Logan: A sombre ode

Logan situates us in a dire world where the magnificence of the X-men heroes is now tarnished with old age and remorse. It’s a strange world to be in, especially for fans who have spent almost two decades with these films. To see the heroes withering away, bereft of the gloss and glory. But in the age of comic book movies that relies so heavily on green screen and computer-generated imagery, the slaughterous forthrightness of the film prompts us to confront the mortality behind the veneer.

After two decades of X-men films centred on Wolverine and Professor X, the performances from Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in this film completely revamped my understanding of the characters. Jackman’s 17-year reign as Wolverine is a testament to his ability as an actor to inhabit this ferocious and conflicted character, through cumulative cinematic storytelling, that conclusively leads us to the clawed hero in his rawest form. Stewart’s Charles Xavier is funny, vulnerable and heartbreaking. His run as the X-men mentor breathes so much optimism regarding mankind and mutantkind, particularly for this film in which he is simultaneously remorseful for the past and hopeful of the future.

Set in the distant 2029, audience who are not invested in the franchise need not worry about having a hard time following convoluted timelines and plot points. Logan is a great example of how good comic book movies can be when they are free from the shackles of launching sequels and spinoffs, unburdened with contrived and clumsy storytelling.

We have seen the genesis of their fellowship; we have seen their camaraderie at the end of the world; we have seen their past, present and future. If this is indeed the last incarnations of Jackman’s Wolverine and Stewart’s Professor X, “Logan” is a fitting and heartfelt send-off for the two actors and their counterparts.

(Originally posted on 6 Mar 2017 @projectunwrapped)