"As I live and breathe, 'The Wolverine'." Logan Review

Logan

4/5

Directed by: James Mangold

Rated: R

           The Wolverine has grown tired of his mantle. He has turned his back on the world, only to make his home in a dry piece of land in the deserts of  northern Mexico. No longer purely invincible. No longer perfectly healing every bullet hole or knife cut on his body. Only working to stay alive and keep his few friends breathing. He has nothing to lose, and nothing to live for. Until, a young girl enters his life, as do the dangerous men hunting her. Spurred on by fear and intrigue, Logan embarks on what could be his last heroic act.

           James Mangold, director of Marvel's The Wolverine (2013), returns to write and direct this grizzled and primal film. Logan is a far cry from previous X-men movies. Instead of branching off following several individually storylines, Logan is narrow and focused. The film is even simplistic, by visual standards. The camera work has been downplayed for added realism. The usual flashy comic book style cinematography has been replaced with the rough and tumble of a handheld aesthetic. Though the use of CGI and practical effect are scattered throughout the film's action scenes, what stands out in these intense moments is the film's score. More than paralleling the rises and falls of the plot, Marco Beltrami's music captures an emotional center, and gives a greater sense of scope to the film's complex characters.

           The most prominent cinematic element in Logan are the performances. Hugh Jackman dons his mutton chops and adamantium claws, as he revises his starring role as Logan/The Wolverine for his seventh time. For 17 years Hugh Jackman has offered an original portrayal of the iconic animal in all of his films, and Logan is no exception. Full of grit, heartbreak, and faint echoes of his former self, Logan features Hugh Jackman's most vulnerable and human performance of the character. Patrick Stewart also reprises his role as Charles Xavier. He plays the once dignified professor and team leader as a crotchety old geezer who's kind soul is buried somewhere beneath his dementia and prescription drugs. Debuting in this picture is the young and aggressive Laura, played by able actress Dafne Keen. Though she says little, she has a massive onscreen presence. She can appear equally alongside two of the greatest comic book personas in cinema, and in some cases she outshines them. These three characters are represented within the metaphor of a generational family. Charles is the grandfather, Logan is Charles' son, and Laura is Logan's daughter. It's a unique take on these memorable characters, but one that ultimately pays off, and marks Logan as an unexpectedly humane story.

           While Logan shares similar traits with other Marvel super hero movies, the film's plot is more akin to a western. Logan was mainly shot in New Mexico, and the film primarily takes place in the western region of the United States. The main protagonist of the film is a lone gunman, Logan. Instead of pistols, he uses claws. The lone gunman also has an adversary, played ingenuously by Boyd Halbrook. This adversary admires and wants many of the same things the lone gunman wants, but has a vile way of going about achieving these goals. Even the slow but unyielding pacing of Logan is highly reminiscent of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns.

           Aside from departing from the usual super hero genre, Logan also abandons the light hearted nature of most comic book movies. The R rating is well deserved. An incessant tirade of F bombs make up the first act of Logan's screenplay. Few of them are justified, but most of them feel unwarranted. The action scenes also feature severe illustrations of viscera and bloody dismemberment. Though the choreography of these fights is considerably predictable, it is unrelenting and animalistic. There are also more adult themes in Logan, such as suicidal thoughts, the trafficking of children, losing ones mind and dignity to old age, and the need to parent future generations. Logan is not for the casual comic book fan, however a more mature and well minded audience will appreciate this blood stained and unabated film.

The Verdict: Logan embodys a relentless atmosphere full of remarkable performances, heart reaching music, intense primal action scenes, animalistic viscera, emotional humanity, and mature themes.

"I can Save Today. You can Save the World." Wonder Woman Review

Wonder Woman

4/5

Directed by: Patty Jenkins

Written by: Allan Heinberg

Rated: PG-13

           For the past four years, movie audiences, myself included, have wanted to see a great DC extended universe (DCEU) film. While the DC comics are filled with detailed characters and memorable stories, the DCEU films have shown little care to represent this same quality. So far all three entries in the DCEU are composed of weak story telling, confusing character arcs, and poor direction. Wonder Woman is beyond anything the DCEU has released. This film takes its place at the side of other great comic book movies, and, in some cases, Wonder Woman rises above them.

           Wonder Woman's story is an epic, set during World War I. The film's runtime is a lengthy two hours and twenty one minutes, but it does make good use of the bulk of this time. The film includes a variety of lifelike locations, memorable heroes, nefarious enemies and several interwoven story arcs. The way the film's overarching story plays out is well done, and appears to have no gaping holes within its narrative. Sadly, the start of the film's final act lacks the depth and force that the rest of the film carried. It does not detract from the rest of the film, but it is jarring. The film's conclusion, however, puts the story back on track, and sends viewers off satisfied.

           Wonder Woman's considerable screenplay is complemented by multiple powerful performances from both the main and supporting cast. Gal Gadot portrays the iconic role of Diana, Princess of Themyscira. Gadot fills her speeches on love and war with emotional palpability, without force or unnecessary suppression. She emerges onto the screen with gravitas, and plays her dynamic character with an intensity of grace and fury. Chris Pine characterizes the talented World War I pilot and American spy, Steve Trevor. Pine plays this character with an air of charisma and comedic charm. His impeccable comedic timing lands all of his jokes, and provokes a range of laughter. From light chuckles to loud embarrassing guffaws, audiences will enjoy Pine's genuine humor. Along with these two capable performances, most of the supporting characters exhibit this same level of vitality. Two standout performances from the supporting cast are David Thewlis' portrayal of the British military general, Sir Patrick, and Elena Anya's stark depiction of the feared German chemist, Dr. Maru. Both performers play their parts with humanity, as neither wholly good or evil. From the supporting roles to the hundreds of unnamed fighters, all of Wonder Woman's characters are portrayed with excellence.

           Wonder Woman also features some incredible on screen action scenes. Battles play out on both large scale open landscapes, and in close quartered sets. Despite how massive or minimal the fight scene is, all of them are executed with powerful and hard hitting punch. Soldiers are not taken down with ease. Every defeated enemy is a victory, and every fallen friend is a casualty. The carefully timed choreography of each battle gives nearly every hit a tangible sense of impact. During one of the film's intense battle scenes, I found myself dodging gun fire and raising my wrist in defense, as if I felt I could deflect the bullets back into the screen (bare in mind, I did not see this film in 3D).

           Beyond this film's well done story, powerful performances, and incredible action scenes, Wonder Woman is an important film. Currently there is a harmful stimulus influencing several cinematic releases. Modern movies feel inclined to deliberately select a gender and promote it as the more powerful, more important, and more worthy. While the majority of audiences expect Wonder Woman will fall victim to this same overt stimulus, viewers will be surprised to find Wonder Woman is without agenda or gender bias. Diana is not shown as a candid dependent heroine who is simply aesthetically pleasing, and Steve is not an incapable imbecile who is only along for the ride. In addition to this, neither gender is grossly over glorified above the other. The film plays equally to Diana and Steve's strengths, illustrating them both with an impression of noble courage and valor. Wonder Woman is a film all audiences will be able to fully enjoy. Avid DCEU fans and casual movie goers will enjoy this great standalone film from director Patty Jenkins and writer Allan Heinberg.

Verdict: Wonder Woman offers all viewers an epic story, full of powerful genuine characters, vivid locations, and incredibly intense actions scenes, worth experiencing in theatres.