Goes against the grain and it pays off big time!

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2017)

Logan
From Logan's first cinematic appearance back in 2000's X men it was obvious to anyone unfamiliar with him that he was something special. A character with depth and intrigue. Part of us the audience could relate to the inner rage that we in the real world cannot and should not let out. Marred by PG ratings in order to cater for a child friendly audience the first two solo outings failed to hit the mark. But Wolverine isn't for kids. He's not Superman. No flashy red and blue tights. He has razor sharp blades that pierce through his flesh and out of his hands. He kills people up close and personal. When that rage finally ignites the violence is catastrophic. With Logan the filmmakers have strived to get it right. One final stab (pardon the pun) at putting the real Wolverine up there on the silver screen. Hugh Jackman and James Mangold were adamant that this be so or they would walk away from the project. No compromises, no dilution. Thank god they didn't walk as this is probably one of if not the best X men movie ever made.
Set in 2029. Logan scrapes together a living as a limo driver in order to care for a very ill Charles Xavier. The Professor is suffering from dementia. The worlds most powerful mind is decaying and by doing so it causes him to have seizures that can kill all those around him. All other mutants are now gone. Not a single birth in over twenty years, or so they believe. The professors brain is now classed as a weapon of mass destruction. An incident that occurred in Westchester is partially explained to be the cause of the X men's demise. Something that Xavier no longer recalls as Logan tries to hide him from the painful truth. Another burden for our clawed hero to bare. Due to Charle's continual brain malfunctions Logan hides him away and struggles to care for him. Logan has health issues of his own. His regenerative capabilities are failing and the Adamantium that covers his skeleton is slowly poisoning him. Logan is at his end. He contemplates suicide with a single Adamantium bullet that he carries around. Only when a young girl by the name of Laura shows up on his doorstep desperately in need of the Wolverines help does he find new added purpose. Reluctantly so, but nevertheless he has no choice but to help. Logan is more of a western/ road trip movie rather than that of the Superhero genre. A bold choice that pays off. There are no over the top explosions here. The action is grounded yet extremely violent. If like me you've been waiting to see Wolverines berserker rage realised to its full potential then this is the movie for you. Heads roll, blood spurts and limbs are severed. But never does the violence seem forced. It is earned, called for and extremely well staged. Each slice and dice has an impact on the audience. We can almost feel the sharpness of those Adamantium blades. Violence and action aside it is the dramatic scenes of this film that really steal the show. The interaction between Jackman and Stewart is a thing of beauty. Oscar worthy perhaps? The father and son relationship is conveyed to tear jerking effect. Stewarts performance as an elderly cantankerous, confused shell of his former self is upsetting yet mesmerizing to behold. Jackmans portrayal of a broken more human Wolverine convinces you to love this character even more. The final moments of the film pull at the heartstrings like a herd of bolting horses because of Logan's new found humanity. Then there's Laura/X23 played superbly by the young Dafne Keen. A performance that makes you sit up in your seat. She's sweet, vulnerable, innocent and feral all at the same time. Able to convey a range of emotions just through facial expression. Her mannerisms and body language become chilling at the first sign of her metallic claws. Laura's first scene of extreme violence is probably the most memorable from the entire film. Even Wolverine himself cannot believe his eyes. "Logan she's like you, very much like you!" My only gripe is the introduction of X24. A Wolverine clone. It's Jackman but made to look younger and with less hair. For me this reminded me of the over the top Samurai villain from the previous film. I believe that X24 slightly detracts this film away from its grounded tone. Could there have been a better way of creating a Wolverine clone? Perhaps a slightly failed experiment. Something that didn't just look like Hugh Jackman in different clothes. However the more I dwell on this the more I lean towards the positive. I suppose the audience got a chance to see a version of Wolverine at his most brutal. Logan is a film that will benefit from revisits. Each time I watch this movie the more I think I will love it. I awarded Logan ten stars. I pondered at first. Does it really deserve such an high accolade? Yes I think it does. Not for the awesome action but for the smallest of perfections. The dialogue between two well seasoned actors. The range of emotions conveyed by Dafne Keen or even the brief but brilliant performance from Stephen Merchant as Caliban. A wonderful film. An awesome achievement that goes against the grain. Future movies of this genre need to take note. Big explosions just won't cut it anymore. If this is to be Hugh Jackmans last appearance as the Wolverine I think he definitely goes out on a high.