A Love Letter to Logan.

Note: This is not strictly a review, but it will contain SPOILERS.

Even if you haven’t seen it yet, I’m sure you’ve heard that "Logan" was a phenomenal movie. Countless reviews have poured in, talking about how "Logan" transcends the comic book movie, how it’s “not just a good comic movie… but a good movie”.

I’m here to tell you that they’re wrong.

Sort of.

What James Mangold has done here is exactly what writers, artists, and colorists have been doing for years that most American culture has trouble believing can be done: combine gritty realism, fantasy, and just plain, good storytelling.

While the marketing was clearly targeting general audiences - people who may not be interested in the more fantastic elements of superhero movies, or feeling superhero fatigue between the 6 superflicks being cranked out yearly - I’d like to express appreciation for what James Mangold, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen and everybody else have created for the nerds like me.

I was 9 (and a half!) when I first witnessed Hugh Jackman's portrayal and now 17 years later he’s wrapped up the legacy that he’s started, along with Patrick Stewart. 17 years… his portrayal of the character is officially old enough to buy tickets to R-rated movies, and that’s exactly what he did, which is great because those of us who have stuck around have grown up too, and we definitely weren’t looking for another X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

"Logan" perfectly pays homage to its sources, both the comics and the previous movies.

The plot of the "Old Man Logan" comic is manipulated into a subtle reference with Professor Xavier’s seizures killing several civilians and the X-Men in Westchester. The ending of "Logan" reflects Wolverine’s introduction with runaway mutant girl, Rogue, in the first X-Men movie, as he dies with runaway mutant girl, Laura. And can we talk about Yukio's prediction of his death in The Wolverine? "I see you on your back, there's blood everywhere... You're holding your own heart in your hand". And here we see Logan, laying on his back, blood everywhere, holding Laura in his hand as he dies.

But I think most importantly, it pays homage to the fans that allowed Wolverine to thrive, not just for 17 years of film, but 43 years of publication.

One of the most common criticisms of comic books (and their film adaptations) is that they’re childish, immature, and far too unrealistic for any grown adult’s suspension of disbelief. This, of course, stems from the misconception that only superhero comic books exist, combined with the idea that drawings/cartoons are strictly for kids - misconceptions that are gradually fading with more and more works like "Logan". I felt a subtle nod to this mindset as Logan realized that Gabriela’s “Eden” was pulled from X-Men comics. Enraged that anyone would put so much faith and weight in a comic book story, Logan screams that it’s all just a “bullshit” story crafted by writers.

“It’s not real!” he affirms.

“It is to her” retorts Professor X.

Laura here is every person who has ever picked up a comic and felt some profound effect.

Laura is me when I saw Peter Parker dealing with bullies, focusing on his studies, and putting his family before everything else.

Laura is me when I saw the X-Men team up with Magneto to battle bigotry from Reverend Stryker.

Laura is me when I saw Daredevil contemplate his faith, what’s right, and what’s wrong when he seemed to have lost everything at the hands of Kingpin.

Laura is me when I saw R̶o̶b̶e̶r̶t̶ ̶D̶o̶w̶n̶e̶y̶ ̶J̶r̶.̶ Tony Stark rely on alcohol to cope with his stress.

Laura is me when he finally broke the cycle and became sober.

So allow me to get a bit ranty and say that I absolutely understand that Fox’s marketing approach is for the uninitiated, but "Logan" does not “transcend” comic book movies. "Logan" was not great because it eschews its comic book origins. It's a great story that just so happened to be influenced by other great stories. It's great because it EMBRACES its comic book origins. Just as books, films, and tv shows have varied genres, styles, maturity levels, etc… so do comic books. Comic books are not a genre, they’re a medium, and adapting a comic into film is no different from adapting oral folklore or a novel. When a “comic movie” is terrible, it is generally because the filmmakers failed in some way, not because the source material was childish.

Mangold and crew understood this, and crafted one of the finest neo-western action flicks of recent memory. And as "Logan" put Hugh Jackman’s iconic portrayal to rest, we witness Laura, and the other young mutants, continuing on, guided by fictional stories crafted by writers... Just as I and others have in the past, and hopefully will continue to do in the future.

#logan #marvel #comics #movie #hughjackman #jamesmangold