Richie’s Review: Logan

Hugh Jackman is back for his final role as Wolverine in “Logan”. In this film Wolverine is trying to make money for a boat to escape with a very ill Professor X. In his struggle, a woman comes along to tell him about a girl and the cruel men trying to retrieve her. Once the woman dies, Wolverine must take Laura played by Dafne Keen, the little mutant child, to North Dakota so she can join other mutant children to try and escape from dark forces. As they travel together, Wolverine learns that Laura and himself are very alike.

There are many reasons why I enjoyed this movie. One aspect that definitely boosted my viewing experience is how dark and realistic the characters were. Wolverine has always been portrayed as an invisible, athletic, sword knuckle maniac, but “Logan” has a different take on the well known character. He is portrayed as an aging man that has lost his power of healing instantly. He hurts way more physically and emotionally, cuts and bullet holes don’t alleviate nearly as fast and suicide often crosses his mind. Another character I particularly enjoyed was the newcomer Laura, the small mutant. Although Laura doesn’t talk for the majority of the film, she still gives off a very mysterious vibe. When she’s not giving off concerning looks, her aggressive behavior overcomes all actions on screen, making for one of the most fascinating child heroes.

Another thing I was entertained with was the action. From the X-Men series to the single Wolverine movies, the action has always been good but not great, but “Logan” undoubtedly delivered in that aspect. The action is something new but equally gruesome, again creating for some of the best moments in “Logan”. Both Wolverine and Laura have the same tendencies of losing control of their anger when fighting against their enemies, but it might be the single most engaging fights since the original X-Men films.

James Mangold has directed a classic film before named, “Walk the Line” depicting the life of country legend Johnny Cash. As a child, my family and I often re-watched the film because we could relate to Mr. Cash through his pain shown through an undeniably entertaining story. James Mangold has made another classic with “Logan” by including complex characters, dark themes, and grisly action.