A Fond Farewell to a Ferocious Friend

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2017)

2013's Wolverine saw Jackman's clawed curmudgeon join forces with Hollywood-heavyweight Mangold for some brooding fun that was decidedly more down-to-earth. Back together for Logan, Mangold has not only kept his distinct strengths of tone and combat, but has ramped up the quality & gravitas rarely seen in a blockbuster. In one of the most brutally and beautifully made superhero films of all-time, Logan gives audiences an experience full of gasps, laughs, and thrills& buckets of blood. Taking place in the near-future, we find our invincible anti-hero trying to live a quiet life, driving a limo, and taking care of his dangerously senile father-figure Xavier; yet his world is far from boring, especially when a girl with familiar powers appears. The emotional anchor here is the Logan / Charles relationship; watching them deal with weakening bones, a changing world and oncoming dementia is powerfully relatable. However, the action is far from dormant. Keen is a fantastic mutant newcomer, grunting and fighting in ways that Logan himself doesn't have the virility for anymore. Instead, he lumbers through his fights with vicious intensity and careless selflessness. And when I say "vicious", I mean "vicious"; this is NOT your kids X-Men. The R-rated door Deadpool knocked down has allowed Logan to violently dance on the other side. If you've ever felt like Wolverine's claws and fury felt neutered in a PG-13 world, fear no more. However, the violence is to a purpose; we're shown the difficult effects in honest and effective ways, especially in the jarring use of children. All-in-all, it's a perfect send-off for one of the most successful character / actor collaborations in movie history, and is far-and-away the greatest X-Men film yet.