directed by James Mangold
written by Scott Frank
Logan will be the final movie starring Hugh Jackman in the titular role. As the third film revolving around the character, it seeks to provide something of a sendoff both to Wolverine himself and to the universe around him, and for this purpose takes inspiration from the Old Man Logan comic as well as from old Westerns. The film is a more personal and intimate affair than preceding X-Men entries, and it's exactly because it's so much smaller in scope than the average superhero movie that it's so immensely satisfying.
Logan is exhausted. He's one of the few mutants remaining on Earth, and in spite of his healing powers, his adamantium* skeleton is poisoning him, and he's not recovering from it. He drives a limousine for a living, and lives in an abandoned smelting plant in Mexico with Caliban (Stephen Merchant), an albino mutant who can track other mutants, and Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), whose deteriorating mind has made his psychic powers increasingly dangerous. When Logan is called upon to escort a young mutant girl named Laura (Dafne Keen) to a safe haven in Canada, his life is disrupted by an organisation which will stop at nothing to capture her.
Although Logan benefits greatly from prior investment in the title character, the details of his current predicament and Jackman's visible weariness are sufficient to make even newcomers invested, and the film requires only the most basic knowledge of the X-Men in order to be understood. The emotional beats of the narrative are strong enough to stand on their own, and details such as a mutant with mental powers suffering from dementia are evocative in their own right. Logan and Charles are the film's strongest aspects, and their mutual weariness, balanced by Logan's feeling of duty to Charles and Charles's desire to aid Laura, provides much of the emotional texture of the film, and this is underscored by Jackman and Stewart's spectacular performances.
Despite the strongly melancholic undercurrents, though, the film never drags, and while that's in part because of smart editing, another factor is the presence of Laura, both because of her relative energy and because of her relationship with Charles, which is one of the film's genuine bright spots. Early plot revelations bring a minor family dynamic into play, and this both leads to fun scenes of comic relief and some of the film's best emotional beats. The film's focus on the minutiae of its relationships also feels genuinely fresh after the rising scale of so many superhero films, and unlike 2016's Deadpool, Logan's story avoids the usual tropes of the genre, and in the process demonstrates what range these characters are genuinely capable of, something which other films in the genre usually only manage within an obligatory framework.
Similarly, Logan is a major departure from the genre's increasing reliance on collateral damage, and its R rating is no joke. The film is brutal and violent, featuring wonderful action choreography even as it emphasises every gory hit. Watching Logan sink his claws into some new collection of villains never gets old, and as gruesome as some fatalities can be, the film maintains a certain grace even in its most visceral moments. Even when the narrative makes a couple missteps in the final act, the action remains thrilling, and the final notes are a moving ode to the character.
Underlying all of the film's obvious pleasures, however, is a mixed bag of themes. On one hand, the film features a rich recurring thread where Logan literally dismisses the fantastical comic book versions of his exploits, but on the other, this is yet another film where an aging, familiar character passes the baton to a younger generation, something which is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern blockbusters. This particular case sets itself slightly apart by establishing its younger generation as representing hope, but while it's more novel here than in, say, Rogue One, and while people can definitely use some hope right now, it's still the least fresh aspect of what is otherwise a legitimate candidate for the best entry in this whole franchise.
As popular as it is to complain about superhero movies, these are iconic characters with a wide range of possibilities. Logan makes earlier attempts to diversify the genre look tepid by comparison, and its strong acting, thrilling action, and emotional narrative make it a superior superhero film on its own merits. It's a film which sees its characters beyond their myths and strives to make them human without losing sight of their iconic status, and while it's not the most easily digestible superhero film around, it very well might be one of the best.
* a fictional metal in Marvel comics
8/10
+ Poignant, emotional storyline.
+ Thrillingly brutal action.
+ Provides fitting closure for the character.
- Relatively weak final act.
- Minor "legacy" element is less fresh than surrounding film.
- Some beats are much stronger with prior knowledge.
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