Posted March 28, 2017

By ZACHARY DEVITA

With liquor on his lips, buck shots in his chest and the weariness of surviving over a century, “Logan” presents Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine in his most pure form. The final film in the Wolverine trilogy not only lives up to expectations, but hits every chance it can get from its R rating.

This is especially evident in the first five minutes where Jackman’s character unenthusiastically, and almost begrudgingly, slices and dices Latin gangsters with his patent claws in an ultra-violent and enthralling manner. This tone-setting scene is only exemplified by Logan’s swearing and rage-filled brashness to the gangster’s abuses. Thus, setting this film apart from the previous two Wolverine movies and the X-Men series itself.

The film is based on the Old Man Logan comics, written by famous graphic novelist Mark Miller, which was released in 2006. While the movie deviates from its original source material (due to the distributor of the film being 20^th Century Fox and not Marvel) it uses certain elements from the comic that make it an admirable standalone piece of art.

While the X-Men comics are all under the Marvel brand, the movie series rights have been under 20^th Century since the original “X-Men” was released in 2000. This allows for a darker tone for these superhero films, compared to the more lighthearted Marvel affairs. “Logan” pushes this darkness, with Hugh Jackman embodying this vicious and engrossing attitude.

Growing up with the X-Men movies, I have always been fascinated on how directors transition famous comic book characters and storylines on to the big screen. While in the past, directors of this comic book series have done this well, “Logan” is the first time where the transition from comic to film is done superbly. This not only attracts the avid X-Men fan, but the casual viewer who is looking for an epic adventure, with real circumstances and a mesmerizing plot and cast.

Superhero films are a staple in modern cinema, especially with the expansion of the Avengers franchise from Marvel. “Logan” however, is a whole different beast all together, no pun intended. James Mangold, who co-wrote and directed the film, has worked with the Wolverine character in the past (see The Wolverine from 2013). In “Logan”, Mangold shows a bleak future for mutant kind and uses Western settings (such as the border of Mexico) to pace the plot and characters in an interesting and profound manner.

Never have we seen the intricacies of the Wolverine having to painfully pull one of his claws from his knuckles while blood drips increasingly from his hands. These intricacies lead to fantastic character development for the main players within the film. This includes Logan himself, who we first see as a man who has lost everything and lacks guidance. His reliance on liquor, lonely job as a limo driver and apparent decaying of his body exemplify this.

His only motivation in life is to take care of Professor Charles Xavier (who is played by British actor Patrick Stewart for the final time) who is suffering with dementia. Stewart and Jackman go hand in hand throughout the film, giving the audience humorous dialogue and insightful information about their own issues and the circumstance they face.

Both former powerful mutants seem aimless and pitiful, that is until the young character of Laura is introduced (played by newcomer Dafne Keen). This not only kick-starts the plot (having the professor and Wolverine hiding Laura from the cyborg group known as the Reavers) but gives a regaining a sense of purpose and motivation for Charles and Logan, to live their final days for a reason.

Keen puts on a fantastic performance, with awe-inspiring stunts and the ability to display raw emotion with her actions and face alone, having not said a word until at least three quarters into the film. She mixes the innocence and naiveté of a child with the ferocity and self-sufficiency of an alpha male wolf.

Making her first big-screen appearance, the British-Spanish actor appeared on the silver screen in the TV series, “The Refugees.” I believe that this role will push her to the limelight, much like it did for Daisy Ridley in the new Star Wars “The Force Awakens.” Keen has the ability to not only stand out from her older counterparts, but have the potential to play the character in possible future films surrounding her savage yet empathic character.

The antagonist, instead of a singular entity, is combined to be the leader of the Reavers (played by “Narcos” actor Boyd Holbrook) and head of the evil company Tranisgen Dr. Zander Rice (played by British actor Richard E. Grant). While they both provide more than adequate performances, Holbrook stands out as a truly rotten cyborg, who admits to even being a fan of the Wolverine.

Together, Jackman and Mangold have made something that no other superhero movie could ever replicate or even adhere too. Mangold’s cinematography is fantastic, with a wide array of close-up shots that establish characters’ emotional states and the ability to use the mutant powers within action sequence with a sense of reality. This is especially true during the Xavier seizure scenes where intense music, blurring visuals and blinding lighting put us in the experience of this plagued mutant.

Growing up with the X-Men movies, I have always been fascinated on how directors transition famous comic book characters and storylines on to the big screen. While in the past, directors of this comic book series have done this well, “Logan” is the first time where the transition from comic to film is done superbly. This not only attracts the avid X-Men fan, but the casual viewer who is looking for an epic adventure, with real circumstances and a mesmerizing plot and cast.

Jackman’s gritty, gut-check performance stands out and makes the film what it is. With the convoluted timeline the X-Men series holds, Jackman embodies the Logan character and the emotional and physical damages he has sustained throughout his long-life. His serious, yet gruff manner, allows him to connect with the audience, giving this sympathetic yet violent character a memorable and touching last ride.

• Film: Logan
• Release Date: March 3, 2017
• Distributor: 20^th Century Fox
• Cast: Logan (Hugh Jackman), Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart),  Laura (Dafne Keen)
• Run Time: 141 minutes
• Director: James Mangold
• Written By: James Mangold, Scott Frank and Michael Green (Based on a story by James Mangold)
• MPAA Rating: R
• Review Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars