"Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior."

Rating: 8/10 (12 March 2017)

"The world is not the same as it was", nor will we ever be able to make it back. 'Logan' is the third and final chapter of the 'Wolverine' trilogy, and the very last for Hugh Jackman himself. James Mangold returns at the helm for the defining chapter, but does the movie deliver a satisfying end?
1. Following the present day events of 'Days of Future Past', there is no longer a threat of the mutant-terminating Sentinels, but that does not mean the future is bright. Set in the year 2029, the aged Logan, Caliban (Stephen Merchant) and Professor Xavier have isolated themselves in a deserted area near the Mexican border. With the sudden arrival of a mysterious young girl with powers identical to Logan's, they find themselves on the run and being hunted by forces with a devious agenda. The first positive thing about this, is that the plot is easy to follow. It honestly helps to have kept up with the franchise.
2. 'Deadpool' was the first X-Men related film to have ushered in a new age of comic-book violence, but 'Logan' certainly pushes it to a whole new level. The squeamish beware, cause when the claws come out, the bodies hit the floor in the most gruesome way. All credit to the effects team and James Mangold's direction, because the action is precise and you see every stab and slash when Logan or Laura/X23 engage in a fight. Apart from featuring an aged Wolverine, the story here is completely different. Also, even though it's set in the future, no apocalyptic events have taken place nor does the world need saving. The story is as personal as it gets.
3. No one should solely go see this movie for the bloody action, but for the superb performances and character arcs in this film. Hugh Jackman and of course the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart, deliver the best performances (as these characters) that we've seen in this franchise thus far. Compassionate yet heartbreaking is how I would describe the relationship between the two. Having known each other for many years, there is an obvious but silent father/son notion as we watch them interact with each other throughout. Another great thing, the movie isn't afraid to show the harsh realities of life, even for powerful mutant superheroes. There were so many times in this film in which my heart just went out to all these characters, simply witnessing their pain.
4. I hate to say a film as touching as this has flaws, but unfortunately it does. The first two-thirds of this film is absolutely brilliant, yet even with a simple story, things become convoluted. Firstly, a subplot is introduced in which Laura isn't the only child having been experimented on, and she herself has a mission to travel north and regroup with the other child refugees. This element does not lend a whole lot but rather distorts the personal story introduced in the beginning. Even though the children play a hand in the film's climax, I can't help but think it was only used to hype the action. When casting confirmed that actor Boyd Holbrook would be playing the vicious 'Reaver' leader Donald Pierce (as he is in the comics), I was ecstatic.
5. However, Holbrook's potential as a villain is completely wasted. Not only does he get little screen time, he is not at all intimidating nor does he feel like an actual formidable threat. Richard E. Grant as doctor Xander Rice turns out to be the true bad guy seeing as he is responsible for the forced experiments on the escaped children. However, the big reveal is that Dr. Rice has successfully created an exact clone of Logan, except under his control. This aspect comes out of left field and it's really up to the audience how they receive it. I personally thought this was a bad idea to introduce a clone as the antagonist seeing as they could have capitalized and not waste Donald Pierce as a character.
6. Lastly, it's hard not to talk about this movie without mentioning the scene-stealing performance of Spanish actress Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney/X23. Not only was she created with Logan's DNA, she definitely is the female version of him as in the comics. Their bond during the trip to find refuge is he only piece of thread that binds and saves the ending from being generic. The 'Reavers' end up being a faceless group of guys with robotic arms that are only there to be sliced and diced especially during the climax. With his body no longer bearing the capacity to heal, Logan succumbs to his wounds and dies not before Laura accepts him as her father. The sheer emotion of that scene captures you when Laura holds his hand as he lays dying.
7. Having been teary-eyed throughout, the final scene broke me like a twig. They gather around as she says goodbye to her father, but with Laura being the last to leave the site of his grave, she removes the wooden cross and positions it like an 'X' as Logan's headstone. That last moment caused the tears to streams down my face, with all that emotion came the realization that this beloved character that was a joy to watch since the year 2000... was now gone. As much as one might wish for a continuing story for Logan, this was the perfect end to which there is no coming back. Despite it's flaws, 'Logan' delivers and is undoubtedly the best 'X-Men' film we have gotten thus far.
Hugh Jackman and the Wolverine will forever be one, and his performances as this character can never be erased from our minds and especially our hearts. It surely hurts to see a beloved icon resign from glory, but as long as dedicated fans are alive....'The Wolverine' will never die.