As a 90s kid born of a Trekkie and an obsessive Batman fan, it was inevitable that I would grow up to have a love of the galaxies and strong, aloof comic book heroes. Bedtime for me and my brother consisted of The Amazing Spider-Man, Batman: The Animated Series and most importantly, X-Men: The Animated Series. The iconic yellow-clad, gruff voiced Logan became my standard for what a superhero should be from a very young age. To this day he is still the standard. He will always hold my heart-strings tightly in his adamantium clad hands as my hero. So many memories of my childhood consist of being glued to the TV just waiting for X-Men to come on, and as I got older the film franchise (no matter what the haters and critics say) became a regular binge-session guilty pleasure - with the Wolverine spin-offs being my consistent favorites (also contrary to what people say). I love this franchise, it's the reason I have a white stripe in my hair and find comfort in the fact that I am considered weird and that it's okay to feel that way. Naturally, Logan was a big film on my must-see list this year, I had my ticket pre-ordered and I made sure I nabbed the earliest showing I could manage. Last night I settled in for the film, unprepared for (or just unwilling to accept) what was to come. Three hours later the screen went dark, no end credit scene, no jokes or gags, just the iconic "Logan" appearing and disappearing before me. I left the theater ugly crying and sitting in a crumpled heap in my car for fifteen minutes still reeling from the emotional impact this film had on me. As a Marvel fan and as a die-hard lover of all things Wolverine, I could not have been more pleased with how this character went out and after seventeen years of portrayals, this was one of the most powerful performances I've ever seen from Hugh Jackman. ![]() (Spoilers, don't proceed unless you've seen Logan or have read the Old Man Logan comic arc): It's not often that Hollywood let's us see glimpses of iconic heroes nearing the end of their lives. The world is focused on a culture of beauty and timelessness, especially for our superheroes, so Marvel stepping forward to take on this stunning Wolverine comic arc is a rare look into the human side of these immortal icons. Hugh Jackman gives a powerhouse performance as the tired, worn down Logan (at this point over two hundred years old) who just wants to put a bullet in his head and be done. Everyone he loves is dead and gone, Professor X is suffering from rapidly progressing brain deterioration, and he spends his time driving an uber for petty cash and drinking himself to sleep. It's a painful thing to watch, this adaptation of a tough, unbreakable character we've following for nearly two decades on film so incredibly damaged. All he wants is to make enough money to get a boat so they can escape to the ocean and be rid of humanity and the scientists who have slaughtered mutant-kind to near extinction. To live out his days in peace. Logan follows the journey of the titular hero as he finds himself dying from adamantium poisoning, unable to self-heal and losing his will to live. This is when he meets Laura, an eleven-year old girl with feral instincts and a striking resemblance to our hero. She brings an organization called Transigen to his doorstep, sending Logan, Professor X, and the mysterious Weapon X-23 on a cross-continent road-trip from Mexico to North Dakota. Their destination is a safe-haven for mutants called Eden and the three must traverse the country by any means necessary to ensure safe delivery of the young mutant born of Logan's genes and trained to be a ruthless killer. The circumstances of diseases, old age, bounties on their heads, and a shortness of time creates a harrowing trek through rough terrain and self-discovery. All leading up to a powerhouse ending where we finally see our beloved hero laid to rest with a smile of understanding and acceptance on his face. It's a solemn moment that feels as fitting as it is poetic and an appropriate way to say goodbye. ![]() The movie is dark, gritty, and beautifully raw - deserving of the harsh R rating it received and wearing it proudly. It's a classy tribute to two of the most iconic superhero figures of all time, written with intelligence, ferocity, and love and it definitely shows. It's a hard film to watch, especially as a die-hard fan of Wolverine. The fighter can't fight anymore and the gore just doesn't seem to stop, it's nauseating to watch him get beaten to the point of criticality over and over again. You seem him so far past the end of his rope you can't help but feel sorry for him. He's fighting through loss, fighting to find a purpose, fighting to keep his illegitimate daughter alive, fighting to care for the last person on earth that gives a damn that he exists, fighting avenge his last living friend, Caliban. We witness him coping (albeit horribly) with the sudden and gasp-worthy murder of Professor X, leaving him a rage and remorse filled heap in the roadway. We get to see him brutally impaled, dying with his daughter's hand in his own as she begs for her daddy to stay before he literally dies before your eyes. Tears streaming down his blood flecked face and a smile on his face. It's a stunning performance by a small cast, with both Stephen Merchant and Patrick Stewart standing tall as not only comic relief but the logical and loving voices behind Logan's emotionally driven lifestyle. Young Dafne Keen shines as Laura, standing strong as a silent killer who just wants to be accepted, safe, and loved. And of course, Jackman gives the performance of a life-time as he closes out the story of a character he has worn so well and taken such good care of. The movie is visually stunning and feels very real, with landscapes as barren and hopeless as our heroes are, fighting for survival against a harsh backdrop of a broken America. Breath-taking effects, poignant writing, and some of the most intense performances of their careers, Marvel has truly delivered a new standard for what it means to make not only a superhero film, but a worthy R rated experience as beautiful and bloody as any major Oscar nominee. As big of a Wolverine fan as I am, I could not have been more pleased, more heartbroken, and more moved by a final performance than this. The script in this film is phenomenal, with subtle but powerful phrases captivating your attention alongside stunning portrayals of two men at the end of their lives and a young woman learning to live with her demons will leave you haunted long after the credits roll. The moment when Logan is forced to bury Professor X somewhere along the roadside is painful to watch, he can only get the words "at least it's by the water" (said between choked back sobs while Laura grasps tightly onto his trembling hand) reflects back on Xavier's last words of asking about their boat, his final thoughts on running away to the water before he dies in Logan's arms. Logan's final line, "So this is what it's like", said with a heartfelt smile and tears in his eyes is then compliment with a very poignant speech from Laura. The final scene of her taking the cross from his grave and laying it down so the prominent "X" is made where the legend lay buried sealed this as one of the most provocative and passionate Marvel films to date. I can't express enough to Marvel not only my gratitude but my appreciation for doing my man so much justice and taking such care with this film, it's always a fan's worst fear that a story as powerful and well-known as this ends up skewed or misused. I experienced every emotion known to man and could not have loved a film more than I did this. Logan has cemented itself as one of the most fantastic entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a contender for one of the best releases of 2017. From the bottom of my heart, I can't express how impactful and powerful this film was and I could not have imagined a more fitting and more loving way to bid adieu to my beloved Logan. ![]() Written by Alycia D. (MaybeMockingbird ) All pictures are copyright Marvel. Logan releases nationwide today, March 3rd, in theaters and is rated R (seriously, please don't be stupid and take your kids to this).
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