Hugh Jackman’s name has become synonymous with the MARVEL character Wolverine, a mutant with the capability to regenerate no matter how devastating the injury he incurs. One of Professor Xavier’s X-Men, Wolverine, whose real name is Logan, serves as the anti-hero. He’s conflicted about his special powers, and would rather be left alone than forced into a situation where his claws come out.
Jackman has played the beloved MARVEL character in seven previous movies, and Logan, where he reprises his role, is noteworthy for two reasons; Jackman gives his final performance as the well-known character, and this is the first of his Wolverine movies that is rated R rather than PG-13. How does Jackman’s run as Wolverine, who he has played since X-Men premiered in 2000, come to an end?
Prior to the start of the movie, my husband Mike gave me the Cliff Notes version of the previous films involving Wolverine. “He’s a conflicted hero and a loner, who kind of cares about people even though he’d rather not. Wolverine is the ultimate bad-ass, who’s not the squeaky clean super hero. Just like his claws, he has an edge; he drinks and smokes, and is a brooding soul.”
Mike’s background information was useful as I had never seen any of the Wolverine-centered movies myself. With that being said, I was able to follow the story line with very little confusion. While I might not have understood every reference, ultimately I was able to enjoy the movie, even though it was extremely violent, and not the kind of film I’d normally embrace.
Wolverine, who is caring for an elderly Charles Xavier, is increasingly growing more weary of life himself, going through the motions of trying to pretend to live a normal yet anonymous life. His body is aging, and his soul is equally as tired. It is when he encounters a woman and a young girl that his life radically changes. While he initially shuns their presence, ultimately the young girl, whose name is Laura, helps fill the void that he never acknowledged was even there.
Logan is action packed and downright gory at times. I’ll admit I shielded my eyes a few times, especially when unfortunate bad guys on the screen lost theirs. (Yes, when I reference “lost theirs” I am indeed speaking of their eyes. Eeeewww!)
I was very impressed with Dafne Keen, who plays Laura. From the looks of her, one would never think she could star opposite Hugh Jackman and hold her own, but, trust me, she does! Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Charles Xavier, and, according to Mike who has seen Stewart in this role before, “He’s as good as he always is.”
Mike thoroughly enjoyed the last on screen appearance by Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and agreed with the film’s R rating. “The R rating gave the director more capability to explore the Wolverine story in all its gruesome glory. Hugh Jackman was exceptional, and even though his temper flared, it was never without just cause. It was interesting seeing his character fully evolve.”
If you’ve never seen any of the Wolverine movies, and don’t mind a lot of bloodshed, you’ll appreciate Logan. If you’ve been an avid MARVEL movie fan, Logan doesn’t disappoint!
P.S. Enjoy the Deadpool 2 trailer at the beginning of the movie, where you get a glimpse of Ryan Reynolds’ . . . Eh, I’ll let you see for yourself. Already looking forward to 2018!
Movie times: click here
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Director: James Mangold
Actors: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
Rating: R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity
Running Time: 2 hours 17 minutes
