"foX-Men" Re-Watch: Logan

 "Logan" (2017)

They say all good things must come to an end. So, it was only a matter of time for Hugh Jackman to end his time playing Logan. Few characters are as synonymous with an actor as Jackman is for Wolverine. Whoever gets cast as the hirsute Canadian X-Man has big shoes to fill. The was also supposed to the be swan song for Patrick Stewart playing Charles Xavier, but if you've watched the trailer for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" you know that isn't necessarily the case. Who knows? Maybe we haven't seen the last of Jackman playing Wolverine.

Principal photography on "Logan" began in May 2016 and finished in August 2016. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, Dafne Keen as Laura, Boyd Holbrook as Pierce, Stephen Merchant as Caliban and Richard E. Grant as Dr. Rice. The film was written by Scott Frank, James Mangold & Michael Green. It was directed by James Mangold. "Logan" premiered on March 3, 2017.

Father and son.

When James Mangold announced that he was making the third and final solo Wolverine film, it was also announced that it would be rated R. The first in the trilogy. It definitely earned it's R rating and at the time it ended it's run as the third highest grossing R rated movie of all time. "Logan" was critically acclaimed. It is the bet reviewed film of the "X-Men" franchise. It landed on the National Board of Review list of the top ten films of 2017. It was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay. Those are a shite ton of accolades for a superhero movie and I promise I have a point in bringing all this up at the top of this post. I know lots of people love "Logan." They swear by it. A lot of them are the same people who are crying because "The Batman" and "Moon Knight" aren't rated R. I am not one of those people and I have some unpopular opinions about this movie. So, buckle up. (And who knows, maybe they aren't as radical as I seem to think they are.)

The film is loosely based on Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's "Old Man Logan" story. A really brief synopsis: Years in the future, things aren't great. The majority of Earth's heroes are dead or missing/in hiding. America has been divided up and portions of it are ruled by Magneto, Dr. Doom etc. Red Skull is the President of the United States. There are even in-bred redneck Hulks. The main thrust of the story is Logan taking a job from Clint Barton to pay the inbred Hulks and protect his family. It's revealed that the Wolverine persona died 40 years ago. It's been 40 years since Logan popped his claws. That is pretty huge. And when he finally does, it's a huge moment in the story. "Old Man Logan" is a quintessential Wolverine story, to the point that it has it's own spin offs and  the world Millar and McNiven created continues to this day.

How's your head?

The reason that I bring that up is because I really wish the movie had sort of held to that formula a little bit. In "Logan," most mutants are dead. In 2029, there have been no new mutants born in 25 years. Logan is driving a limousine and is saving money to buy a boat for himself and a 90 year old Charles Xavier who is going senile and needs a medication to control the psychic seizures that he has. Seizures that can immobilize anyone in the vicinity. Turns out, it's not great when the world's most powerful psychic gets really old. Going into "Logan" I had really hoped that we would see Logan struggling against popping his claws. Some internal struggle, especially because he's old and his powers aren't what they used to be. Instead, we see him going HAM on some dudes trying to strip his limo for parts. Like, cutting off arms and legs, disemboweling, the whole nine. I really think that it would have been way more impactful if the first time Logan pops his claws is when Pierce and his men show up to take Laura back.

But the movie is working overtime, especially in these first like fifteen minutes to show everyone that this is a hard R rated Wolverine movie. The extreme violence in the first five minutes of the movie. The gratuitous use of the word "fuck." Honestly, when my ex-husband and I watched this movie the first time, it got to the point that we had to laugh because it felt like every other word out of Logan's mouth was "fuck." It's like he was making up for all those years and movies where he could say it maybe once a film. it was just comical. It's particularly off-putting when it comes to Xavier. I think Patrick Stewart is great in this movie. He's one of the high points for me. But it is really weird and not in a good way to hear Xavier say "fuck" as much as he does, particularly when we first meet him again. I get it. He's senile and I guess this is a way to illustrate that, but there is just something about it that I really hate.

The pacing of the movie is a little odd, too. It feels kind of top loaded, with lots of the action happening right up front. It slows down towards the middle with Logan, Laura and Xavier meeting up with a family and heading to their house. These people are the very definition of canon fodder. As soon as they are introduced, you know they are all destined to die. They are basically more motivation for Logan or more things for him to feel guilty about before he dies. It feels really cheap. They are clearly playing on your emotions and it's a trope that I really don't like and wish they hadn't employed. It hits a little weird too that the family is black and they are really the only prominent characters of color in the film and they are basically there just to be slaughtered. Sorry for that run on sentence. 

X-24 isn't really my favorite either. It's Jackman playing a mindless clone of himself and it seems like he exists basically so Jackman can have a young man vs old man Logan battle. I know people really loved it and were super into it, but I was not one of them.

I figured I'd end this talking about the things about "Logan" that I really enjoyed. I mentioned him briefly earlier, but I have to give it up for Sir Patrick Stewart. Just like Logan, he has really made this character his own and it was great to see him really be able to give him some closure. He gets to play new sides of Charles and seeing him play the senile version is really heartbreaking. The flashes of the old Xavier that we get to see just amp that up. I'm sure Stewart will be fantastic in "Doctor Strange 2" (if he's in it), but this is such a great swan song for the character, I'm kinda hoping it's some sort of misdirect.

Caliban. Sure.

Dafne Keen who plays Laura is a revelation. This was her breakout role and the talent here for a child actor is next level. Laura has barely any lines. She communicates mainly through growls and scowls, much like her "father," but you feel it. One place where the violence works is with Laura. Seeing this 10 year old girl letting her berserker out hits harder than Logan. I still gasp every time that harpoon goes through her. I do enjoy how the movie establishes this father/daughter relationship between Logan and Laura but it never feels forced or cheesy. There are tender moments, but there are moments of anger. There are tantrums and they hit literally harder when the child throwing the tantrum was literally bred to be a killer. It is absolutely believable that Laura would be so upset when Logan dies. And the tilting of the cross to form an "X" is a nice moment and the perfect way to end the film. 

Stephen Merchant is kind of an odd addition to the film as Caliban, but he works. This is clearly not the same Caliban from "X-Men: Apocalypse." He and Jackman have a great rapport and for some reason, I love these two super British actors playing against Jackman's gruff, surly, swearing Logan. Caliban's moment of self sacrifice hits me hard every time I see this movie and that is all because of Merchant's performance.

The action in "Logan" is top notch. I'm not a huge fan of uber like hardcore realistic violence like this, but it is well choreographed and well-done. Probably my favorite action scene is when Logan comes back to the hotel when Xavier is mid psychic seizure, using his claws to get him down the hallway and impaling them through the heads of various Reavers. It's really nicely done and kind of artful.

So, yeah, the big headline her is I don't love "Logan." I'm the outlier.

Next up, Ryan Reynolds is back and he's brought along Cable and Domino in "Deadpool 2."

Ok, I'm ready to hear why I'm wrong about "Logan" in the comments. Hit me with it.