'Logan' Review- This Is A Lackluster Wannabe Film
This movie was released in 2017.
Logan is a late entry into the FOX X-Men Universe that is directed by James Mangold who also co-wrote. Warning, this review contains massive spoilers because, quite frankly, I don’t care.
In 2029, Mutants are no longer being born. There are only a few left as humanity reels from the events of the previous films. The former X-Man named Logan aka The Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) makes a living driving a limousine as his healing factor is slowly wearing out. He takes care of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart), a shadow of himself, with the help of a former villain named Caliban (Stephen Merchant).
He is approached by Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook), who wants information about a nurse and a little girl named Laura (Dafne Keen). After Laura smuggles herself onto Logan’s property, the Ravagers come for her. This starts a chase across the country to try to get “Eden” a place where the mutants can be safe.
If this movie had just been another “anti-Western” like No Country For Old Men, I might have enjoyed better. When you go into a film that is part of a franchise, you have a certain expectation. None of those expectations were met. None. Zero.
As far as visuals, the movie is great. The actors are superb, the cinematography fantastic, and the music score top notch.
It was the story and plot itself. It was sad, and depressing, and none of the characters had redeeming qualities. This is supposed to be a superhero movie where I can cheer for them, but instead, I watch these sad sacks drive across America for some reason.
Director Mangold took a formula that had been working and took a crap on it. I know that is graphic, but it is true. He made the worse X-Men ever and I’ve seen the third from the original trilogy.
I did not feel any empathy or emotion for the heroes. Even the little girl, Laura, was a freakin’ werewolf, even being willing to kill innocent people. I did not feel sorry for her one bit. If they had at least made her show a little emotion, I might have cheered for her. She is clearly not the X-23 that was introduced in X-Men: Evolution, instead it was a poor caricature of her.
Also, the lack of emotion when characters die, it’s just kind of cringe-worthy, nothing more. When Professor X dies, he just kind of, well, expires. It’s a terrible scene that was wasted on Wolverine bashing a truck. Then, it was just over. Where was the emotion? Where was the drive? Where was the closure? It was all so lackluster.
The only scene that stuck with me emotionally was the climactic battle. That was it. I could have just watched those last ten minutes and been happy. Everything else was a waste of time.
Everyone kept telling me the movie was edgy. It wasn’t. The Wolf of Wall Street and Casino still own the edginess for using the f-word, the Saw franchise still has violence, and Cormac McCarthy movies still own the sadness and ambivalence factor.
As an aside, I honestly think this is Mangold saying, “Hey, let me direct Blood Meridian!”
Basically, this movie was one large, missed opportunity. It missed the opportunity to spin-off a New Mutants franchise. It missed the opportunity to introduce Dakken. It missed the opportunity to send out Professor X with a bang. It missed the opportunity to seal Hugh Jackman’s legacy as The Wolverine. None of that was accomplished.
Bottom line, there are many ways to describe Logan. Unfortunately, “a good movie” is not one of those ways. To be frank, it is one of the worst X-Men films ever.
FAVORITE QUOTE: That’s my father, Chuck.
PARENTAL CONCERNS: Graphic violence, brief nudity, graphic foul language
Check out the trailer below:
PS: The Deadpool sequel teaser was lame.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, anime, or novel you would like me to review.