Good...But Also A Bummer

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2017)

There is absolutely no way I can review this film without touching on major spoiler territory, so BE WARNED.
When it was first announced that Logan was going to be an R-rated film, I was both excited and worried. Excited because it seemed we would finally see Wolverine bloody up his claws. Worried that said blood would be a pointless visceral thrill that would add nothing to the film.
I was wrong there.
Is there blood and gore in this film? Hell yes. But instead of being blood for the sake of blood, the violence displayed actually fits the overall feel and tone of the film. This is a dark and bleak story, Wolverine is in an understandably dark and bleak mood, and so is the action dark and bleak.
And speaking of dark and bleak, let me just offer up a bit of a warning before you see the film. It's sad. Very sad. If the trailer made you well up with tears, the actual movie will reduce you to a blubbering mess. If you don't curl up in the fetal position by the time the credits roll, then you are a brave, brave person in my book.
But that's part of what makes the film so appealing. It's not a traditional superhero movie. The whole world is not in peril, Wolverine is not fighting for the safety of everyone, and the heroes are not at all guaranteed to live to fight another day. Logan is anything but predictable, and that makes it a real breath of fresh air despite all its gloominess.
The acting is pretty great. Hugh Jackman excels as a grizzled old Wolverine whose wounds are no longer healing because the Adamantium inside his body has now begun to poison and hinder him. Patrick Stewart as a dying Professor X gives us emotions galore. Relative newcomer Dafne Keen is excellent as a young X-23, a clone mutant whose entire life has been a living hell of experiments and suffering.
Of course, these performances also speak to the talent of director James Mangold (Walk The Line, The Wolverine), who keeps the film taut and emotional.
The cinematography by DP John Mathieson (47 Ronin, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) is also top notch, making every portion of the film a joy to witness.
I can't find too much to complain about. The film seems a tad too long, but the convergence of emotional tangents at the tail end of the third act more than makes up for it.
As a long-time franchise fan, I can say that I both hated and adored the ending. Again, you will most likely cry your eyes out, so bring a box of tissues or something.
Despite the absolute anguish you will endure through the course of this film, I still highly recommend it. If you've been with the series and the character for this long, then you need to see this film, as it does close off Logan's character in a profound and deserving fashion.
One of the best uses of a superhero that's ever been put to film.
9/10