A more vulnerable Wolverine/Logan
15 | 2h 17min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi | 1 March 2017 (UK)
Logan is the 10th film in the Wolverine franchise. It’s very different from all the earlier ones. It’s 2029 and Wolverine/Logan (Hugh Jackman) is being slowly poisoned from the inside and is not recovering from his wounds as he used to. Logan is an alcoholic struggling with his life and past. It’s the first time we see a vulnerable and uncertain Wolverine. Professor X (Patrick Stewart) is in bad shape too, slowly losing his struggle with Alzheimer’s and ALS, which is a major concern when his mind is a weapon of mass destruction! Logan has a melancholy feel and deals with themes of mortality and deterioration. Alongside that are bloody combat scenes. Though the scenes of violence are stylised they are not comic book. The script has quieter scenes which establish that the death of characters matter and that there is pain and suffering. Because we see Wolverine now as vulnerable the stakes for him (and emotionally for us, the audience) are higher in every fight scene. Logan is a much deeper and serious film than any other in this franchise.
The plot is fairly uncomplicated. At the start, Logan is attempting to isolate himself from the outside world. He is doing fairly well until a woman appears with an urgent request–that Logan shepherd an extraordinary young girl (Laura, played by Dafne Keen) to safety. He becomes involved despite his intentions and the film becomes a chase/road trip hybrid.
Logan draws on Westerns. He is like the aging, lone gunslinger trying to tap what is left of his humanity and compassion to do the right thing in the face of what seems like overwhelming odds. These references are made explicit as Laura watches 1953’s Shane on TV and when words from that film are woven into the plot. The villains are clearly black hat. Dr. Rice (Richard E. Grant) and Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) don’t have many redeeming features but both actors turn in fine performances within the limits the script gives to their characters.
Logan has delivered for fans. It is an adult film which deals with serious issues and brings a realistic feeling of closure to the story. It was a brave gamble to make a film like this but it has turned out to be a winning bet.
Reviewed by Pat Harrington
Counter Culture 