Little Miss Sunshine meets Fury Road (...and it's totally awesome!)

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2017)

Many people are saying here that this is the second-best superhero movie of all time - putting only Nolan's Dark Knight out front. I have to disagree on that: the greatness of Logan is that it is brilliant human drama. By comparison, Dark Knight was superficial and forgettable. It had superb cinematography, clever writing, and a standout performance by Ledger. But was there a single moment that pulled at your heartstrings? Was there a message that stayed with you, or made you think? I don't think so. Dark Knight was style over substance. To the extent that it did have a message, it was Nolan's disturbingly neo-conservative view of power and authority (google it - I'm not the first one to notice). Logan, on the other hand - though it also was beautifully shot and expertly crafted, was about substance over style. That's a first for superhero movies. And it's why this film should be the first of its kind (and especially Jackman and Stewart's performances) to be (seriously) recognized by film awards.
The other major comparison is with Deadpool. Sigh. Yes, it's probably true that the success of Deadpool is the reason the studio was willing to take a chance with the 'R' rating for Logan, and allow for some of the grittier elements. But while Deadpool was generally enjoyable and did have a few clever jokes, on the whole it was (and I'm sure to make some enemies here) a movie crafted by and for men with the emotional maturity of 14 year-old boys. Most of the humor was either scatological or sexual, of the sort that evokes belly-laughs from psychologically-stunted males and alienates the other 51+ percent of the population of the earth. As such, it hardly represents an evolution of the comic book movie.
Here's my list of reasons why Logan represents a *genuine* departure from and evolution of the superhero genre: -The 'R' rating wasn't just an excuse to include foul language or sexually exploitative content. There was a lot of swearing, but it reflected the real feelings and experiences of the characters, and never felt cheap or gratuitous. Even the brief boob shot in the movie doesn't feel exploitative, but fits naturally into the (actually achingly sad) early scenes depicting Logan's diminished state - showing how he has been reduced to the role of a limo driver for drunken party girls and raucous frat boys. Those scenes are there to say: here is the great Wolverine, driving cab, and no one even notices... His resigned look and weary half-chuckle in the rear-view mirror perfectly punctuate that scene. The message is also very timely. It says: these days, even 'superheros' have to take whatever sh*t job they can get to make ends meet. There is a strong (but subtle and well-played) current of dystopic social commentary running throughout the film.
-This film is as - or more - violent than other comic book movies. Nevertheless - and this struck me more than anything - what defined *all* of the male protagonists in this story was the fact that they performed nurturing, caring roles. I can't stress how unusual this is - and not just for superhero movies. There wasn't a lead-female role in this movie (an adult one, I mean - the female who is normally there to provide the boobs and be an attractive distraction for the male lead). Rather, what we have here is three men taking on traditionally female duties: Xavier attempts to care for Logan's soul (as indeed he had in the past) and for Laura. Caliban tends like a nurse to both Xavier and Logan (even ironing their shirts!). Logan too has become a care-giver to the aged Xavier, administering his medication and helping him get to the bathroom. Think about it: in any other movie, *all* of those things would have been delegated to the token female character. Yes, Logan is still a hardened killer; but all his swagger and machismo are gone - worn away by age and mounting misfortune; what he does now he does joylessly, only to protect those in his care. And, most of all, Logan undergoes the sea-change of becoming a father (for all intents and purposes). What we are given in this film is a touching (and desperately needed) depiction of the evolution of our thinking about masculinity. And while there are many other things to praise about 'Logan' - most of which have been discussed at length by other reviewers - this is what strikes me as its most valuable contribution. Thanks, James Mangold, for having the courage to take it there. Let's hope it starts a trend.