LOGAN REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

"All good things must come to an end". This quote couldn't be more appropriate as Logan showcases Hugh Jackman's final portrayal of the titled clawed mutant. It's hard to believe it's almost been two decades since Jackman made his first appearance as Logan in the first X-Men in 2000. It was an impressive performance that gained the Australian actor recognition and success in America. Since then, Jackman has gone on to become one of the most talented and versatile actors working today. However, is Logan a fitting conclusion to Jackman's 17-year reign as Wolverine? 

It's 2029. Mutants are gone - or very nearly so. An isolated, despondent Logan (Jackman) is drinking his days away in a hideout on a remote stretch of the Mexican border, picking up petty cash as a limo driver for hire. His companions in exile are the outcast Caliban (Stephen Merchant) and an ailing Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart), whose singular mind is plagued by worsening seizures. But Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy abruptly end when a mysterious woman appears with an urgent request - that Logan shepherd an extraordinary young girl, Laura (Dafne Keen) to safety. Soon, the claws come out as Logan must face off against dark forces and a villain from his own past on a live-or-die mission, one that will set the time-worn warrior on a path toward fulfilling his destiny.

This is the third spin-off film that focuses on Wolverine, the others being X-Men Origins Wolverine and The Wolverine. The former was a prequel that gave Wolverine a backstory and received mixed to bad reviews while the latter was an improvement but still had minor issues, especially with the final climax. This lead to many people having doubts about whether Jackman's final Wolverine film would be any good. Fortunately, Logan has received critical acclaim with many saying it's the one of the best superhero movies ever made. I couldn't agree more with this statement. Because there's been a lot of superhero films released in the past few years, it's hard not to feel a sense of deja-vu when watching them. Most of them follow a predictable narrative path where the superhero finds out about the villain's plan, tries to stop them and, after a CGI-filled battle, the superhero succeeds. The plot for Logan is unpredictable and, throughout the film, we're not entirely sure if Logan is ever going to make it out alive. 

The Wolverine we've come to know is strong, fierce and, because of his self-healing abilities, can always recover quickly after a fight. Seeing Logan in his weakened state is a shock. In the film's thrilling opening sequence, we see that he's barely able to fight off several thugs that are trying to steal the tyres from his limo. Jackman doesn't just perform as Logan, he embodies the character and gives us further reason to believe why he will always be the best actor for this role. It's difficult to think of any other actor who could give half as good as performance as Jackman. Like Logan, Xavier is struggling too and his mental ability has weakened him. This is far from the kind and helpful Professor we all know from the previous installments. Their father/son relationship has developed a lot since the two first met in X-Men. Seeing them both leave the franchise is heartbreaking but understandable. 

New additions include British comedian, Merchant, who is almost unrecognisable as Caliban, a mutant who is allergic to the sun. Both Richard E. Grant and Boyd Holbrook give solid performances as the two main villains. However, of all the new additions, it's Keen who stands out. Her portrayal of Laura makes Chloe Grace Moretz' Hit-Girl from Kick-Ass look gentle. For the majority of the film, she barely speaks but her eyes and facial expressions are enough to make anyone scared of her.

James Mangold, who previously directed The Wolverine, returns to direct. The fight sequences are brilliantly choreographed and, because it's a 15 rating (R in the US), Mangold doesn't shy away from showing us the heavy violence. By using a steady camera, the violence is clearly shown. Mangold has also stated that this film has a more 'human' feel and relies very little on computer-generated imagery and green screens. This is what makes the stunts all the more impressive.

Like all of the X-Men films, Logan is worth watching just for Jackman's incredible career-defining performance of the title character alone. It's a fitting conclusion to his 17-year long reign as one of the most iconic characters in the superhero genre. It's sad to see him leave but, fortunately, he leaves on a high note. Logan is a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero/action film that defies genre conventions.

8/10