Logan (2017) – Rating: 9/10
Logan marks a historical run for Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of The Wolverine. Director James Mangold’s adaptation of the ‘Old Man Logan’ Marvel comics, turns Jackman’s Wolverine into a dying and wallowing limo driver who is battling with contemplation’s of suicide. The movies combination of bloody action and violence with its underlying theme of family and dying at peace, gave the film its dark tone, which gave way for arguably one of the best superhero movies made.
Set in the near future of 2029, we find Logan in Mid-West America as a limo driver, while tending to a sick and ailing Professor Xavier, played by Patrick Stewart, across the border in Mexico. Shortly into the film, it becomes obvious that the X-men are no longer in existence, and mutant births have become something of a rarity. However, things take a turn for the worse when Logan is confronted by a young mutant who is on the run, and now it’s up to a much older and no longer self-healing Wolverine, to get her to safety.
Hugh Jackman does an outstanding acting performance in his final Wolverine movie. His intense and also relatable portrayal, makes this a well deserved ending for his character. Throughout the entire movie, the experienced and charismatic actor, Jackman was a person who had obviously become tired of life. He had seen all of his mutant friends die and he is the only one who has to bear the pain of being the sole survivor. The relationship between Logan and Professor Xavier had become reversed in this movie as well. In Logan, it is Wolverine who is taking care of the deranged Professor Xavier, while in the original X-men movies, it was Logan who needed the guidance. Nonetheless, the wise Professor Xavier still had a prevailing role in guiding Logan’s path in this movie. Xavier’s guidance helped him finally find a purpose and by the end of the film, Logan finally found peace.
Patrick Stewart also does an awesome job as the old and dying Professor Xavier, who has become more dangerous with his mutant power, the more he has gotten sick. Unlike other X-men movies, you can see that this is definitely a much weaker Professor Xavier then we’ve seen before. Stephan Merchant also did a riveting performance of the mutant-tracking Caliban, who is also tending to Professor X and together they add quite a good chunk of comedic relief and humour to the movie’s darker tone.
Overall, this movie truly tugs at your heart-strings because we won’t be seeing Jackman as the Ol’ Canucklehead Wolverine anymore. It also begs us to ask the question of if we will see Dafne Keen, who plays the young mutant that has very similar powers to Wolverine (X-23), become the new face of the Wolverine franchises? Or will they completely reboot the franchise and cast another Wolverine?
The short answer: I hope not. At least, not yet. Dafne Keen plays a very convincing young Wolverine and her character has all the potential to be developed in the future by Marvel. If they were to go into the direction of making X-23 become the Wolverine, I would be ready to buy a ticket right now.
However, If Marvel and Fox were to begin rebooting the Wolverine franchise too soon before Jackman’s departure, they can risk a complete bomb of a movie, because Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is so close to the hearts of fans around the world. It can be arguably said, there will never be anyone as perfect as Jackman for the role of Wolverine. My proposition is to let it resonate in the minds of fans until there comes the time that another actor can step up to the plate and fill Jackman’s big shoes.
