The title is simply, Logan. But the movie's partly based on the 2008 - 2009 Old Man Logan comics storyline, which sounds a hell of a lot better and also happens to be more accurate -- especially considering Hugh Jackman's look in the movie. The source material was inspired by Unforgiven and that influence is pretty clear in the film as well.
The movie does make a stark departure from the original story -- mostly due to corporate realities. Fox, the studio that holds the film rights to the X-Men and Wolverine, has no such claim on the Hulk, Hawkeye, the Red Skull, She-Hulk, Giant-Man, Thor, Captain America, the Kingpin, Doctor Doom, Iron Man and the Abomination -- all of whom are referenced (some play key roles) in the comics. Even so, the movie is just as good as the source material -- if not better.
Deadpool's position as the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time prompted Jackman to insist on the freedom to earn the same rating. Deadpool's $783 million box-office take certainly gave the studio suits something to think about. Its considerably more than the $414 million 2013's The Wolverine took home. Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds was also in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine ($373 million). He wised up. Fortunately, Jackman did too. The R-rating has allowed us to finally see Wolverine being the best at what he does.
Logan isn't just the best X-Men movie -- it's better than all of the others combined. Jackman's always been pretty good as Wolverine, but until Logan, he's always been stuck portraying the most popular mutant in sh#tty movies with unconvincing special effects, terrible costumes and just overall slackness. But this time around there's no mute Deadpool, no giant samurai, no leather outfits and no wheelchair with X's on the wheels.
Speaking of which, Logan also provides the best movie showcase for Professor X.
A good bit of the story involves a guy, with the aid of an old friend, hitting the road in order to keep his super-powered kid from being reclaimed by federal agents. It's like 2016's Midnight Special -- except entertaining. Logan's time spent with the mutant kids is also reminiscent of Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. Wolverine even one-ups Batman by dying a hero's death the way the latter should've done in The Dark Knight Rises. Maybe best of all, Logan himself explains that comic books and other media greatly exaggerate his and his fellow X-Men's accomplishments. He says, "It happened once and they turn it into..." But both he and the Professor acknowledge (at least some of) the events that took place at the Statue of Liberty (from 2000's X-Men). Consequently, Logan renders all but the very first X-Men movie null and void - and even negates most of the events in that film.
The movie's only real flaws are the Superman III-style Wolverine vs. himself nonsense and the lack of an explanation for the mysterious green "medicine" -- which is too important to the story not to get one.
Jackman has announced his retirement from the role that made him famous. He even refuses to make a cameo appearance in the upcoming Deadpool sequel. If he stands by his decision he'll be doing what Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan should've done before him -- walking away at the top of his game.
- Ran Britt
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