Everything You've Been Waiting For & So Much More

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2017)

I rate Logan a 10 because there isn't an 11. I'll admit I initially approached it with some trepidation given the previous two films in the franchise. Wolverine is one of my two favorite comic characters (the first comic I bought for myself was Wolverine #42). I've read every Wolverine story ever written, so for me the first two films in the series were a pretty tremendous letdown. Their only saving grace is that Hugh Jackman was born to play Wolverine and brings his A game in each film, which are also buoyed to an extent by some other great actors like Liev Schreiber. The story lines have been cut and paste jobs that just didn't work and we've been denied Wolverine's true nature because of a millstone like PG-13 rating. Everything wrong in those films is instantly rectified in Logan. Its clear that a lot of source material was incorporated into this film, and while not a strict retelling of any one story line; it treats the material with the respect it deserves. We finally get to see Wolverine go berserk; his feral rage unleashed until everything around him is dead. But, with an R-rating I certainly expected that. What I didn't expect was a great plot with great characters, and I'm not the first to suggest that a couple Oscar nominations wouldn't be out of line. A lot of people might dismiss that, but I assure you that only means they didn't see the film. Logan works so well because it is a great film set in a superhero universe, instead of a superhero film. There's a depth to the characters that's been missing in almost every film of this genre except for possibly in Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker. The story isn't afraid to follow things to their darkest possible conclusion, often leaving you on the edge of your seat wondering if they are really going where you think they are, and then they do. There are times that will have you holding back tears. The action is great without feeling gratuitous, rather its a product of the world in which these characters exist, and so rather than violence for violence's sake the audience is thrust into something akin to the Omaha Beach landing in Saving Private Ryan instead of the island compound destruction from Commando.
Most people by now realize that they are introducing X-23 in this film. This was another decision that both excited and frightened me. X-23 is an awesome character, but I had a host of practical considerations for trying to bring such a young version of this character to life on screen. I was floored by Dafne Keen's portrayal of X-23 from both a dramatic standpoint as well as her capability in the action. Obviously there were stunt doubles and CGI used, but its done so seamlessly that you truly believe in how dangerous and capable this preteen killing machine is. Thus far I can't remember such a performance by so young an actor as evidenced by my lack of ability to come up with a comparison.
Logan isn't about franchise building. I'll save you the seat time if you want to leave at the end: there is no sneak preview for the next film in the franchise. That very fact is Logan in microcosm. This isn't another tale in a series, in fact you could watch it without having ever watched any of the previous films and not feel like you missed anything. Logan is a great film in every sense, and is putting the entire industry on notice that the bar has been substantially raised because its going to be THE standard to which these films will be compared for decades. This is the first film in a very, very long time that I will definitely see in the theater more than once. If like me you only get out to a handful of films a year make this one of them. You will not be disappointed.