Logan Review: A Beautifully Crafted Finale That’ll Leave You In Tears

Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart say farewell to their adoring fans with the emotionally heavy Logan.

Every time I think of Logan, I smile. However, whenever I flex my cheek muscles, they give off a faint glisten from my desk lamp. That’s because my face has a few streaks of tears. Logan is a goodbye film made for the fans who have stuck with the X-Men franchise for almost two decades. No, the franchise isn’t going away, but two of its most prominent actors are.

While billed as a superhero film, or a comic book film, Logan rises and transcends its source material. It’s more of a road movie about survival and family—where hope is found in the dusty, unrelenting mutant-unfriendly world.

The environment isn’t sleek. The set design looks more like something out of Mad Max than it does from the X-Men film universe. And like Laura Kinney’s initial lack of speaking, the overall look of the film embodies the philosophy of “less is more.” That’s because Logan draws its decorative visuals from its core cast.

Hugh Jackman gives a final stunning performance as the bad-tempered, grizzled Logan (a.k.a James Howlett, a.k.a. Wolverine, a.k.a Weapon X). He’s come full circle. Jackman homages himself, reminiscing his first appearance in 2000’s X-Men—someone who doesn’t want to be a savior. Logan has always been an antihero, but here, he’s even more “anti” than in the past.

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The man is in pain—both physically and psychologically. His friends and family are gone, except for Charles Xavier, who I’ll get to soon. Logan’s only goal in life right now is to buy a yacht, the Sunseeker, where he can live out the rest of his days. As selfish as that sounds, we get it. He’s tired, and he’s seen enough of this hopeless world.

When he’s called into action, he rejects it immediately. He’s basically forced into this new goal—protect Laura from the people who are after her. In time, he relearns the meaning of “family” in what is one of the most beautiful sequences in the movie—a peaceful dinner full of laughs and smiles.

Patrick Stewart gives one of the most poignant goodbyes an actor could bestow on any character. Here, Professor X’s glory days are over. He suffers from Alzheimer’s and seizures which are more of a torture to those in his immediate vicinity.

There are no more mutants for him to help. His purpose in life is no more. That is, until he sees visions of Laura Kinney. When he finally meets her, he jumps into action and the Professor X of days past (yes, kind of a pun) can be seen through all the wrinkles and liver spots. It’s a testament to the British thespian’s phenomenal acting ability.

Aside from the fine performances and superior characterizations, Logan is an ultra-violent film—in a very good way. Our hero’s every slice-and-dice looks like performance art. Though the film is as far as you can get from a superhero flick, the action scenes are true to the original comics.

The killings aren’t just raw and brutal—they’re well-deserved and satisfying. I’m talking about the type of satisfaction where you grit your teeth, crush your bag of popcorn, and squeeze the soda out of your cup. And why is that? Because the villains are despicable.

Not all villains are created the same. Heath Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight was mesmerizing. Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor from the Donner/Reeve era Superman films was hilarious and compelling. In Logan, they’re deadly and very much hated. Their abusive and self-entitled nature only make Logan’s every kill that much more euphoric.

Speaking of The Dark Knight, Logan may be the only other comic book film deemed by critics as worthy of Oscar attention—and I think it definitely has a chance when 2018 rolls around. Might I also add that this film will definitely be among our 100 Greatest Superhero Stories Ever list.

As a warning, eat a full meal, get a good night’s sleep, and also bring a box of Kleenex (highly suggested by our Christina). Logan is an emotional roller coaster that will definitely drain you—and I’m saying that in a positive manner. I guarantee that you will be emotionally invested in these characters. As Jackman and Stewart had promised—it’s a fitting end to two of the most iconic on-screen superheroes to-date. Excuse me while I go and dab the corners of my eyes.

Next: A very unexpected post-credits scene

Production Details

Logan—Official Synopsis

"In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces."

Logan was released in the United States on March 3, 2017

The film is directed by James Mangold, written by Michael Green and David James Kelly, based on the series Old Man Logan by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, and stars Hugh Jackman as James Howlett / Logan / Wolverine, Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney / X-23, Boyd Holbrook as Donald Pierce, Richard E. Grant as Dr. Zander Rice, Stephen Merchant as Caliban, Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier / Professor X, Eriq La Salle as Will Munson, Elise Neal as Kathryn Munson, and Elizabeth Rodriquez as Gabriela Lopez.