REVIEW
Logan is not your regular, standard superhero film. It doesn’t rely on huge explosions, ticking time bombs and mass destruction. Instead, it focusses on character drama and presenting a realistic environment for these characters to interact in. It has well- choreographed and superbly filmed gory fight sequences with long cuts, perfect editing and a minimal shaky camera effect. The film is definitely not for families, unlike other giddy Marvel films, and certainly not for the faint-hearted. It’s also more of a western/drama with a lot of heart — and blood.This is Hugh Jackman’s and Patrick Stewart’s final X- Men film. They knock it out of the park with truly Oscar worthy performances. In this film, Wolverine and Xavier are in their old age, and struggling to make ends meet . There are very few mutants left in the world and Logan has lost hope. He’s not the hero he once was, and also heals from his wounds a LOT slower than he did in the previous films. After being convinced by Xavier, Logan decides to help a young mutant girl find a ‘mythical’ safe haven, while being pursued by a shadowy organisation.

There are subtle references to what has happened during the time gap between the events of the film and the previous X Men films, and they mesh with the drama very well instead of looking like easter eggs.

Although the action is highly entertaining, the film is still character-centric and its crucial plot developing scenes are entirely dialogue driven. Every death on-screen is brutal to the core, but they all carry weight, sticking with you for the rest of the film without seeming pointless.
James Mangold’s direction is terrific. He continuously builds upon every act, and keeps the film tonally consistent without resorting to campy and goofy crowd-pleasing humour.

Newcomer Dafne Keen is excellent as X-23 and steals hearts along with scenes (she also kills baddies and decapitates them with ease).
Boyd Holbrook is a worthy for, and the best comic book movie villain I’ve seen in a long time.

While the first half is mostly more of a set-up as the film establishes its tone, the second half has huge surprises and reveals.
A scene at the end of the second act and the finale are gut wrenching, and tears welled up in my eyes for the first time ever during a film; I’ve grown up with these characters, and their meaning culminates in this unusual, hitherto alien, outburst of emotions.

My only problem with the film is that a few decisions taken by characters seem out of sync with their respective characterisations.

Hugh Jackman is better than ever, and maintains his charisma while portraying this aged and venerable version of Wolverine. It’s his greatest performance ever. And that’s saying a lot, in a career full of storied ‘haggard’ father-kid-resolution turns.

In the end, Logan is the best X-Men film till date and is the definitive comic book adaption. It’s a solid tribute to one of my favourite characters and one who is very close to my heart.
It even manages to set up future films with sub plots that are interlaced perfectly.

Goodbye, Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart.