"So, this is what it feels like."
For years now I have heard the calls from many for an R-rated superhero film, and I will be honest, I was pessimistic. Not opposed to it but also not calling for it myself. My concerns stemmed from the idea that once the green light for such a project was given, the content that would ultimately earn that rating would feel forced, plugged in for the sake of shock value and grabbing headlines rather than flowing naturally with a great story. While I very much enjoyed Deadpool for what it is and am not afraid to admit laughing quite a bit while watching it, that film did step in the trap I feared a bit, with a screenplay that is steeped in dick jokes yet conventional in its origin story foundation, willing to step over the line to make the audience blush but unwilling to have the balls to put care in the right places in order to make a good film great.
For all of you who were calling for the R-rated superhero film, congratulations. Logan is the blueprint of exactly what you were hoping for and exactly what I doubted could happen, a story not bogged down by an overwhelming desire to prove just how R-rated it is but rather one that feels totally natural using the freedom it was given. That's the word that kept coming to mind as I watched the film last night: freedom. Director James Mangold litters his film with brutal violence and plenty of foul language but it all feels right in this painfully honest, desolate vision of an aging mutant long since past his prime, hiding in the shadows under an alias trying to make an honest living just to be able to afford the life he envisions for his remaining years.
Without question Hugh Jackman does his best work of the entire franchise here and it can be hard watching a hero fall apart before our eyes, but it's a beautiful thing when the actor brings so much passion to the role. His chemistry with Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Charles Xavier is top notch, sharing plenty of frustrating, pain and love on screen that makes their briefly used ruse in the film in which they pretend to be father and son feel so real. The breakthrough aspect of Logan though is the introduction of young Dafne Keen as Laura, a young mutant whom shares the same abilities as Logan, being pursued by a group of men who clearly have ugly motives behind their desperation to put the girl back into captivity. The trio effectively form a family during the film and their bond blossoms despite limited dialogue thanks to performances and a screenplay that understands that the most important thing about this story isn't visual effects or constant battle sequences but rather a shared humanity between people who feel isolated and alienated because of who they are. Some of the quieter moments of Logan proved to be my favorite scenes.
My only real issue with the film is a somewhat lackluster villain, and by that I don't mean the entire group, what they did or their motivations going forward because all of that worked and made total sense, but rather the leader of the group specifically, Dr. Rice (Richard E. Grant). Starting with the only scene that made me cringe, taking place when Logan is watching footage taken in secret and Dr. Rice is heard literally instructing people to remember that mutants are not people, they are things, which for such a well written film felt so forced and unnecessary. It's quite evident and easy to understand that what we are seeing is evil and wrong, so having it spelled out with poor dialogue was basically on the same level as just flashing THIS IS A BAD GUY across the screen over his image. Even beyond that, I just felt this character was very underwritten and nothing more than a cliche, which stood out during a film that was anything but.
As this is the last time we will see Jackman portray this character on screen, it's hard to believe looking back that it has been 17 years since the first X-Men film when we were introduced to his take on Wolverine, and now it is difficult to imagine anyone else stepping into those shoes for future projects. What a fitting way for his run to end here, a punch to the gut and certainly not a colorful blast of fun some are looking for when taking their seats for a superhero movie, but the tonal balance achieved in Logan is remarkable and creates a beautiful, heartfelt and devastating story that finds a certain grace and delicateness despite the stellar action sequences that produce piles of bodies that met their demise in rather graphic ways. Throughout the film I found myself laughing, caring, and nearly crying but it never feels jarring, nothing beyond a little quibble here or there feels out of place.
Logan is a dark, hard hitting comic book film that explores the human condition and the universal desire to find ones "Eden", whether it be to reunite with people whom you can share yourself with or to disappear on a boat away from shore in search of a personal peace. It's haunting and powerful stuff and might just be the best X-Men film of any kind to date.
4.5/5
For all of you who were calling for the R-rated superhero film, congratulations. Logan is the blueprint of exactly what you were hoping for and exactly what I doubted could happen, a story not bogged down by an overwhelming desire to prove just how R-rated it is but rather one that feels totally natural using the freedom it was given. That's the word that kept coming to mind as I watched the film last night: freedom. Director James Mangold litters his film with brutal violence and plenty of foul language but it all feels right in this painfully honest, desolate vision of an aging mutant long since past his prime, hiding in the shadows under an alias trying to make an honest living just to be able to afford the life he envisions for his remaining years.
Without question Hugh Jackman does his best work of the entire franchise here and it can be hard watching a hero fall apart before our eyes, but it's a beautiful thing when the actor brings so much passion to the role. His chemistry with Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Charles Xavier is top notch, sharing plenty of frustrating, pain and love on screen that makes their briefly used ruse in the film in which they pretend to be father and son feel so real. The breakthrough aspect of Logan though is the introduction of young Dafne Keen as Laura, a young mutant whom shares the same abilities as Logan, being pursued by a group of men who clearly have ugly motives behind their desperation to put the girl back into captivity. The trio effectively form a family during the film and their bond blossoms despite limited dialogue thanks to performances and a screenplay that understands that the most important thing about this story isn't visual effects or constant battle sequences but rather a shared humanity between people who feel isolated and alienated because of who they are. Some of the quieter moments of Logan proved to be my favorite scenes.
My only real issue with the film is a somewhat lackluster villain, and by that I don't mean the entire group, what they did or their motivations going forward because all of that worked and made total sense, but rather the leader of the group specifically, Dr. Rice (Richard E. Grant). Starting with the only scene that made me cringe, taking place when Logan is watching footage taken in secret and Dr. Rice is heard literally instructing people to remember that mutants are not people, they are things, which for such a well written film felt so forced and unnecessary. It's quite evident and easy to understand that what we are seeing is evil and wrong, so having it spelled out with poor dialogue was basically on the same level as just flashing THIS IS A BAD GUY across the screen over his image. Even beyond that, I just felt this character was very underwritten and nothing more than a cliche, which stood out during a film that was anything but.
As this is the last time we will see Jackman portray this character on screen, it's hard to believe looking back that it has been 17 years since the first X-Men film when we were introduced to his take on Wolverine, and now it is difficult to imagine anyone else stepping into those shoes for future projects. What a fitting way for his run to end here, a punch to the gut and certainly not a colorful blast of fun some are looking for when taking their seats for a superhero movie, but the tonal balance achieved in Logan is remarkable and creates a beautiful, heartfelt and devastating story that finds a certain grace and delicateness despite the stellar action sequences that produce piles of bodies that met their demise in rather graphic ways. Throughout the film I found myself laughing, caring, and nearly crying but it never feels jarring, nothing beyond a little quibble here or there feels out of place.
Logan is a dark, hard hitting comic book film that explores the human condition and the universal desire to find ones "Eden", whether it be to reunite with people whom you can share yourself with or to disappear on a boat away from shore in search of a personal peace. It's haunting and powerful stuff and might just be the best X-Men film of any kind to date.
4.5/5
Yeah! I watched this movie Logan. Really very nice and appealing. Your review is really very great. thanx for sharing. Love
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