Purpose.
It's the reason we do the things we do. It's what gets us out of bed in the morning. It's what we cling to in moments of necessity. It drives us, defends us, defines us. Having a clear purpose in life makes it worth living.
Not having purpose can restrict our thinking. We feel uncertain about everything, including the things we once loved and fought for. It makes us vulnerable. We feel helpless, as if we're drowning in worthless waters. We feel trapped, isolated, and unable to care about the world around us.
These are themes that are told time and time again in film. It makes me think of an Old West gunslinger wandering the wastes in search of one last quest, in order to give his last days meaning. We've seen this in countless stories, but I don't believe I've seen it done as well as in "Logan," at least within the superhero genre of film. The character of Wolverine has always been defined by his loneliness, and a reluctance to let people into his heart. We've seen this play out in the "X-Men" films before, but never have we seen it with such passion and exquisite delicacy, and it's what makes "Logan" the finest entry in "X-Men" series.
Many years into the future, in a world where mutants have been either killed off or are in hiding, we find Logan living out his days near the Mexican border. He's given up his superhero persona and spends his days as a limousine chauffeur, saving his money in an attempt to finally retire to a life of peace and quiet. His only connection to his X-Men days is Charles Xavier, whom Logan and fellow mutant Caliban care for in a rusted out Mexican smelting plant. Xavier now seems to be suffering from some form of dementia, as well as the inability to control his telepathic abilities (it's later overheard that Xavier lost control over his telepathy and accidentally killed many of the X-Men team). Logan has also lost some of his former attributes: his body seems drained and deflated, his face looks worn and chewed up, and his healing ability progresses much slower than before, making him more susceptible to injuries.
In need of money, Logan accepts a job from a woman named Gabriela claiming that her child Laura needs safe passage to North Dakota. But not all is as it seems, and after dispatching and escaping from ruthless mercenaries hunting Laura, he learns that Laura is actually his biological daughter, who was genetically engineered with Logan's DNA and possesses many of her father's mutant powers (such as healing, and retractable adamantium claws). After encouragement from Xavier, Logan agrees to take Laura to North Dakota, as she is searching for a place called Eden, a mutant safe haven that Logan dismisses as a children's fairy tale.
Writer/Director James Mangold based much of the story on the acclaimed graphic novel "Old Man Logan," and fans of that story should not be disappointed. Although many plot points from that story are changed, the overall concept remains true: a tired and beaten down Wolverine must overcome his personal demons in order to find meaning in his final days. There haven't been many superhero films with a plot that I connected to this much, maybe not since "The Dark Knight." It was compelling to see Logan this vulnerable, not just to violent attacks, but to personal and emotional moments. Through all of his screaming, killing, and cigar chomping, deep down Logan is a man of honor, with character and noble moral standing, and the highest points of "Logan" reflect that.
Over the past 17 years, we've seen the Wolverine character act impervious to harm, invulnerable to pain. He's soldiered on through losing his memory, killing his love Jean Grey, and seeing dozens of his closest friends and allies die upon the battlefield. And yet, it's the tender compassionate moments of "Logan" that put a true sense of scope on his journey. Through his discussions with Xavier about duty and conviction, we see true character development on display. Through his interactions with his quick-to-violence daughter Laura, we see Logan pulling her away from the life that he chose, showing her that the choices we make are what end up defining us. The emotional arc of "Logan" literally left me in tears, and it's a story that I'll keep close to my heart for the years to come.
It seems almost typical for Hugh Jackman to give a great performance as Wolverine. Not many times before have I seen an actor so perfectly suited for a character. We've seen him embody the character's quick wit and ferocity, giving us many stellar performances (even in some not so stellar movies, I'm looking at you "X-Men: The Last Stand"). "Logan" serves as Jackman's 9th Wolverine performance, and even though some may roll their eyes over the prospects of watching him once again slice and dice for two hours, they would be missing out and easily Jackman's finest performance in the role. Jackman has been quoted as saying a major influence on the story in "Logan" was Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven," and through the progression of his character that can easily be seen, and it's quite an original and unique take on the usual superhero story. The performance brings out every emotion possible: I laughed, I cried, I was mesmerized, I was afraid...never before have we seen Jackman this well rounded in his portrayal of the character, and he deserves tremendous praise.
The same goes for Patrick Stewart, who easily steals scene after scene as the aged Xavier. Sure we've seen him time and time before as the Professor and leader of the X-Men, but similarly to Logan, we've never seen him this vulnerable, this in need of protection, and yet just as strong and principled as before. He's always served as Logan's conscience, but never so much to this extent, and never with such much emotional weight behind it. The rest of the supporting cast is good as well: Boyd Holbrook plays Pierce, a cybernetically-enhanced mercenary hired to capture Laura, Steven Merchant as the mutant Caliban, and last but certainly not least Dafne Keen as Laura. In her first and sure to be breakout role, Keen portrays Laura acting just as feral and hardened as we've seen Logan before, but with a touch of adolescent fervor and moral motivation built in. In fact once the final act commences, Keen holds her own working with Jackman, following him step for step in not just the action scenes, but the dramatically affectionate ones as well.
This is the Wolverine movie we always wanted. Many ardent fans have been clamoring for a rated R Wolverine film, and thanks partly to the box office success of "Deadpool," the studio granted their wishes. And be warned, this film is very rated R. It's shockingly violent (we finally really see Wolverine go into full berserker mode: maiming, deforming, and brutally mangling all his enemies), there's profanity riddled throughout the dialogue, it's simply adult-oriented content. It's not just the violence or language that's for adults, it's story is meant to be understood by those who can truly connect to the emotion and dedication behind it. Watching a character that we've gotten to know for almost two decades in film go though such harrowing moments, searching for such profound purpose, is where "Logan" moves beyond your traditional action film and into the realm of a touching dramatic story.
So please, leave the young children at home if you're interested in seeing "Logan." Let them watch a PG-13 "X-Men" movie instead. They'll be entertained. But if you're searching for something more than your usual superhero entertainment, if you want a film about people with real issues and darkly profound themes, then look no further than "Logan."
