'Logan' Movie Review

To call ‘Logan’ a superhero movie would be misleading and, in a way, disrespectful. The movie generated a lot of hype – the key reason being that Hugh Jackman has decided to hang his claws, so to speak, and he was very insistent that the movie be just right. So there were a lot of expectations. And oh boy, did they get it right! More akin to a gritty western style action movie than the spectacle based CGI fuelled jam-packed action rides we are used to; the makers defy genre trappings (more than even ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Deadpool’ did) and give us a bold, mature movie with genuine heart.

The movie is set in the not too distant future (2029, if I remember correctly); and seems pretty bleak. Most of the mutants are gone, following some sort of incident. Logan has aged significantly and his healing powers are not as potent as they used to be – he is hurting both physically and emotionally. He is a heavy drinker and drives a limo to make ends meet and take care of a deteriorated Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), who is now suffering from a brain condition which results in seizures that affect everyone around him. The plot kicks into high gear when Laura, a young mutant who is being chased by an evil corporation and its mercenaries joins them, and they have to get her to safety.

There are just so many positives here – everything from the tone, to the directing, to the acting. Credit to James Mangold, who has directed and also written the story, for not succumbing to standard comic book movie trappings. The acting is brilliant – Patrick Stewart is in fine form, and Dafne Keen playing Laura is an exciting find who could be one to watch out for. But of course, it’s Hugh Jackman’s show – and he shows just how invested he is in the movie by delivering a nuanced and layered performance that is the highlight of a movie that has so many things going for it.

Logan definitely justifies its ‘R’ rating (‘A’ in India) – this one is not for the kids. It is the most violent X-Men movie by far – the action is brutal, savage and raw; which is appropriate given the protagonist. Rather than focusing on gratuitous violence, the makers use the freedom of the ‘R’ rating to explore mature themes of isolation, loss, family, sacrifice and living with one’s actions – all of which, despite the focus on character building and relations, seems appropriate for Wolverine.

In fact, the main reason the movie works so well is that it feels like the perfect Wolverine movie – after the first two movies which were far from perfect, the quintessential anti-hero gets the movie that truly represents him. Yes, the movie is long and, at times, slow. But it works, and delivers a swan song that is damn near perfect. It is a satisfactory conclusion for one of the most successful franchises. Just go watch it! Even if you aren’t a big fan of the franchise, you can’t help but leave the theatre with a sense of closure.