"I appreciate you clicking on that little link there to read this article that may or may not live up to your expectations. For your discretion, there will be a few spoilers; the movie has been out for a year. As I begin these movie reviews, they will consist of my take on the acting, cinematography, special effects, music, as well as the story and my personal opinion. I invite you to read this, and many more reviews to come, through the eyes of a growing, learning, and silly young lad. Now let's get this review going! - Michael

Logan

A passion project by Hugh Jackman and James Mangold, when 20 Century Fox announced a rated R Wolverine film, it raised cheers from movie and comic book fans alike. Fans were dying for a hard-core movie where the character was not restricted by any MPAA ratings. They got their wish in "Logan". However, there was a downside, for it would be Hugh Jackman’s last performance as the infamous “Wolverine/Logan”. Since the first X-Men came out in 2000, Jackman stunned audiences with his performance of the crazed ex-soldier who partook in a military experiment that went wrong (shocker!) and became known to everyone as “The Wolverine”.

Hugh Jackman, of course, plays and in fact “IS” the Wolverine. Whenever I see Hugh in another movie, I only see Wolverine playing a different role. For example, when I saw the Greatest Showman, I could only see Wolverine singing and hanging around other…mutants---I’ll see myself out with that one. Nope, I have a review to do! In the movie, Logan has the weight of the world on his shoulders and shows it very well. He is getting that his healing is slowing down due to a slow acting poison that is festering inside him, therefore making him considerably older and weaker.

Patrick Stewart also makes his return as Professor Xavier, who is also getting older and losing control of his powers, which leads to some very tense moments in the film. His performance might be the standout role of the movie if Jackman’s is not. He, like Jackman, is fully integrated into the character. Therefore, when I see a picture of Stewart’s ‘Picard’ on Star Trek, all I see is a Professor Xavier who can walk and deal with aliens in outer space. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when he is rolling around in a wheelchair yelling out a Taco Bell ad.

A role that isn’t discussed much is that of Dafne Keen, who plays X-23/Laura. She has little to no speaking roles in the movie, but her performance is stellar for a child actress. Her character, though inexperienced and a bit younger, is almost the same as Wolverine’s.

John Mathieson, who also worked on "Gladiator" and "X-Men: First Class", does very well on the cinematography in the film. There are several shots that stand out to me the most. One is the X over the grave at the end of the movie (I warned you). If I could get that on a poster, I would in a heartbeat. I also love the shot of Xavier in the back of the truck calming the horses with his mutant powers. Logan is a beautiful film to look at, especially if you watch it in its Noir version.

The special effects, for the most part, sink right in. In other words, I could not tell which was CGI, and what was a practical effect. So for the most part, the effects are excellent. They really make me believe that those claws are really coming out of Logan’s hands. However, there is one part that is a poor attempt at CGI, though the casual viewer may not notice it. In the end, that scene was the only noticeable thing in the two-and-a-half-hour film.

Music always makes the movie; it can kill the movie too. In "Logan," the music carries over from the previous stand-alone wolverine installment, “The Wolverine”. Which is not a criticism at all. I loved it. The music is straining; by that I mean it stays on several notes and draws them out and you can hear it fading out describing the story of the movie.

The movie tells the tale of a man who feels every scrape and pricks in the world, but cannot feel love. Laura essentially shows Logan his purpose, as well as, how to feel and care for others again. The whole movie is essentially an average escort mission in a video game, but far from a boring one. This story teaches the viewer to never give up and that while they feel like their life does not serve a purpose, to the people around them, they could mean the world. Your actions and decisions will impact the world and people around you. This movie will make you cry. Bring tissues.

Man, what a movie! It really surprised me how good in quality it was. It is a very deep, moving, and entertaining film. Grading this movie on its own though, I would say it is a cinematic masterpiece and therefore rate it a two solid thumbs up and, if you have not seen this, then get on it! I truly hope that Jackman will come back to the character, because Disney may soon own X-Men, and I would love to see him stand up with Captain America, Iron Man and Spiderman. Jackman’s career will continue to thrive as long as he puts forth his best, but to me, he will always be the Wolverine.