Logan (3/3/2017)

Rated R for strong brutal violence and language throughout, and for brief nudity.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant and Boyd Holbrook

Directed by James Mangold (The Wolverine, 3:10 to Yuma and Walk the Line)

Logan is the best Wolverine movie and it is the most violent Wolverine movie.

It’s 2029. Mutants are gone–or very nearly so. An isolated, despondent Logan is drinking his days away in a hideout on a remote stretch of the Mexican border, picking up petty cash as a driver for hire. His companions in exile are the outcast Caliban and an ailing Professor X, whose singular mind is plagued by worsening seizures. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy abruptly end when a mysterious woman appears with an urgent request–that Logan shepherd an extraordinary young girl to safety. Soon, the claws come out as Logan must face off against dark forces and a villain from his own past on a live-or-die mission, one that will set the time-worn warrior on a path toward fulfilling his destiny.

So how do we discuss the fact that is the best and also the most violent Wolverine movie to date?

Let’s begin with why this is the best Wolverine movie ever. Hugh Jackman has played the mutton-chopped, cigar-chomping, adamantium-clawed Canadian mutant Wolverine in nine different films. But this, his final portrayal of one of comics most loved characters, is his absolute best.

When we find him in this final chapter, “old man Logan” is alone, broken and reduced to a limo driver. The other X-Men are long gone and he is left to be the sole care taker for a once powerful Professor X. Combined with the years of battling bad guys and the adamantium-infused skeleton, his body is finally wearing down. And Jackman plays the role flawlessly.

This X-Men film drops the cheesy lines and CGI ridiculousness. It is a stripped down, gritty drama about one mutant’s struggle with his past and the hope of a mutant resurgence.

That hope is embodied in a little Mexican girl named Laura (Dafne Keen). And Dafne does a very impressive job, especially next to Jackman and Stewart.

Although the cast, story and director are all top notch, the biggest negative for me was the hard-R rating. I knew sitting in the theater watching Deadpool that this would not be the last foul mouth, super violent superhero movie.

Logan is extremely violent. Blood is spilled by the buckets – there are more severed arms, legs, torsos and heads. Besides all the graphic violence, there are over 50 F-words. In fact, the very first line uttered in Logan is an F-bomb. It reminded me of a child who discovers a bad word. They over use it, they misuse it and it becomes more annoying than offensive. There’s even some female nudity slipped in for absolutely no reason other than to say it’s there.

So please know this is not your typical superhero movie.

This film clearly serves as a tribute to both Wolverine and Hugh Jackman; I just wish it could have been done with a PG-13 rating. For that reason it’s a “Rental.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
No, this is not your typical superhero movie – too much violence, too many F-words and even some nudity.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. Why is Logan no longer able to heal as quickly and effectively?


2. Why does Logan make so many sacrifices for Laura?

Read John 15:13

The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.


3. How does Logan demonstrate love?


4. How can you demonstrate love to others in your life?