We have mentioned in the past about our superhero fatigue but with Logan pitched as the final outing for Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine that we first saw in X-Men way back in the year 2000, we knew we would be seeing this one, as he has been one of the more consistent standouts of the comic book movies!!!
But Hugh isn’t alone, he’s bringing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) along for this adventure, but this is like no X-Men film you’ve seen before.
Both are old and relying on medication to keep them going. We first see Hugh as the tired old man known as Logan, rather than the action star Wolverine of the previous outings for this much-loved character.
Logan is now working as a limo driver, whilst caring for Professor Xavier, who he has hiding in a Mexican border. He is working for a boat to stay out at sea and away from the troubles he has on land. His only other companionship is Caliban (Stephen Merchant), a mutant outcast who has been helping care for Xavier when Logan is away.
Whilst on a rest from a driving job, a group have tried to steal the wheels from his vehicle, Logan pleads with them to stop, but to no avail, with them even shooting at him. Logan then shows the claws that got him his name of the Wolverine.
However, for the first time, these claws cause carnage with so much blood as this is Logan as you never seen him before, as the film goes for a stronger 15 rating after Deadpool showed there is still an audience for films of this nature.
But as well as the blood; gore and bad language this is also a different sort of superhero film, it is part western; part road movie but yet it could also almost be an independent film about the problems of getting old.
Logan, of course, does not spend the whole film as a limo driver, he is approached by Gabriela (Elizabeth Rodriguez) who has rescued a young girl called Laura (Dafne Keen) and wants to use his services to get them safely to the border and to a place known as Eden, where they believe they will be safe.
Logan initially refuses, but is then cornered by Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) head of security at Transigen and he wants Laura from him. We soon learn that Laura is a Transigen ‘product’ called an X-23 and has the same claw-like abilities as Logan, as she has been created with his DNA!
Xavier who is aware of this, believes saving her can offer some redemption from the seizures he has been having, that has cost the lives of other X-Men and tells Logan he should protect her.
Logan goes to get them, only to find Gabriela has been killed, returning back to Xavier, he finds their hideout under attack from Pierce and the Transigen workers, as Logan puts up a fight, he finds support from Laura who has hidden in his car and she kills most of the intruders.
Logan, Laura and Xavier escape, whilst Caliban is caught and used to track them. What follows is the journey for the 3 to the border and a place known as Eden where Laura can be safe.
Along the journey, rest is found by the Munson family led by Will (Eriq La Salle) who offers the 3 meal and rest for a night, with life threating results to his family.
Logan will also face the head of Transgien, Zander Rice (Richard E. Grant) who is after revenge, as Logan killed his father in his scenes in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Rice has even created another creature known as X-24 that will look familiar to beat Logan, with its super-human strength.
Will the 3 make it to Eden, we really urge you if a fan of these characters to check Logan out to see.
If this is to be Jackman’s final appearance, this dark and gritty finale is a fitting farewell. To compare it would be the return of Batman in Batman Begins after the colourful Batman and Robin, it feels completely difference and is the better for it. It is certainly by far the best of the 3 stand alone Wolverine films.
The film is not without faults, with its over 2 hour run time, it could be shorter and the bad guys could have been better characters, but none take away from the performances of Jackman and Stewart.
Instead of playing superheroes, saving the world, the 2 are playing characters who are old and living with their actions and show they can act rather than be a prop in aCGI film. Mention should also be made to newcomer Keen who is excellent as the young Laura. Director James Mangold (Who also directed The Wolverine) has done an excellent job, taking inspitation from the Old Man Logan comic, and Marvel fans will love this film and so will most others.
You can see the trailer for Logan here:
You can find the film at Amazon here:
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