Logan – Film Review

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Richard E Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant

Director: James Mangold

Synopsis: Set in 2029, Logan, whose powers are on the wane, is spending his days out of the spotlight until he gets dragged back to the conflict when he is charged with the protection of a young girl, whose powers are remarkably similar to his own.

Review: When any actor plays a character for a remarkable length of time, sooner or later, they will eventually have to say farewell to that character. Therefore when an actor does make that decision to say adieu to a character, especially if it is a one that he has become perhaps most well known for, there is an understandable desire to ensure that the character goes out on the highest note possible. Ever since he first took on the role of the clawed mutant, all the way back in 2000, Hugh Jackman has become synonymous with this character and so he’ll have undoubtedly wanted one last hurrah before he hangs up the claws for good. With this being the third solo Wolverine movie, after one awful miss and one solid hit, it is safe to say that this is most definitely third time lucky.

For a while now, superhero movies didn’t elect to go down the hard R, extremely violent, action route. This is of course until a certain Mr Deadpool came along last year and changed the game. Thus for this outing, the decision was made to follow in the footsteps of the Merc with a Mouth and go for violence, lots of bloody violence, and for a character like Wolverine, it was the perfect route to go down. As well as the gritty violence, there’s no shortage of profanity too from Logan but also from an actor who let’s just say you never thought you would hear drop quite a few F bombs, but seeing it happen, is rather glorious. Jackman has shone every time he steps into Logan’s shoes, but here might just be his best ever work in the role. He’s a very jaded soul, and his powers are dwindling, but he’s still the ultimate badass, and likewise for Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier. Having watched these characters before, be at such breaking points, is by no means easy to watch, but both REALLY excel.

Writer and director James Mangold ensures that the screenplay packs plenty of emotion into it, this is no small part due to the fact that Logan is charged with the protection of a mutant named Laura, who is being hunted by some dastardly people for reasons that shall not be disclosed here. Though the plot moves forward at a steady pace, there are moments where it does falter a little bit, but they are momentary lapses. Though 2013’s Wolverine had a few shaky cam issues, there’s none of that here, as the action is shot beautifully. Dafne Keen, for one so young, never seems lets the pressure of being in a big budget Hollywood movie faze her, as she excels in what is a remarkable breakthrough performance. There are scenes between the three main protagonists that are truly touching and by the end you may find yourself fighting back some tears.

It truly is the end of an era, as Jackman is looking very unlikely to pick up the claws again. Having played the role nine times across an incredible seventeen years, with for the most part, phenomenal success, it certainly is the role that has defined Jackman’s illustrious career, and one he has made his own. What’s more, this movie gives him the perfect swansong that he and the character absolutely deserve. Should they ever decide to recast the role in a future movie (which seems an absolute certainty) the new actor will certainly have some very big claws to fill.