Today’s quick review: Logan. In the year 2029, mutants have all but died out. Logan (Hugh Jackman) works a mundane job while struggling with an illness that has slowed his healing factor to a crawl. Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) now suffers from a neurological disorder and must be cared for in secret by Logan. But their meager lives are interrupted when Logan is hired to take Laura (Dafne Keen), a young mutant, across the country and away from her pursuers.
Logan is a superhero film in the X-Men series. Taking place at the end of the X-Men timeline, Logan is by far the most bleak of the X-Men films, showing a version of the X-Men universe that has given way to entropy and decay. Logan and Charles are all that remain of the X-Men, and their respective illnesses have reduced them to shadows of their former selves. Out of options and out of time, Logan and Charles embark on one last journey together.
As a drama, Logan is unusually effective. The weakened state of its protagonists, the lack of allies to turn to, and the world that has passed them by all contribute to the sense that Logan and Charles are fighting a losing battle. The appearance of Laura offers them a glimmer of hope, a chance to be heroes again, but she brings with her trouble that they may no longer be equal to.
As a superhero movie, Logan is unusual. The dark tone and reduced cast do away with the unbending optimism that is typical of the genre. The movie makes the most of its R rating, with copious amounts of swearing and the unfettered gore that previous Wolverine movies lacked. The flurries of action should please any Wolverine fan hoping for the character to cut loose, but the focus of the movie is on its characters rather than its action.
Watch Logan if you are interested in a weightier than usual take on the superhero genre. Fans of the bright, colorful side of the X-Men may want to sit this one out due to its departure from the other movies in terms of tone and style. But as a sendoff for two of the franchise’s most beloved actors, Logan is well-conceived and well-executed.
8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for high dramatic quality and intense action; your score will depend on how well you like the tone.