The Man Comes Around: Review of Logan

Logan

Director: James Mangold

By Alex Watson

While his first two on-screen outings were underwhelming, Logan provides Marvel fans with a wonderful swansong. Director James Mangold delivers an unexpectedly poignant and heartfelt finale which see Hugh Jackman's beloved character come full circle. Unashamedly high on violence and sporting possibly the greatest ever pre-credit sequence (spoilers withheld), this is one ride we don't want to end.

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is now a drunken down and out working as a limo driver while tending to his sick long term friend Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). He attempts to live anonymously in the desert alongside mutant ally Caliban (Stephen Merchant). However, the powers and strength he once held are slowly wasting away. One day he stumbles across a money making chance by aiding a mother and daughter crossing the border into Canada. Taking this chance brings him into the path of dangerous Transigen employee Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook). To his shock the girl, Laura (Dafne Keen) is demonstrating some familiar abilities.

Watching Wolverine in this picture is a thing of great sadness. In Logan, his ageing body is betraying him and he spends his days easing the pain with booze. His purpose in life has become truly lost and now Charles seems to be succumbing to a degenerative brain disorder that has seen him classified as a 'weapon of mass destruction'. From the opening scene where with great difficulty he fends off a gang of tough hombre's- he just looks like a wounded animal struggling to survive in the wild. Everything we love about this character seems to have gone and his a stumbling wreck. When Pierce veers across his path, the tone of Mangold's movie shifts drastically. Wolverine and friends are soon on the run, which has become business as usual in his world. Noticeably more at ease with violent content, Mangold firmly refuses to make this an adventure for the kids. In this Marvel universe, very little is clean and let me tell you, there are few things more glorious than hearing Patrick Stewart drop the F-Bomb!

The side story of the girl Laura is one that seems to kick start his beliefs. At first happy to abandon her, when he comes to see her abilities his world is shaken to the core. The girl may be of few words, but her actions speak volumes. Logan is divided between two worlds at this stage. Charles encourages him to seek out a better future but having lived a life at war with himself and the world Wolverine is conflicted. Mangold's movie is about Wolverine wrestling with his soul because although he wants to do good and make sure Laura is safe, his killer side still calls to him. Although this movie resists the urge to throw one of the X-Men's baddies into the mix, the story of evil corporation Transigen engineering mutant kids from birth feels too tacked on. Led by permanently smirking villain Pierce, they do inspire some fine battles. The introduction of sinister scientist Zander Rice (Richard E Grant) and mutant X-24 is earth shaking at first but eventually fizzles out.

Perhaps the most joyful part of Logan is Wolverine finally being allowed to let loose. In this picture, he slashes, dismembers and often brutally kills his aggressors. His healing ability might be fading, but the old killer instinct is alive and well. Proof that R-Rated action movies can be successful, Mangold also finds a heart in the most unlikely of places. After two pictures hampered by artistic inferences, finally, Marvel fans have gotten the Wolverine picture we always wanted. Its focus in showing him at his lowest ebb makes the film far stronger outing than the Samurai confused nonsense of 'The Wolverine'. Mangold also gives his audience an emotionally charged finale we will never forget. Few Marvel characters have been as memorable as this clawed character- this final film is a tribute to savour.

Hugh Jackman in his last performance as Wolverine goes out with one hell of a bang. Since starting an unknown actor in 2000, Jackman has shaped this character into something truly special. Playing Wolverine as a decaying wreck who is caught between two lives is a thing of rare beauty. This character has been continually evolving and Jackman seems determined not to let the side down. This could possibly be a career high performance and we are unlikely to see this kind of emotion in a superhero movie again. Patrick Stewart makes for a delightful sidekick as Xavier and for once he is allowed to play this character with a sense of humour. An old mind that is now a ticking time bomb, Charles is a much of a dying creature as Wolverine.

Logan is quite simply the strongest movie in the X-Men universe. Days of Future Past and Apocalypse just showed that big CGI doesn't always solve the problem, James Mangold's stripped down and humane approach ensures its best character gets the adventure he always deserved.

Against The Clock: Review of Run All Night

Run All Night

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

By Alex Watson

Although it is entertaining and at points even thrilling action, Jaume Collett-Serra's Run All Night is a little too inconsistent throughout. Marking the third collaboration between actor Liam Neeson and Collet-Serra, this movie is in a similar vein to the previous adrenaline packed flicks Non-Stop and Unknown. Though the story has some interesting marks to it, it just doesn't feel meaty enough to raise this movie to where it needs to be.

Alcoholic mob enforcer, Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson) is a man who has made a mess of his life and alienated his relationship with his son Mike (Joel Kinnaman). But when his son witnesses a murder committed by Jimmy's bosses son, Danny (Boyd Holbrook) he forced into killing him to protect his life. Swearing vengeance, his former boss/friend Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris) declares open season on Jimmy! Forced into a corner, the old gunman will have one night to come out swinging to help his kid survive.

Many will no doubt assume this will be yet another Neeson effort where he simply shows up looking tough. Well the early part of Run All Night is a thankful departure from tried and tested material. We first meet Jimmy groggily waking up from another hard night drinking and being mocked by his mob comrades. His life is in a shambles and his son looks upon him with scorn- not only that by former nemesis Detective Harding (Vincent D'Onofrio) is still keeping a close eye on his former killings! The initial bonding exercise between father and son is one that is at first encouraging, but quickly burns out of fuel after a bright start.

The moment that the killing occurs, the movies tone takes a sharp turn into more formulaic action territory. Although there is an icy and memorable showdown seen between former buddies Shawn and Jimmy, the rest of the film lacks the needed ice cold formula. The introduction of fellow assassin Price (Common) fails to really add any real spice to proceedings. Possessing what appears to be his one vengeful look, this guy seems to stalk them like some kind of human terminator. Collet-Serra tries his hardest but unfortunately he cannot help the movie slip off the rails.

Sadly from here we witness what could have been a decent and hard edged crime drama descend into an action and bullet packed action flick. Jimmy is a character that although appears familiar, had the potential to be developed into something interesting. But by the finish he reduced to the typical Neeson staple of simply being handy with a fire arm. Though the finale shootout and his actions that go with it are surprisingly poignant. Just a shame that the rest of movie wasn't in keeping with this type of emotion.

Liam Neeson as usual provides great screen presence and this proves to be some of his best work in quite some time. Jimmy is a man who inside lament his lost life of being married to the mob and secretly yearns to be reunited with his son. Neeson smartly invests a great degree of warmth mixed with his usual killer edge to raise it above Bryan Mills territory. Ed Harris feels underused as the main villain which is tragic when he promises his usual hard eyed brilliance. Also look for a brief but barnstorming cameo from the great Nick Nolte- who proves he has not lost that presence in years gone by!

Run All Night is a movie that wants to be more than it really offers us, but it is a decent and predictable ride all the same. Many will always wonder how long Neeson will keep up his tough guy act? But one thing is for sure- he is pretty good at it so far!