Review of Logan (2017) by Elena V — 26 Mar 2017

Mangold was never on my radar as an outstanding director. Yet when you look him up you find he directed audience favourites like "Walk the Line" and "Girl, Interrupted". This is a audience respecting director who seems to relish his Hollywood invisibility. He may not be an Oliver Stone or Milos Forman, but holds up the Hollywood torch for putting the star in the forefront. Speaking of Oliver Stone, the violence in Logan is the most Senecan that has been seen to date. If you like watching live fights like boxing or EFC, Mangold makes you feel every punch, slash, and stab. And the character arcs from Wolverine to Professor X to the reticent girl Laura all develop with color and nuance. There are character twists, plot twists, and, as mentioned, plot pushing body mangalations, that keep the story moving scene to scene. Not having known Mangold directed the film before watching it, with all the Hispanic notes in the story, my first impression that it was directed by a Mexican, South American or possibly a European director. Considering Mangold had first studied film under the wing of Alexander Mackendrick, he seems to have learned to perfect the late mentor's quote, "...film begins between the ears and under the hair of one character, and ends between the ears and under the scalpel of the audience." (Wikipedia) Logan is a visceral film. It is not an action film by box office standards. It is a drama, horror film, comedy, science fiction, buddy film--all in earnest. It might be fair to say it is Mangold's most human story to date--a somber yet captivating movie.

Humanity aside, the film does lack in its attempt of a villain with depth. Will anyone create a good bad guy? Apocalypse from the not-too-long-ago "X-man: Apocalypse" captured a sense of mystery about him (though not original). In Logan we first meet the top henchman Pierce (portrayed by Boyd Holbrook) but his boyish good looks never convinced me as a threat. The arch villian is the stock character of the mad scientist-- which I admit is starting to get tiresome. Grant, playing Dr. Rice, does a fine job, and though the writers made clear his motivation they forgot to develop his humanity. There is a touch Frankenstein in him when he wants to control his Clone Wolverine. But I would have liked him to treat him more like a son so when the clone is defeated the first time, we sympathize with a father's suffering. What do you think?

If you've ever secretly wished to see superheroes get killed, here is your chance. RIP.