LOGAN is a nihilistic western crossed with a neo-noir all disguised under the hood of a superhero/ mutant hero movie.  It is 2029 as Logan aka the Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is aging and sick plus his healing factor isn’t working like it used to.  He is working as a limo driver under a fake name as he saves up money to buy a boat for him and a dementia ridden Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) whose mental powers have gotten out of control and requires constant drugs to sedate him.   Logan reluctantly helps an 11 year old girl named Laura in her mission to get to a place called Eden in North Dakota where she will be safe with a lot of genetically engineered mutants that escaped from a biotech company named Transigen.   Transigen is looking to destroy all of these escaped children with the help of their cyborg hunters and the next genetically engineered human known as X-24.

 

LOGAN is a road trip movie and it is also about finding a purpose at the end of your life.  It is a different world as mutants are becoming extinct.  Hugh Jackman is great again as Logan aka Wolverine, but the relationship between Logan and Charles is very endearing.   Patrick Stewart gives his best job as Professor X this time (as he plays it part sane, part crazy, and part fragile).  LOGAN also reflects the current times and it makes it a very timely movie if you look at the events going on in the background as Logan drives his limo.  The movie does have plenty of Easter eggs for long time fans of the comic book character.  The only misstep I think they did with the role was have Laura be so young and it misses the chance of building a franchise around the Laura/ X-23 character (but I hear this movie is in a separate universe from the current X-MEN movies)  It is the best Wolverine movie even though it is Jackman’s last performance in the role.   It will be interesting to see how Wolverine is reinvented when the role is recast.  Even though many of the movies Jackman appeared in as the character weren’t perfect, his take on the character was always on target and he will be missed in this role as LOGAN proves to be a bittersweet swansong. 

 

This review is ©3-8-2017 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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