NOTE: This review roundup may contain spoilers.
It has been less than a week since Hugh Jackman’s final solo Wolverine movie launched in the theaters, but the critics already have high praises for the movie.
As the X-Men series continue to move toward the history of the group, with the younger versions of the casts featured in the newer installations, the only constant character in the transition has been Wolverine. Though we know that Jackman’s allure seemed to be never ending, his role as the ageless Wolverine has come to an end. But, with Jackman’s final performance, he did not come to disappoint.
Logan has already received 94 percent from Rotten Tomatoes. This is the second highest rating of the month after Get Out shocked the entire world with its twists and turns.
Directed by James Mangold, director of the other Wolverin e film, Logan received an R rating, so the film was able to expand on its violence. According to NY Times , Logan “is good enough that you might forget it’s a comic-book movie.”
Logan focuses on the backstory of Wolverine. There have been snippets of his background here and there, but it was never fully explored, until now.
A.V. Club noted that Logan has even surpassed Deadpool when it comes to pushing the limits of extremity .
“In truth, Logan is more of its own thing: a sorrowful outlaw road movie in superhero drag. The previous film in the series.”
Vulture also praises its “epicness” when it comes to brutality. Logan was “stunningly bleak and staggeringly violent.” The very beginning of the movie already spells darkness as Logan was featured drunk and apathetic. Logan was there with Sir Patrick Stewart’s character, Charles Xavier and they both look terribly ill.
“Logan, Charles and their X-Men brethren are like fallen rock stars, victims of having flown too high for too long.”
But, all of these adds to the focus on Wolverine. Wolverine, the indestructible X-Men, was the one who took care of Charles Xavier. Since the movie was set in the distant future, some of his pals from the X-Men have died. According to the Atlantic , this seemed to be a good move for the franchise since this means they do not have to explicitly tell the stories of the other 15 X-Men characters.
For Wolverine , he had lived the life. He has done some amazing, heroic things and his final goal is to just buy a boat and sail peacefully with Charles. Apparently, being a superhero does not mean you are set to be rich as well. But, since the plot seemed like the apocalypse, there is no room for questioning what happened to Charles’ fortune.
As Wolverine tries to live out his and Charles’ final days, they encounter this young girl, Laura, played by Dafne Keen, and changed everything. Laura was escaping from a secret facility which would lure Logan back into hero mode.
The entire film is a back and forth on Wolverine’s case. There’s also a correlation to Laura. But, the good thing is the movie’s overall impact. Jackman, at 48, still has the chops to hit the mark on the action scenes. We have seen Wolverine in action before, but the character has never been wilder than in this film.
According to Empire Online , the rawness of the curses and the action scenes made Logan the best finale for the character.
“Allowed to be more adult, it is without a doubt the best solo Wolverine yet; if Jackman truly did accept a pay-cut to allow for the higher certification, then that is his payback.”
The movie is really good that Logan is a good farewell for the character, but it’s also a reminder that Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will be dearly and regretfully missed.
“Still, if this truly is Jackman’s last run as Logan, then it’s a worthy swansong that allows him to go out on a high. A reminder that, when it comes to playing a properly magnetic anti-hero with a gruff ’70s-cinema exterior and a dark reservoir of inner depth, Jackman really is the best at what he does.
[Featured Image by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images]