Review: 'Logan' is a fitting sendoff for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart

Secret ending? No.

Running time: 137 minutes (~2.25 hours)

“Logan” is an American superhero drama. It is the third film to feature Hugh Jackman as the title character, Wolverine, and the tenth film in the “X-Men” film franchise.

The film follows an aged, sick Wolverine and a senile Professor X in a world without mutants. But when they discover a new young mutant, they set off on what might be their last adventure.

“Logan” is directed and written by James Mangold, who also came up with the story. Scott Frank and Michael Green are also credited for the screenplay. It stars Hugh Jackman (Wolverine/Logan), Patrick Stewart (Professor X/Charles Xavier), Richard E. Grant (Zander Rice), Boyd Holbrook (Donald Pierce), Stephen Merchant (Caliban), and Dafne Keen (X-23/Laura Kinney). It is rated M-18 (thanks to “Deadpool”, of course).

“Logan” is a sad film, but not a pessimistic one. It’s more of a character study into two of the most important characters in the “X-Men” film series, and is as much a sendoff for Patrick Stewart’s Professor X as it is for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. It has superhero elements, but it avoids the glitz and colour of the usual Marvel movies. Reading up before watching “Logan”, especially Wolverine’s ailments, would be beneficial, although not strictly necessary.

Highlights

Logan finally gets what he desires

Although it’s only obvious upon hindsight, it’s gratifying to realise that Logan finally gets what he wants in the film. It’s a subtle nod to how much grief he has gone through his life, and a rather sobering realisation that after saving the world so many times, what Logan really wants is the same as every other human. Though the film might not have ended with a bang, it does close with a poignant resolution for the title character’s inner conflict.

Dafne Keen’s performance as Laura

Seeing Dafne Keen viciously attack her opponents as Laura truly reminds you of the ferocity of a wolverine. Hugh Jackman’s sheer size and girth sometimes means that Logan’s opponents don’t look like they stand a chance, but that isn’t the case for Laura. She’s tiny but she tears into the bad guys with a homicidal fury that is totally incongruous to her appearance, making her the more fearsome character of the two.

Logan’s vulnerability

If you’ve watched Hugh Jackman play Wolverine in any of the previous films, it’s painful to see him reduced to the state he’s depicted in the film, limping and weakened. He still possesses his healing factor though, just that it’s clearly not as effective as it used to be. It’s a powerful visual reminder of the impact and frailty of old age, especially since when we see how it affects one of the toughest X-Men.

Emotional depth

The emotional power of “Logan” doesn’t come from sudden, intense tearjerking moments, but a sombre moodiness through the film. Rarely does the film throw sorrowful revelations at you. Instead, the slow and gradual reveal of some of the most heartbreaking aspects of the film is what makes it such a memorably sad one.

Letdowns

Melancholic rather than glorious

Although it can’t be helped, it’s a pity that Hugh Jackman’s final Wolverine movie is melancholic, rather than glorious. Then again, to have it filled with positive vibes would have contradicted the treatment of the film.

“Logan” has tremendous emotional depth — perhaps the most of all the “X-Men” movies.

Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Yes.

Should you watch this more than once? If you want to relive the feels, yes.

Score: 4.8/5

“Logan” opens in cinemas:
– 2 March, 2017 (Singapore)
– 2 March, 2017 (Malaysia)
– 1 March, 2017 (Philippines)

Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter, having written for Police & Thief, Incredible Tales, Crimewatch, and Point of Entry. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.

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