Logan (Film Review)

"Logan, you still have time"
Hugh Jackman closes the book on everyone's favourite Anti-Hero mutant of the X-Men series.
This was perhaps the toughest, greatest and most violent Marvel film I've ever seen! Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart gave their best performance ever in the X-Men film series...
Full of emotional conflict, gory and epic fights and an unforgettable conclusion, Logan is a true must see no matter what.

In the year 2029, mutants are almost extinct after a deadly virus was created by the Transigen Project. James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) now past-his-prime is a chauffeur and has aged greatly and his healing factor has begun to falter and the Adamantium within him is slowly poisoning his body.
Struggling to live life by the bottle and accept that everyone he's ever cared about is gone, he continues his life living reclusively with Caliban (Steve Merchant) and giving prescription drugs in Texas to an old and senile Charles Xavier (Sir Patrick Stewart).
But everything changes when he reluctantly takes on a job where he must help escort 11-year-old Laura (Dafne Keen) from Mexico to North Dakota to a safe haven because she's wanted by Transigen and she might share a lot more with Logan than he could ever imagine.

Hugh has starred in all 9 X-Men films (except for Deadpool) making this film to be the 10th instalment in the franchise and ultimately, the end to his 17-year-long reign as the clawed mutant. He has come a long way from being the stubborn man who unleashes his power with his huge muscles, blood boiling rage and indestructible metal body and claws at the ready, with his healing factor working double time.
But now we come to the end in his story and what a conclusion it is. I feel that the X-Men film series is beyond complicated but also a Marvel Film Series full of upsetting sorrow and mixed prejudice for the mutants to suffer with for being different to the world. Nevertheless, it's a unique series about x-traordinary characters both good and bad. And I've always respected and adored the "friend enemy" relationship between Professor X and Magneto. I need to read more of the comics someday.
I found this page which explains the X-Men movie timeline and is worth a read if you too still find yourself scratching your head about what has happened and what has changed thanks to Days Of Future Past.

I've loved his character since watching the Tv series and the Spider-Man Tv series too when I was a kid in Primary School to this date. He has played a character who talks and not to mention fights tough and aggressively but deep down he has a heart. He's done what he feels is right and that's a code that I admire instead of always doing things too heroically which can still affect you as most superheroes end up losing preciously than winning. His story has always been sympathetic and sad with amnesia and loss from different versions from series, to film adaptions and comic-book originals.
But he always pushed on which made him a symbol and an unforgettable character out of a team that Deadpool calls a "boy band". Even Wade loved to push his buttons and they both have mixed adventures of fighting together as well as each other (same goes for other heroes except they didn't want to fight him).

And in a funny way, since my X-Perience at the DOFP Premier with Kurt, I've had a giant board tucked down my bed and it's served me well. Logan has been watching over me since May 2014. But now I need to move him to my workspace where we have a big wall for him and the others to shine better. Plus it's hard to look at him right now after seeing the film ha.

I'm glad I saw the film yesterday with Franklin. He's a big Marvel fan like Kurt who knows as much as me which makes it comforting that we were both on the same wavelength and knowledge level to discuss in the car and afterwards. After eating at Frankie & Benny's near the cinema, I saw Maxine just before we were finishing. I even ended up seeing Henny in the IMAX too and I'm sure we'll be catching up next week too.

The cinematography is superb and full of jaw-dropping gory carnage (even more intense than Deadpool). The story grabs your heart at seeing old men suffer whilst struggling to carry on living whilst also surprising you with a glimmer of hope for Mutants after a new discovery. And for the adrenaline, blood splattering and slice and dice junkies, this film will overload you as you experience awesome yet truly gruesome killing and choreography from both clawed mutants. Heads and limbs coming off and shish kebab stabbing everywhere will not be easy for people who can't handle strong violence and language. It was brilliant how Laura gave the baddies back their minion's head ha.
Plus the film pays homage to classic westerns including Shane, how we not only see Xavier and Laura watching a part from the film but how Laura uses the famous quote herself in the ending. Plus the final moment also pays homage to The Cowboys, how honour was displayed for the hero!

It was truly intense and hard to watch 2 characters struggle emotionally and come to terms with their current place in time. I don't know how I'd be able to cope in a dystopian future like this where you feel so alone and helpless yet you have someone with you who feels the same and all you have is each other despite how broken you both feel.

However, Laura was a great addition to the film as she played a good silent character who keeps us intrigued at her background history and understanding her relation to Logan. Plus she showed some real badass and truly incredible choreography when fighting as if she was a spitting image of someone we know, only the opposite sex. The actress is really acrobatic and I do wonder if they censored a lot of the blood on set so that she wouldn't be scarred from it all haha. Her battle cry is just like Logan's which I like about her!

Our baddy responsible for this awful future is a surprising one, he's a well famous British actor who I won't spoil as you need to see for yourself. He's the son of a man responsible for Logan's transformation so long ago.

But his relentless minions are really tough and persevering team called The Grim Reavers, a team of cybernetic-ally enhanced criminals led by Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook). His character was interesting because he showed interest in Logan since "being a huge fan" but also showing how serious he is, like a bad guy who knows what he's up against.

And another actor to mention was the albino Caliban who I managed to work out was being played by the comedian (Stephen Merchant). He looked almost unrecognisable except for the accent. His role and backstory was surprising but I had a feeling that he still had some honour within him despite feeling stuck like his friends.

My heart weeped for when Charles ended up having another seizure and ended up doing a lot of damage to everyone around him and only his friend can suppress him with drugs like a carer. It must be truly heartbreaking for you to lose control and end up hurting the people that you've dedicated your life to protecting and uniting against prejudice and fear. It even hurts more when he remembers what's happen to the other X-Men and that this isn't the first time it's gotten this bad.
Least you'll giggle when you hear him swear several times in the film which adds some humour to this dark film at least!

The music is a mixture atmosphere for this emotional epic superhero film. The piano tracks gives off a sorrow tempo with that edgy feeling of darkness emitting in the atmosphere. Plus some tracks like "Old Man Logan" and "Don't Be What They Made You" are truly emotional tracks which even if heard without the scene make you feel such a stir of sadness which is what the film's main feeling portrays.
Whilst "X-24" deals that siren of astonishment at the character's horrifying reveal which was also the most unforgivable way to say farewell to someone... *sobs*.
Marco Beltrami did a great job on the soundtrack like he did for the previous Wolverine film in the trilogy, The Wolverine. I also love the track "Hope" from DOFP is a great piece along with the all famous Theme from all the films heard in the beginning and ending credits!

I was kinda hoping for some Johnny Cash to be available in the soundtrack CD of songs like how "Hurt" was perfectly used in the trailer and sums up the film in a nutshell. And the song "The Man Comes Around" is a bittersweet song name and closing song to end the mythology of the Wolverine.

The ending can only be described as putting the Heroic H for the term, Honour! To go down fighting is what we'd expect of him, giving it his all and screaming his magnificent battle cry for the most loyal reason. The X was the icing on the cake, not in a good way but the way that we should have closed the film on *sniffs* and *salutes*. I would have preferred for him to have walked off into the sunset with company, instead... It's gonna get me everytime now like when Thorin says farewell to Bilbo.
I still can't believe that this all happened (even though it's a film) it's so hard to accept right away. I haven't actually gotten round to yet reading the graphic novels The Death Of Wolverine or Old Man Logan because I wasn't sure if the film would take much inspiration from either or both. Now that I've seen it, I need to somehow read them to see the difference and deepen my knowledge.

This film was beyond incredible and deserves every ounce of appraisal possible. In a way, it's the ending to the X-Men series but then again it might not be for good. I was a bit annoyed to not have any flashbacks or more showing off the timeskip from Apocalypse to here or even the virus outbreak.
It leaves the movie with missing plot and feels unfinished.

But it's not all sad, check out The Graham Norton Show episode with Hugh, Patrick and Sir Ian McKellen where they get together to laugh (too bad he wasn't in the film). I love this picture ha.

So even though our Anti-Hero who I admired has put away the claws for good, it feels bittersweet and emotional to accept but the X-Men could still continue after or before this masterpiece. Over time, things will come to pass and this will be forever known as Hugh Jackman's greatest performance ever, as the Wolverine!

However... on a more positive note, this was released the day after the film's release which will lighten the mood and did for me when I saw it on Saturday *winks*.