A dark difficult and sickening masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (12 March 2017)

After 17 years and 9 movies, we got to the end of the Wolverine saga. As sad as it may sound, it was such an end that generations would speak of it as the definite masterpiece of Marvel comics, and they would not be wrong.
After so many portrayals of Logan, Jackman really has no need to act as the character, as much as he actually is the character. Still, this movie pushed him to his utmost limits, demanding his very best acting skills and dedication that few actors would (dare I say could) do in a comic book movie. His portrayal this time is an extreme in pain, suffering and sorrow, unlike the previous movies where he was just filled with rage. So, the contrast itself is very interesting and it is, at time, so hard to watch. The "Old man Logan" is unable to walk (the constant limping and panting after running), to heal etc. which makes him more human than ever. That trait is something he has wanted from the very beginning of the franchise, and now that he finally gets it, he wants it all to end because of the pain he has been through. A complex and staggering performance that is to be inserted in acting textbooks.
On the other hand, Stewart's performance matches Jackman's in every way. The old and demented prof. X is one of the movies highlights, and the way Stewart depicts the aged and sick prof. X is as good as his portrayals in Shakespeare's plays. The impact that kind of acting and portrayal of characters has on the viewer is hard to explain. It leaves one filled with sorrow and disbelief, especially after knowing what happened in all of the previous movies.
The other actors did a decent job but really nothing worth mentioning. Jackman's and Stewart's performance carry the movie all the way and, without a doubt, are unmatched by anyone else in the movie.
One more thing to praise is the atmosphere. Now, comic book movies are filled with explosions, destruction, CGI monsters etc. Logan is a down to earth, western like drama that actually has no need for the classic comic book finale. The movie is driven by the miraculous acting and depiction of characters, alongside the psychological downfall of them all, so tension is present even without the CGI. A bold move that payed of.
Still, Logan has his downsides. The biggest one is the lack of context. While watching the movie and after seeing it, the main problem is the fact no one actually know what happened to the mutants, or how exactly did the world Logan lives in become so, well, ordinary (dare I say normal). There are some notions that clarify these question, but more should have been done in that department.
The part that needed more work is the relationship between Logan and Laura. Now, a few movies have done this type of relationship way better and more emotional (e.g. Man on Fire, and especially the masterpiece video game The Last of Us), so at the end when their emotions become vivid, one is left with the notion that more chemistry was needed. Maybe that is due to the fact that Laura doesn't say a single word until the very end of the movie.
All in all, Logan is a masterpiece and it is a fitting end to one of the most beloved characters in the X-men franchise. The violence, the pain and agony everyone is going through is exceptional and the actors who portray those emotions are stunning. X-men fans will worship it, Marvel fans will love it, and everyone else will become either a Marvel or X-men fan because of it.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you THE WOLVERINE.