Not your typical superhero blockbuster

Rating: 8/10 (8 March 2017)

I went to see this last night. I haven't seen every X-Men movie but I didn't feel I'd be missing out on too much judging by the premise and reviews I read. Logan (wolverine), Charles Xavier (professor X) and a mutant called Caliban - who I wasn't familiar with - are keeping a low profile on the Mexican border. All the other mutants are gone. Logan is struggling with ailments and doesn't heal as quickly as he used to and has taken it upon himself to care for Xavier as he struggles with a degenerative brain condition. They're trying to see out their days in anonymity when their peace is interrupted by a woman and a girl trying to make their way to Canada while being tracked by dark and sinister forces. It concentrated more on story-line for the plot immediately going forward rather than going into the back story in any great detail. I think this made it more watchable for anyone who hadn't been following all the previous films. Normally superhero movies are written and made with the widest audience in mind. So typically their suitability tends to be from an early teenage audience upwards. Sometimes pg for the widest audience possible. I assume one of thoughts going into the making of this film was that those who have been following the franchise since the very first X- Men movie are that much older now. So, rather than making a superhero movie, a movie was made that happens to have superheroes in it. As a result, if strong language was needed to emphasise emotion or intensity it was put in without effecting the demographic audience. The same with violence to portray conflict and rage. I read one review that said it played out more like a futuristic western than a superhero movie and I got that feel too in places. Indeed there were a few references to, and clips from an old western (the name escapes me) with Jack Palance. Do I think all these factors had any detrimental effect on the potential and actual audience? Well there were only three or four seats left when I was buying my ticket and there were reactions from the audience during the movie, so no. The action never seemed too contrived or artificial relative to the content of the movie and any cgi was minimal and blended in well with the scene. When things got slow it was still carried well by the experience of the main actors so I never lost interest or got impatient waiting for when they got back to the action sequences. Overall it was worth the admission price.