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We, fanboys, can be a treacherous lot, occasionally rushing in where angels fear to tread. When we see something that's truly inspired, we tend to 'pile on' our praise, and why shouldn't we? For those of us who've been around for quite some time (like yours truly included), we know that we haven't always had it this good, that for years our television and comic book properties languished in sub-par adaptations that occasionally didn't even see the light of day (or the goodness of a release schedule) when the intellectual property owners decided the finished product was just that bad. What with the Christopher Nolan Bat-films and the continuing puppy mill that is Marvel Entertainment, we've a lot to be thankful for, and Fox's LOGAN is just one more notch in our collective bedpost.
Honestly, I won't belabor the point (too much, anyway) as there has already been plenty of worthy praise heaped on Hugh Jackman's swan song to the X franchise, but as I finally got around to seeing it this past Friday with the wifey I thought I'd offer up a few thoughts.
First: yes, it really is that good.
LOGAN's only real significant stumble (so far as this viewer is concerned) is when it kinda/sorta becomes a "road picture": like all of them, the script necessarily adopts a formulaic way of building characters while strongly adhering to the usual cat-and-mouse chase between the good guys and the bad guys. Thankfully, James Mangold's script (along with a few other contributors) still has a few cards up its sleeves, punctuating some of the predictability with a surprise here and there; but these sequences still slowed the picture down from its terrific set-up and necessarily stalled some of the energy before the final reel and reveal. This isn't so much a complaint; it's just an honest observation that even the best "road picture" might by design have to take the easy road in order to stick to the story.
Honestly, I won't belabor the point (too much, anyway) as there has already been plenty of worthy praise heaped on Hugh Jackman's swan song to the X franchise, but as I finally got around to seeing it this past Friday with the wifey I thought I'd offer up a few thoughts.
First: yes, it really is that good.
LOGAN's only real significant stumble (so far as this viewer is concerned) is when it kinda/sorta becomes a "road picture": like all of them, the script necessarily adopts a formulaic way of building characters while strongly adhering to the usual cat-and-mouse chase between the good guys and the bad guys. Thankfully, James Mangold's script (along with a few other contributors) still has a few cards up its sleeves, punctuating some of the predictability with a surprise here and there; but these sequences still slowed the picture down from its terrific set-up and necessarily stalled some of the energy before the final reel and reveal. This isn't so much a complaint; it's just an honest observation that even the best "road picture" might by design have to take the easy road in order to stick to the story.
Second: major kudos of "mirroring" the legendary Western SHANE so effectively.
For those unawares, SHANE is a 1953 Western starring Alan Ladd, Jack Palance (in a small but important role), and Van Heflin. Essentially, it's the story of an aging gunfighter who has to saddle up one more time due to circumstances well beyond his control; and Logan -- as played by Jackman -- has always kinda/sorta been portrayed in that mold. He's been the senior outsider, the guy who's seen it all and done it all so sticking to the usual "good guy" mold has never appealed to him. He dispenses justice the way he sees fit, and, yes, that might mean with more than a fair amount of bloodshed along the way. But in LOGAN, the Wolverine has clearly seen better days, and just like the tale of that ol' gun-hand fate has a way of tying up your loose ends for you.
Lastly: thanks for going the R-rated route.
This may sound like the least relevant point I'd like to make, but that's far from the truth: those who've followed the Wolverine in the books (I've done so mildly as I'm more of a DC man) know that most of his best tales do involve some bloodletting, and LOGAN serves up some of the mightiest kills captured in any of the X-Men flicks to date. I did read one review online who felt it approached a level of being gratuitous, but I find it perfectly necessary given the nature of this particular story and also helped underscore the mortality of every single character's circumstance: this world is not pretty, and sometimes it shouldn't be.
So -- again -- thanks for all involved for making LOGAN the powerhouse conclusion a character this interested deserved. I'll miss Jackman in this mold -- if it indeed is his last hurrah -- but I'll always cherish the memory of how he went out like such a boss.
For those unawares, SHANE is a 1953 Western starring Alan Ladd, Jack Palance (in a small but important role), and Van Heflin. Essentially, it's the story of an aging gunfighter who has to saddle up one more time due to circumstances well beyond his control; and Logan -- as played by Jackman -- has always kinda/sorta been portrayed in that mold. He's been the senior outsider, the guy who's seen it all and done it all so sticking to the usual "good guy" mold has never appealed to him. He dispenses justice the way he sees fit, and, yes, that might mean with more than a fair amount of bloodshed along the way. But in LOGAN, the Wolverine has clearly seen better days, and just like the tale of that ol' gun-hand fate has a way of tying up your loose ends for you.
Lastly: thanks for going the R-rated route.
This may sound like the least relevant point I'd like to make, but that's far from the truth: those who've followed the Wolverine in the books (I've done so mildly as I'm more of a DC man) know that most of his best tales do involve some bloodletting, and LOGAN serves up some of the mightiest kills captured in any of the X-Men flicks to date. I did read one review online who felt it approached a level of being gratuitous, but I find it perfectly necessary given the nature of this particular story and also helped underscore the mortality of every single character's circumstance: this world is not pretty, and sometimes it shouldn't be.
So -- again -- thanks for all involved for making LOGAN the powerhouse conclusion a character this interested deserved. I'll miss Jackman in this mold -- if it indeed is his last hurrah -- but I'll always cherish the memory of how he went out like such a boss.
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