LOGAN

US, 2017, 135 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant.
Directed by James Mangold.


Dear, oh dear! Words of sympathy for Logan. When he first emerges after binge at a bar, he looks dreadful. He looks much older, certainly scruffier, bearded and lined – rather similar in look and voice to the later Mel Gibson (though taller!). Loglan catches sight of some thugs stripping his car, his inner Wolverine starts to emerge, as well as his shears, and there is some familiar mayhem. There is this story of Logan going to go… where?

One of the first things to note is that it is the year 2029. And we discover that Charles Xavier, a proud nonagenarian, memory and concentration lessening, in need of constant medication, is hidden and protected by an albino (Stephen Merchant), Caliban, who has to protect his head and whole body against light.

The real drama starts when a Mexican woman appeals to Logan to help her and her daughter. Professor Xavier senses the daughter is a mutant and needs protection. This very quickly emerges when a tough mercenary type, Pierce (Boyd Holbrook) turns up with armed guards and threatening Logan. Pierce is a nasty piece of work, especially when he deals with Caliban, torturing him with the light, but he and his mob are carrying out the orders of Zander Rice (Richard E.Grant), the executive in charge of an experimental facility, which is seriously playing with genetics, implanting codes from mutants, including Logan, into Mexican women who are then disposed of.

The plan is now to move on to a next phase, more deadly, the children as weapons, more machine-like and without soul. They are rounding up mutant children who have escaped, including Laura (Dafne Keen in quite a striking performance). By now, we can see where the film is going – and the destination is named, Eden in North Dakota, allegedly a refuge for mutant children (though Laura’s protector got this information only from an X- Men comic). The film is going to be a road movie, Logan driving hell for leather and beyond, Charles Xavier as his passenger and needing care, Laura, not speaking, fiercely determined, a fierce weapon.

Along the road there is a visit to a shop which Laura has never experienced and a clash with the assistant. There is a motel stop with Laura watching a lot of scenes from Shane which Charles Xavier tells her he saw when he was her age. There is a visit to a casino in Oklahoma City, buying new clothes. And there is an episode along the road with some horses running across the highway and Professor Xavier able to calm them, the grateful family inviting the group to a meal and a quiet night. Well, not quite…

As the film moved towards its close, we realise that this is an end to an X- Men era, Logan ready to lay down his life for Laura, battling a clone that the facility has created of him, confronting Xander Rice who gets short shrift in the middle of an impassioned speech, and a realisation that a new era of mutant action films is in store.

1. An X- Men story? Audience familiarity? Presuppositions about Logan and Wolverine? The end of the Wolverine stories?

2. 2029, the American world, ordinary and familiar, technical developments, automatic trucks…?

3. Musical score, the final song by Johnny Cash and its lyrics?

4. Hugh Jackman and Logan over the years, now older, dying, scruffy, swearing, waking up after drinking at the bar, the thugs with his car, the fight, using his knives?

5. Pierce, the type, his artificial hand, anti-mutants, hunting them, his hunting Laura and Gabriella? Finding Logan, the threats, Logan defiant?

6. Logan going to visit Charles, his age, deterioration, wheelchair, having to take his tablets, his memories? Caliban there to protect him, his appearance, shielded from the light, saving Charles, Pierce and the confrontation, torture, exposing him to the sun? Caliban defiant, torture, the explosives – giving his life to save Charles?

7. Gabriella, the search for Logan, the cry for help, offering the money? Laura as her daughter? Her appeal, being found dead? The phone video, the battery going down, recharge, the means for informing the audience about Zander Rice and the technology, the plans, the conception of the children, the mothers, the codes for the fathers?

8. Charles, eager to help Laura, as a mutant? The plan to go to North Dakota, to Eden? Logan finding the story in the comic book? Laura, her shears, mute, enjoying her breakfast, the attackers and her destroying them?

9. The escape, driving through the fence, the smashes, sweeping the wires to the enemy cars? Charles and Laura as passengers? The shop, Laura and the sunglasses, eating? Her attack on the assistant, Logan helping him, taking the batteries, recharging the phone? Pierce and his arriving at the shop and threatening the assistant?

10. Charles and his powers, causing the tremors, realising people, Logan breaking through and resisting, saving Charles?

11. Oklahoma City, getting the new car, getting the room, buying clothes, some moments of respite, driving away?

12. Zander Rice, his company, Technogen, the aims, creating the mutants, the mothers and fathers, genetic codes, Laura and Logan and his code, their similarities? The plan to destroy all the children? The pursuit, the cars and soldiers, the weapons? Children, as weapons, and the plan to breed machines with no souls? Rice the brain villain, Pierce the brawn villain?

13. The highway, the episode with the horses, the pleasant family, grateful for the help, Charles exercising his powers and calming the horses? The meal, Laura and her listening to the music? The young son? Logan, helping the father with the pumps, the locals in the confrontation, then using his power? Rice and his forces, the attack, the cloned Logan, battling him? Charles and the most peaceful night, clone killing him? The confrontation by the locals and their being destroyed by the clone?

14. Burying Charles, going to Eden? The argument with the Laura?

15. The mountains, rocks, finding the cave and the hiding-place?

16. The pursuit, helicopters, the children,, the individuals and group? Rice’s forces? Logan, taking the syringe, injecting himself, his fighting 24? Laura, with a bullet that Logan had for himself? Shooting 24?

17. Rice, the confrontation with Logan, the memories of his father? His plan, madness – and suddenly being shot?

18. The children regathering, going to a future?