfunctional family comes Dafne Keene's Laura, a child mutant with abilities similar to Logan's. She is no doubt the breakout star of this movie, conveying both the ferocity and quirks of the feral child while still showing a wide range of emotions despite being mute for most of the movie. Together, they form a most unlikely family, growing closer as the movie progresses.
On the surface, this is a rather typical road trip cum chase film. Our dysfunctional family are pursued by increasingly powerful foes intent on hunting them down in a close copy of James Cameron's TERMINATOR 2 right down to a blossoming parent/child relationship. The story is perfectly paced with equal weight devoted to heavy scenes and brief moments of relief from the grit and grim reality all complimented by a well written script.
Free from the confines of a PG13 rating, we are finally able to behold Wolverine's legendary berserker rage. This movie boasts the most intense action scenes to date in the whole Fox X-Men franchise. It is masterfully shot with minimal camera tricks or wire stunts giving it a very realistic feel almost too real at times yet it is wholly necessary to compliment the deconstruction of our hero.
What we have here is not the stylised fights of comic books with quips and fancy moves set to a rousing heroic fanfare. This is real. This is brutal. Bones break and flesh is flayed. Battles are quick and painful. During combat, the soundtrack dims out and we are left with raw savagery of a man fighting for the survival of the people he holds dear.
LOGAN rounds out James Mangold's Wolverine duology; an effective deconstruction of the beloved comic character. The previous film THE WOLVERINE delved into his motivations and the drive behind his dedication to the X-men dream, an exploration of Wolverine the warrior. LOGAN strips it all away to focus solely on the Wolverine the man, his emotional vulnerabilities, his insecurities, the result of his eons of war and battles.
As a conclusion to a character's story within a franchise, LOGAN works perfectly. There are call backs to little plot points established as early as the first X-men movie. Here, those little plot threads are wrapped up nicely as our character comes full circle on his lonely tragic journey.
***********Review***********
Entertainment: A
Story: A
Acting: A
Characters: A
Music: B
Replay value: A
"Brains": B+
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