Movie #139 2021: Logan (2017)

Well holy crap. You all said this was the best X-Men film, and you really weren’t lying, were you? Not only is it completely different to any other movie in the franchise, but it’s like… a proper movie?! It’s a blockbuster, sure, but it’s also kind of a masterpiece?! I HAVE SO MANY EMOTIONS.

Logan rounds up the story of Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine, who appeared in a grand total of ten movies across the franchise. Impressive. In the not too distant future, Logan has escaped to Mexico with Patrick Stewart‘s frail Professor X in an attempt to shelter himself from the rest of the world. Masquerading as a chauffeur, Logan is hiding in plain sight but is slowly deteriorating and fading into the background until one day a young mutant turns up in need of help. Played by newcomer Dafne Keen, young Laura comes into Logan’s life and he quickly realises that they are more similar than they are different.

Firstly, I watched this movie at 11am. I was not prepared for all of these emotions in broad daylight 😭

From the very first scene, the standard of the direction here is clearly the most technical and inspired of all the X-Men movies. The precision and ingenuity of each shot provides a subtle blend of superhero blockbuster with auteurist art house film that just completely works. Logan is yet more proof that James Mangold is one of the best directors working today, and although I’m yet to see the black and white version of this movie, I can only assume that it’s even better.

Plot wise, the first thirty minutes are taken up mostly by backstory and it gets off to a slow start if you’re not all that invested in the characters. But after that? Phwoar, it goes a mile a minute. What we end up getting is a stunning hybrid of Western/action/superhero movie goodness and it is pure brilliance. 

Of course Hugh Jackman is great, but something about Patrick Stewart’s performance in this film blew me away. Not only does he show a charming, funny side to Charles Xavier, but he plays anguish so well here. I can’t exactly go into the details of his role in this movie, because it’s perhaps one of the biggest spoilers within it, but just know that he’s goosebump-inducingly good. And Dafne Keen? What a revelation. There have been rumours in the past that she will return as Laura (or X-23) in another X-Men movie, with James Mangold also expressing that he’s eager to make it, and I’m not surprised. There are a lot of good things about this movie, but boy, she’s nearing the top of the list.

Though the third act has some pacing issues, Logan is far and away the best film in this franchise (so far at least). It’s both entertaining in its content and super emotional thanks to some stellar performances, and it’s been rather difficult to review here due to spoiler issues. If you want to watch only one movie in this franchise, this is by far and away the best one technically.

I don’t think it’s perfect, but it’s not far off.

Logan is available to rent on Amazon, Sky Store and Apple TV for £3.49 in the UK.

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Overall Rating: ½