The second in an ongoing series of film conversations where
I track my daughter’s reaction after she’s been introduced to one of my
favorite movies.
**Spoiler alert** – I’ll tread lightly because the surprises are worth it, but If you don’t want to know what happens in the film, you should probably stop reading this now.
What’s the movie about?
A man’s burgeoning career as a chauffeur is upended when he’s introduced to a daughter he never knew existed. Embarking on a cross-country road-trip, he must contemplate difficult life decisions while stabbing multiple people in the head with his Adamantium claws.
Why did I pull this particular movie out of the cabinet?
Because it’s freakin’ Wolverine. He’s the best at what he does, and what he
does in this film isn’t very nice (finally!)
What did I think of the movie upon revisiting it?
It’s pretty damn close to being a masterpiece of the genre. This is not your standard comic book film,
there is no sense of adventure, very little humor, and no flashy costumes. It’s honestly kind of depressing…but in a
good way!
Why do I like it?
It’s the perfect send-off for one of the greatest actor/character castings of all time – Hugh Jackman IS Wolverine. Over seventeen years, if you include brief cameos, Jackman has made nine film appearances as Wolverine, he owns the role. I recall a lot of internet bellyaching over Jackman’s height being an issue (Wolverine is 5’3” in the comics) but I’m glad Tom Cruise didn’t play the part. I shudder to think of the poor bastard who’s expected to come in behind him when the MCU attempts the reboot, whoever gets the role is going to have big claws to fill.
The film subverts expectations all over the place; while Jackman has previously played the character as being a bit cantankerous, in Logan he’s pretty much a flat-out asshole. Old, bitter, and angry, he’s not living the life of a superhero, he’s an old man waiting to die who’s begrudgingly providing support for the elderly Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). Their relationship is strained, and Logan is decidedly unsympathetic towards Charles, for reasons which become clear later in the film.
Stewart plays the aged Xavier as a fragile old man,
frustrated and confused by his circumstances – it’s a brave performance. The formerly polished school teacher from
previous films is now frightened and vulnerable, but he still has moments of
genuine nobility. Dafne Keen plays the
newly introduced X-23, and Stephen Merchant rounds out the good guys as the
albino mutant Caliban. The bad guys come
in many forms including Boyd Holbrook as Pierce (a significant character from
the X-men comic universe) and Richard Grant plays the standard scientific
psychopath – Ben
Mendelsohn must have been unavailable.
As details of the production began to leak, much was made of
fans finally getting “a real Wolverine movie,” online debates raged as to
whether or not the film would be a “hard R.”
Over the course of seventeen years we’ve seen Wolverine fight hard, but
with the exception of his mansion defense in X-2, we’ve never really seen Wolverine’s
patented “berserker rage” onscreen.
Thankfully, Logan pulls no punches in that regard, those of us who’ve
waited to see a balls-to the wall Wolverine offering are richly rewarded –
limbs are sliced off, heads are punctured, and no character is ever truly safe
which raises the stakes of the overall film.
The ending of the film is a mixture of sadness and
satisfaction, both Wolverine’s death and a small graveside service are
incredibly poignant. If you’ve been a
fan of the comics or film series, the final scene of the film will stay with
you for a long time, I recall audibly gasping in the theater – it’s an
incredible sendoff.
Upon rewatch, what didn’t work for me?
It’s definitely not the feel-good movie of the year, so you
need to be prepared
