The Best Jackman-as-Wolverine/Logan performance by light years

Rating: 10/10 (3 March 2017)

I'll be real: since 2000 (and until last night) I've disliked or outright hated every Hugh Jackman performance as Logan/Wolverine. I thought that he was overdoing it and not seeming like the jaded, battle-hardened character who I came to love in the comics long before the movies were made. There was too much pep in his step and awkward mannerisms, even when Wolverine was supposedly in a great deal of mental pain. I LOVE a few of the X Men films, but I never bought into Jackman's portrayal.
But this film is a gem. It was the ultimate sendoff for two actors who are retiring iconic characters. Jackman nailed the nuances and behaviors of the comic character this time. It was also my favorite Patrick Stewart-as-Professor X performance. I just wish that it didn't require this film's story's brutal circumstances to bring it out of them. I wish that Jackman had always played Wolverine in a similar manner throughout his run.
The story is outstanding. It has great, gritty character development, real tension (unlike most comic movies) and moments of profoundly deep emotions (again, unlike most comic movies). A couple of years ago I would have laughed if you told me that I was going to shed a tear at the end of Jackman's run as Wolverine. But it happened.
If I have only one very slight complaint it's that the absence of many other mutants is never quite thoroughly explained. Maybe the studio wants to do other films to fill in those gaps.
But that slight deficiency will not cause me to lower my ten star rating. This movie is now my favorite X Men or X Men-related film.