Logan hits stores on May 23rd.
In comparison to other superhero solo outings, Logan is very unique. Instead of an action adventure movie, Logan is an emotional character-driven drama. Michael Green, Scott Frank, and James Mangold do an amazing job taking the characters that we know and love and adding more layers to them. They’re able to explore these rich set of characters, who are seemingly at the end of their rope and give them a reason to keep on going. That reason would be X-23/Laura Kinney, who is multi-dimensional in her own right. However, there are several plot holes and questionable story choices to be found in the film. Be that as it may, the joy of watching Logan is seeing Wolverine and X-23’s journey together.
A proper character-driven script is useless without a competent director. Thankfully, James Mangold loves to direct character-driven films. He channels his inner Coen brother and delivers the deepest superhero film yet. Mangold and cinematographer John Mathieson perfectly capture the desolate landscape of Mexico, Texas, and the Midwest. It’s quite captivating at times. The stark, bare Western-inspired landscapes is a perfect metaphor for the isolation that Logan so desperately seeks.
But for those with short attention spans, Logan might feel really long. Logan is a slow-burn type of film that takes its sweet time getting from point A to point B. Not only that but there are a few action scenes in the film, but as I said, this isn’t that type of film. It’s a character-driven drama. So when we do get action scenes, they are ultra-violent and bloody. But the gore is done in good taste and not too obscene.
Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen bolster Logan with their powerful performances. Jackman gives it his absolute all in his final Wolverine film. His expressions communicate plenty of emotions—ranging from pain and sadness to anger. Jackman also put a lot of physicality into the role with his limping, shaking, and rage. Patrick Stewart gives an unforgettable performance as Professor Charles Xavier. Stewart takes the character and puts him in a place that no other X-Men film has taken him before. He’s vulnerable, helpless, and hilariously vulgar. He gives the film a lot of its heart.
The most surprising aspect of the film is newcomer Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney/X-23. The role is a challenging one because Keen has long stretches without dialogue. So most of her performance relies on her physicality and facial expressions. She’s still able to embody the character despite the lack of dialogue and bear the pain of a child that has been through a lot.
As for the rest of the cast, Boyd Holbrook is charming as Donald Pierce. Unfortunately, he lacks that intimidation factor to be an effective villain. Stephen Merchant is funny and quirky as Caliban. Just don’t expect to see a lot of him in the film.
Overall, Logan has everything you want from a Wolverine film. It has a perfect blend of ultra-violence, emotion, and humor. Hugh Jackman gave us everything he had to provide us with the best Wolverine film yet and fans should be eternally grateful to him. It’s a perfect coincidence that Logan is inspired by Westerns. It’s the ideal genre for Hugh Jackman’s ride off into the sunset.
Movie Rating: 4/5 atoms
Video
Logan hits Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC transfer and a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Both Logan and Logan Noir look great on Blu-ray. First of all, Logan has a very naturalistic look to it. Thus making the film look very lifelike. The whites are vibrant but they do bloom during certain bright scenes. However, these blooming issues are done intentionally for effect. Thankfully, the black levels aren’t crushed and are inky. This is great since a majority of scenes do take place at night. Because of the film’s tone, the color palette primarily consists of Earth tone colors. The colors look accurate and never appear oversaturated. Despite the limited color palette, the skin tone looks natural.
Now with Logan Noir, the black and white coloring of the film is fantastic. Unfortunately, the white and black levels take a bit of a hit in Noir. The film looks darker without any of the colors. As a result, there were a few issues with crushed blacks. Overall, Fox did a good job transferring Logan and Logan Noir onto Blu-ray.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Audio
Logan hits Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround audio track. Logan‘s audio presentation is simply stunning. The rear and surround channels render a lot of the kinetic environmental effects effortlessly. Not to mention that everything sounds clear as it pans from one channel to another. Similarly, the front channels immerse the soundstage with the sound effects and dialogue. In addition, the vocals are clearly heard in the center channel. The subwoofer gives that added depth and loud boom to the presentation. Overall, it’s one great presentation.
Audio Rating: 5/5 atoms
Special Features
Logan’s Blu-ray contains the following special features:
- Logan Noir
- Audio Commentary by James Mangold
- Deleted Scenes
- Making Logan
Hands down, the biggest bonus feature draw is the highly-publicized Logan Noir release. Much like Mad Max: Black and Chrome, it provides the film with an added grit that you simply don’t get from a color film. In addition, Logan Noir seem to feel more in tune with the film’s heavy themes. The best part is that this version comes with every Blu-ray release. Yes, that means there won’t be a surprise Logan Noir double-dip at a later date. So, if you don’t like Noir then you can simply watch the color version next time.
As for the rest of the bonus features, they’re underwhelming for the most part. The deleted scenes are somewhat interesting to watch. The audio commentary is insightful but only for those who enjoy audio commentaries. Lastly, the hour-plus long making-of featurette is a fascinating watch.
Special Features Rating: 4/5 atoms
Overall, Logan is the perfect swan song for the beloved Hugh Jackman. He put his all into the film and it clearly shows in the final product. The audio and video presentations look and sound great. However, your enjoyment of the special features solely depends on how you enjoy Logan Noir. Other than the making-of featurette, there really isn’t much to the special features.
Overall Rating: 4/5 atoms
This Blu-ray was reviewed using a retail/advance copy/unit provided by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
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