Logan (2017)

"Mutation: it is the key to our evolution. It is how we have evolved from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward."

In my opinion there isn't a "superhero genre." Despite the mold many movies about "superheroes" fall into, and it perpetuated by the successful Marvel Universe franchise, the formula which those movies play to isn't necessitated by the presence of fantastic powers or sci-fi abilities. The "superhero," like any trope of modern cinema, can be a place holder for whatever expression the film maker wishes it to be.

Superhero movies have been evolving for some time growing into films with deeper themes, exploring darker aspects of humanity, and we are still wrestling with how to process them as the "big" films remain rather popcorny. Logan, is a good example of that evolution, a film which takes its inspirations more from westerns and film noir, to explore themes such as finding meaning in ones life, loosing that which has made you who you are, passing along the torch to a future, a future which may not be very bright.  

Logan, like some other recent movies based on comics, is more like a cinematic equivalent to a graphic novel than to a comic book. It plays outside the boundaries which have been prescribed. It touches on stories that have come before but sets itself in a more self-contained narrative. Director Mangold has delivered both what fans have been asking for (the kind of Wolverine movie we all knew we wanted but didn't know how to articulate) and took us beyond our expectations.

Logan isn't just a triumph for the film maker, it is a triumph for its two main leads. Both Jackman and Stewart, who are always good in these roles, have delivered the very best performances these characters have received (or will ever get). Certainly they are both talented actors, but perhaps, like a stage performer who has grown so intimate with their characters over the course of a long theatrical run, these actors have found a peace with their roles after playing them so many times on screen. Logan is a fitting tribute to the personas and the performers.

Logan is very engaging and entertaining but it's also not an easy watch. It asks a lot of its audience but it makes it worth it. It is not only one of the strongest films in the X-men franchise, but a strong film overall.

Logan
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Laura Kinney, Richard E Grant, Stephen Merchant, Boyd Holbrook
Writer/Director: James Mangold