“Logan” rips us apart

By: Matt McDonald, Columnist

If you were disappointed by “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” had mixed feelings about “The Wolverine,” and have been longing for a good Wolverine performance since 2014, I’ve got news for you. “Logan” makes up for past mistakes and then some, by presenting an absolutely riveting and gut-wrenching final installment of Wolverine’s cinematic story.

The title itself illustrates the premise of the film. It exemplifies stripping down to the man under the claws in a powerfully-told story of inner struggles of will and motivation. Set in 2029 in a world essentially devoid of mutants, Logan faces growing older and losing the animalistic power he once possessed while caring for the almost broken Professor Xavier with the help of a mutant-tracker named Caliban. When Logan is tasked with getting a mutant girl named Laura to safety, he must put aside his weariness and unsheathe his claws one more time. Along the way however, he must battle the people who want to hurt Laura and face his greatest enemy—himself.

To be honest, I was never fully into the “X-Men” series, and I had only seen the Wolverine movies once each. Going into the theater for this movie, however, I was pumped. And I certainly was not disappointed. This was the most exciting, emotional, and draining movie I have seen in, at the very least, the last six months. Every minute of this movie counted, and the story alternated between lighter, more entertaining moments, and sudden shocks that had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The tone and cinematography keep you engaged and engulfed in the world. I felt like if I stepped outside, there would be nothing. The plot never drags, and just when you start to wonder how much time there is left in the movie, it smacks you in the face with extremely graphic action sequences and suspense.

One critique I have is that Caliban was a little wasted, and he should have been used more. Otherwise, I have nothing to say at this point. It is a well-done and emotional film.  What people have been calling “‘The Dark Knight’ of the ‘X-Men’ series” certainly delivers, grounding itself in well-developed, complex characters and emotional ties, every single aspect giving its all to make the best possible finale. My advice: see this movie as soon as you possibly can, but watch “Deadpool” afterward — to get your spirits back up. 4/4

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