Perfectly executed to a newcomer of the X-Men series

Rating: 10/10 (6 March 2017)

Going into this film on Friday 3rd of March at the cinema with 6 friends, I had very little idea of the events to have happened in previous X-Men and Wolverine films especially considering how much my friends knew about these two things so wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was R rated and saw the trailer for the first time one day I watched Logan. The start was straight into the action with a brief understanding of Logan being older than what fans are used to. Things continued but the movie really shines when X-23/Laura comes along and changes it up for the better. She is (at first) incredibly innocent, things change and she becomes a wolverine (clone-daughter) like child who still has those moments of innocence that is completely essential to her young character. The death of Professor Xavier is incredibly surprising but dreamlike as if it isn't happening. The progression of the film at one point felt slow as it was happening but once it came to a physically, mentally and emotionally draining end, I just wanted to cry (which I would have done if I was on my own) and the pacing felt absolutely fine as opposed to my original thoughts whilst watching it. The star of the film is definitely Dafne Keen as X-23/Laura who completely owned it. Although she spoke for only the last half of the film, mostly in Spanish but still plenty of English to go around, her acting skills are phenomenal and took the words from the title of an X-23 comic called "All new Wolverine", applied it to her own X-23 and cemented it to the film series of X-Men which is amazing. Her overall performance is beautiful especially considering how she has had one previous accreditation (in a TV series called The Refugees, alongside her real life father Will Keen) but also considering how perfect Dafne Keen is to play X-23. Although X-23 may be a psychotic angry but usually innocent character, Dafne Keen is the complete opposite in real life which is full proof of her acting ability. Completely separate from her acting ability is how Dafne Keen is an English and Spanish speaking child who is a Gymnast which is what the casting team was looking for. The element of her being both right for the role as X- 23 because of her acting and because of her real life attributes, she was and always will be perfect and the only person who could and should play as X-23. Through watching Logan, I have realised how obsessed with this film I really am. Dafne Keen as X-23 held me close to this film as I possibly could be and because of that, I am super grateful of her performance and now a massive fan of her current and future work. I can't wait for everything she will do later down the line which I will definitely watch no matter what it's about. If Dafne Keen didn't play X-23, I wouldn't have liked the film so she is essential to it for me. I'm 100% going to re-watch Logan (which I never do with films) and this time cry at the ending. Also please, I need more Dafne Keen as X-23 so give her to me in any way shape for form, just don't ever kill her character, please.