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Rating: 4.4/5
Review: "Logan movie review" (137 minutes)

"Logan is an satisfying finale that will bring a tear to your eyes. It may not have the scale of a superhero blockbuster but its layered character development is what makes this film one of the best superhero films." 

The third and last installment to the Wolverine trilogy is an satisfying ending. It may not be a CGI fest compared to the X-Men franchise but it holds the attention with its character's development and intense and brutal action scenes. The tone may be jarring after the last few CGI fest that includes The Wolverine, also directed by James Mangold. After the massive success of Deadpool, Fox decided to bank on Wolverine's mature themes and brutal violence. There may be the gimmicky violence but James is more interested in developing the characters that will tug your hearts at the end. It is only March but Logan is a strong contender for one of the best film this year.

The story: With all the promotional buzz of Hugh Jackman's last portrayal of Logan, the film lives up to expectations. This must be the most mature X-Men film and it is not because of its bloody violence. Director James took his time layering Logan's development. And Hugh Jackman took the opportunity to deliver one of his best performances. Patrick Stewart also delivers his best. Both play characters who don't see themselves as heroes and have regrets. Newcomer Dafne Keen, who plays as Laura aka X-23 (no spoiler), may not have a lot of dialogues but her presence is memorable. In term of scale, this feels more intimate. There are no fancy special effects or CGI. Even for the action scenes, James went for a realistic approach. The action is sparse but when there is one, it is brutal and explodes with intensity. The three major action scenes are realistic but James directs them with style. The action is not the strongest department here as James understands that Logan is more complicated than just a hack-and-slash hero. Music by Marco Beltrami is a fit for an emotionally developed film.

Overall: It does not have the appeal of a superhero blockbuster but it is a rare superhero flick that spends its time on developing its titular hero. Given its buzz, Logan will definitely be a touching finale to the fans and those who have followed the X-Men franchise. Logan may never wear his iconic yellow spandex on screen but Hugh Jackman has brought much more values in breathing life into this character. It has been a long time for the likeable franchise but it is about time to see a new generation of X-Men.

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