Logan (2017)

[Kalo]

My review for Logan:

 

I had heard about how Hugh Jackman and James Mangold wanted to do the next wolverine different, and when I heard there were doing a take ( a very loose one mind you). on Old Man Logan, I was really excited. but what really got me excited for this movie was how passionate they seemed about getting this movie right, and how much the character meant to them, so they fought for an R rating and they got it, and they fought for Logan to stand on it's own and they got it.

 

The X-Men timeline is so messed up at this point it doesn't really matter, and Logan doesn't really do it any favors, but becuase it's is so out there and different it doesn't really matter, somone could come into this movie pretty much blind and still understand and enjoy it.

 

But what really makes this movie stand out from other Superhero fair is how personal it is, in fact if it weren't for the fact that Wolverine was in the film, this wouldn't be a superhero film at all, this is a movie about loss, it's about losing control, about aging and letting go. at it's core is a movie about family, about the relationship between father and son, and father and daughter, and such care is given to this intimate subject, that it drives the whole film. and the main reason this works is becuase how fantastic our three leads are this is the best performance I have ever seen Jackman give, it is the best I've ever seen Patrick Stewart, and new comer Dafne Keen completely stand on her own as Laura, a trouble mutant who Logan, with a little push from Charlie's, decides to take under his wing- sort of, and protect from the evil Mutant hunter Pierce, who is play excellently by Boyd Holbrook.

 

This film is so toned down compared to the average blockbuster, there are no massive set pieces, very little in the way of destruction, no cities are leveled and I love that, it's replace with character interaction, Logan taking care of Charlie's, making sure he takes his meds, even helping him go to the bathroom, and beucase this movie is striped of all the glamor, it is relatible, this is but people do in real life, sure we aren't mutants with retractable claws, but we all have someone to care for and have to deal with aging a degeneration, it is a part of life. losing control is one of the scariest things that could happen to us, and Logan is a rare film that touches on that subject, it is a movie almost devoid of hope, but there are little glimpses of it here and there, just enough so you can hold on and see what happens next, there is a part where a kind family of farmers take them in and Logan, Charles, and Laura have dinner with them and while it's not an action piece or glamorous, it turns out to be one of my favorite parts of the movie, becuase how well it is executed in the overall arching story of the film.

 

As far as technical aspects go they are pretty great, the long takes and lingering shots are gorgeous to look at. the action is brutal and bloody, but not all over the place, Mangold wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to do a western becuase that is really what Logan is. the score is used conservatively but is very fitting for the film, it is overall a very well made movie.

But I really love about this movie and I don't wanna get too into spoilers, but in most Superhero films, no matter how good some of them may be, there are always trying to sell the next one, every ending is open ended or leads to something else, with Logan there is finality to it, we known this is Logan's last ride, and the ending is heartbreaking but it is also perfect.

 

After 17 years Hugh Jackman has finally put up the well claws. and it's a perfect ending to his take on this character. Thank you James Mangold for getting this movie made, thank-you Hugh Jackman for giving us your all for this role, and Thank-You 20th Century Fox having having the balls to take a risk and let something truly unique be made.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Kalo

[cheesypoofs]

This movie is just fantastic. Great action, great storytelling, great acting, and it has heart. By far the definitive Wolverine movie. Top 3 fox superhero films, and one of the better superhero films in general.

[TheMovieman]

Didn't think it was fantastic but still entertaining mainly for Jackman more so than the plot and it was surprisingly predictable in some regards. I actually wasn't as emotionally invested as I thought I would be.

 

***¾/*****, (B+, 7.8/10, 3/4)

[Maxmoser3]

A big improvement from the last two Wolverine films. Lots of good things to say about Logan, James Mangold and Hugh Jackman turn the Wolverine character into not just a badass mutant but a very flawed human being who has seen a lot of stuff to not to be proud of and who has seen lots of  death in his life from the previous films. Hugh Jackman does his best performance as Logan, and brings some human to him while at the same time kicking ass, the human parts he does work great from his conversations in the human world to bonding with  his daughter

Patrick Stewart does a great job as Professor Xavier, and provides some humor to it as well. Speaking of humor back to the human part, the humor part works when it comes relatable especially when Logan bonds with the girl while on the run, especially when they're at the casino and she's pushing all of the buttons kinda reminds me of some children(including myself) in the elevator. The daughter does a good job, and proves to be strong and while doesn't talk a whole lot(until the middle of the film) for a kid can kick some ass! 

The villain also does a great job as well. While no Hans Gruber still someone I wouldn't fuck with. 

Logan is overall the best of the Wolverine films, and the second best superhero film in a year(right next to Deadpool). While some scenes as a longtime moviegoer knew was going to happen, Logan still is a strong dark human like comic book film, and the 2nd best film I have seen so this year!

grade: high B+

 

 

Edited March 11, 2017 by Maxmoser3

[Ozymandias]

 

Edited March 12, 2017 by Ozymandias

[The Panda]

Easily beats The Dark Knight as the best dramatic/non-straight comedy superhero/comic book movie ever made.

 

Possibly beats Deadpool for best comic book movie ever made.  I teared up a bit at parts.

[The Panda]

My big gripes with the plot was that the clone felt kind of weak as a plot device, but I got the purpose.  I also didn't like the family slaughter in the house, it was a little contrived to have something bad happen every time Logan goes away.  Not sure how else I would have gone forward, but I wasn't huge on how it did.

 

Other than that, it's a great movie.  The performances were the best ever from a comic book film, the emotional beats worked exactly as intended, and the very ending works perfectly.  The little girl was fantastic as well, she played off as a nastier R-Rated Eleven from Stranger Things.

 

I hope Fox continues with these R-Rated superhero films because they're miles better than the vast majority of the PG-13 ones so far.

[The Panda]

On 3/3/2017 at 2:38 PM, Ozymandias said:

 

The X-Men continuity has been a mess a long time nowI thought it was pretty obvious this movie didn't give a shit about continuity outside the basics of Xavier once running a school for mutants and taking in Logan under his wing.  Logan even picks up an X-Men comic book and says "this is all bullshit, maybe a quarter of it happened"

 

What I got was all of those other movies were the "comic books" or stories, and this one is what actually happens.  Made the most sense to me.

[keysersoze123]

Its highly overrated. Did not like either the plot and villains were as usual weak. It was also weird seeing Logan and Xavier mouth dirty words. Also the pacing was way too slow to my liking. That said there were some very good scenes and ending was quite good as well.

 

Overall I would rate it B.

 

My ranking of X Verse

1) DOFP

2) X2

3) First Class

4) Logan

5) X Men

6) Wolverine

7) Deadpool

8) Apocalypse

9) X3

10) Origins

 

 

 

[somebody85]

I still don't know how I feel about this. I liked it but didn't love it. I enjoyed the first act a lot but long portions of the second dragged for me especially after Charles died. Seeing the violence was awesome but the rest of the movie I found kind of lacking around it (though I loved the realistic take on the X-men comics).

Evil Wolverine was cool but as soon as he was introduced, I knew he would be the one who was probably going to kill Logan. What I didn't expect was Logan not to be the one to finish him first and then die. I knew that bullet would be used to kill him but thought it would be Logan who pulled the trigger saving Laura not the other way around.

The acting was great across the board and I can see why it's getting all this praise but I dunno, maybe the story just wasn't for me? I didn't feel that much attachment to any of the kids besides Laura past their opening introduction. They had some really cool kill scenes though.

And I would have felt more attachment to the deaths of Charles if he wasn't already dying and to Logan if he didn't want to die (and the whole movie seemed like a setup to it). I loved the grave scene though.

B

Edited March 13, 2017 by somebody85

[RobinHood26]

X-men countinuity really isn't a mess like people say. It doesn't 10000% add up like marvel but it works fine. 

 

There are TWO Wolverines So using him as our guide through the timelines....

 

Timeline 1 - This is Wolverines Timeline of events/memories in logan

 

Origins 

X-men

X2

The Last Stand

 

- 7 year gap

 

The Wolverine 

 

- 11 Year gab 

 

DOFP

DOFP (Resolved ending)

 

- 5 year gap 

 

Logan 

 

 

 

Timeline 2

 

First Class

Origins

DOFP: 70's (This wolverine is only on screen for the last scene) 

Apocalypse (This Wolverine is the same one who "Future Logan" took over in DOFP) 

 

40 year gap   

 

DOFP (Resolved ending)

Logan 

 

 

Although because the "future" is never truly set so they don't have to work back to DOFP or Logan. 

 

Edited March 14, 2017 by Jay Hollywood

[jb007]

Fantastic movie. A fitting send off to Hugh Jackman. One of the best SH movies there is though it hardly feels like a SH movie. 

 

Great performance by Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart. Daphne Keen is superb. Perfect end to an awesome character. 

 

A

[afalconer7]

My favorite movie so far in the X-Men franchise. From the first frame, it's clear that this isn't your typical comic book movie. Despite its R rating, it stays away from the dry, raunchy humor that made "Deadpool" stand out.

 

Hugh Jackmans performance is so powerful. He plays a much different character in this film. He is weary, and flawed in many different ways, but the film is not trying to make you hate him. You can see why he gets pissed off all the time because he has been through so much over the past hundreds of years. He's definitely not likeable, but we are still rooting for him. That's what makes him not seem like your typical "comic book" character. That's what makes us invested.

 

The supporting cast, (particularly Patrick Stewart as Professer X, and Dafne Keen as Laura) are excellent as well. There is so much thought and realism put into the world of this film, as its setting is near the Mexico border in 2029 mixed with the tone creates a harsh reality, and critique on our society.

 

Unfortunately I do have a few criticisms with Logan. While the action scenes are very well shot, bloody, and visceral, they do start to get repetitive by the end of the film. Each action scene kind of feels like the last one, which kind of makes me wish they could've used an opportunity to take them in a new direction. Also the climax and ending feels slightly rushed. Despite its long run time it does not feel too long, and tedious.

 

This is my favorite X-Men film so far, and surprisingly a film that will leave viewers with things to think about.

 

Grade: A- 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2017 by afalconer7

[Brainbug]

Saw it a second time and it improved upon the first viewing.

 

Logan is the perfect conclusion to Jackmans Wolverine. The film wisely takes its time for each charakter and the storyline to set the dramatic tone. There are a lot of quiet moments and dialogue scenes (though very well written) that worked as a contrast to the action scenes which were phenomenal. The camera, cinematography and lighting cant get enough praise.

All of the performances were great, but special praise must go to the main trio. Jackman and Stewart go out with a bang if this is really their last movie in this franchise and Keen blew me away. Kid performances often suck, but she brings so much emotion and will to X-23 with only facial expressions in the first 2/3 of the film that im sure she has a bright future upon her. Hopefully Hollywood doesnt waste her like so many other kid stars.

What is to say more? Sure, some elements are not perfect (The other Kids acting in the finale/the road trip should have been a tiny bit shorter) but i loved it.  

[nick64]

My review of Logan:

https://grabyourseat.wordpress.com/2017/03/16/logan-film-review/

 

Few actors have created a legacy for themselves with just one character the way that Hugh Jackman has with Wolverine. Not only did he defy expectations and deliver a performance that was both meaningful and bad-ass, but his turn in 2000’s X-Men paved the way for comic book movies as we know them today. It turned the tide from campy Batman films to big spectacle blockbusters with complex characters that we’ve continued to love more and more with every film. Jackman has continued to play the clawed mutant in nine films over the last seventeen years, and he’s consistently stolen the screen every time he appears. He has announced that he would finally be retiring the character after Logan, the third solo Wolverine film, so it needed to go out with a bang. And boy did it deliver...

 

Logan focuses on the aging mutant (Jackman) in a world where the X-Men have died out. No new mutants have been born in 25 years. Logan works as a chauffeur in Texas, taking care of the sick Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) with mutant tracker Caliban (Stephen Merchant). Logan himself is sick too and his healing abilities are deteriorating. However, he finds himself reluctantly thrown back into the action when he stumbles upon eleven-year-old Laura (Dafne Keen), a quiet girl with a very peculiar set of abilities. Logan must hit the road with Laura and Charles to help her reach a safe haven in Canada whilst avoiding being found by Transigen, a shady biotech corporation that wants Laura for themselves.

 

Logan is a very unique superhero film. After the smashing success of 2016’s Deadpool proved that a well-made R-rated superhero film can be profitable, Fox allowed director James Mangold to go balls-to-the-walls with Logan. This is Wolverine as he was meant to be seen. The action is brutal and unforgiving, and there is no attempt at masking the gore. The action set pieces are thrilling, particularly one towards the end, and Jackman and Keen are incredibly convincing with the fight choreography. These scenes alone are enough to recommend the movie, but the real strength of Logan is in its character moments.

 

This is a character study at its heart. We see Logan struggling with his own mortality while having to be strong and provide for others. Life has been hard on him and it’s noticeably taken its toll. Jackman gives a masterfully nuanced performance that perfectly captures both Logan’s beastly exterior and human core. It’s an Oscar-worthy turn. Also worth commending are Patrick Stewart and young Dafne Keen. Stewart has been playing Professor X just as long as Jackman has Wolverine, and he has perfected his portrayal of the kind-hearted mentor, who is now struggling with a mental disease that brings harm to everyone around him. Keen’s Laura doesn’t say much, but she can steal a scene with just a stare. There are layers behind those eyes, and without even saying anything, Keen can depict hope, anger, love, and innocence all at once. The supporting cast gives it their all as well. Merchant gives a great performance as the conflicted Caliban, while Boyd Holbrook is suitably slimy, if not a little over the top, as Transigen’s head of security.

 

The action scenes and character moments work together in near perfect harmony. If you ever start to think that it’s getting a little slow, know that there’s another great action scene coming in just a few minutes. And every fight scene feels earned. They’re all backed by stakes that the film works to get the audience invested in. You truly care about what happens to these characters, thanks to brilliant work by the actors, director, and screenwriters. It’s a gorgeously shot film as well. Mangold provides a Western vibe to the proceedings that adds a layer of grittiness to every scene.

 

Logan isn’t afraid to take risks and change things up. There’s no world-ending disaster looming overhead. Very few plot events impact anyone beyond the core characters. This is a story of humanity, family, and death. It’s an all around great film that can be enjoyed by comic book fans as well as fans of well-made cinema. Some viewers may find things a little slow at times, but great acting with a script that is emotional, touching, and often quite naturally funny helps to make nearly every scene an enjoyable one. And the payoff is worth the journey. The film pays a fitting tribute to two iconic characters without glorifying them. Everyone has flaws, and not everyone can go out in a blaze of glory either. Jackman and Stewart have left their mark in film history with these characters, and the claws can be hung up with pride.

 

Grade: 9.5/10

Edited March 16, 2017 by nick64

[cheesypoofs]

I have recently rewatched every X-Men film. My rankings go:

 

Top Tier:

DoFP

Logan

Deadpool

X2

 

Good But not Top Tier:

First Class

Apocalypse

X-Men

The Wolverine

 

Bottom Tier (but honestly not as bad as I remember):

X3

Origins

 

Add more to X3 so it doesn't feel so rushed, and change the 3rd act of origins, and they would've been much better

[cheesypoofs]

On 3/23/2017 at 0:49 PM, cheesypoofs said:

I have recently rewatched every X-Men film. My rankings go:

 

Top Tier:

DoFP

Logan

Deadpool

X2

 

Good But not Top Tier:

First Class

Apocalypse

X-Men

The Wolverine

 

Bottom Tier (but honestly not as bad as I remember):

X3

Origins

 

Add more to X3 so it doesn't feel so rushed, and change the 3rd act of origins, and they would've been much better

Actually, I'd probably put first class in its own separate tier, in between the top tier and second tier. For me it's not quite top tier, but better than the films I put in the second tier 

[RobinHood26]

Did a podcast again, its a fun hour discussion. So if your bored or just browsing the forums anyways. 

 

Logan

 

http://cinemasesh.libsyn.com/logan-sesh

 

 

 

 

[Blankments]

Logan is an incredible conclusion to two eras in superhero filmmaking that have been defined partially by one man: Hugh Jackman. Returning to his iconic role for a final time, this is his best outing yet, showcasing the hurt and weariness of the character in a beautifully tragic way. Logan is possibly one of the bleakest blockbusters ever made, interweaving the franchise's history in a subtle way that makes every scene hit harder the closer you are to Wolverine's character and the X-Men world.

 

Mangold's direction is stronger than before, with the R-rating allowing him to truly submerge himself into the grime this story deserves. The action is consistently exciting while always gut-wrenching. Although he never fully steals the show from Jackman, Stewart also delivers his best performance yet as Xavier, bringing an even more tragic element to the proceedings, but also a load of heart. The rest of the cast serves their purpose well, never overpowering these other two performers.

 

It's not a perfect film. There are some story structure issues, and a few characters fall out of focus as the story goes in a very disappointing way. However, this is all easily forgiven when you realize that this film exists. A film where two of the most iconic superheroes of the early 2000s are allowed to grow old and be weak. A film where the hope and idealism of the earlier films are thrown out the window. The fact that Logan was made in a clearly unrestrained manner is a miracle in terms of blockbuster filmmaking. Logan is a remarkable finale to a legendary portrayal of one of the most famous Marvel superheroes, bringing thematic depth and an intense character study to an extremely well-done comic book movie.

 

On-rewatch: My issues from the first watch mostly disappeared, probably thanks to expectations being adjusted. The final shot of this is pure emotion. The franchise might not have deserved this send-off, but Jackman and the fans did. Wow. A

[BOOYAH SUCKAS]

Its a really good movie but I felt a little underwhelmed after hearing all of the reviews gushing it with praise. I liked how it took a more personal approach to wolverine, and for being more character driven after the last couple of x-men movies became so reliant on spectacle. Although the action scenes in this are totally awesome, Laura's character is a total badass. The performances are all top notch and I have to give special props to the child actress who played Laura, she was surprisingly excellent. Unfortunately I felt that the plot was a bit of a letdown, the whole lets make "children into superweapons/breed mutants/make clones of existing mutants" feels like too much of a been there done there premise. This film does however do a good job with that, but i cant help but wish they hadn't done something that feels so contrived. 

For now I'll give it a B+, but that may go up after a rewatch.