LOGAN

Version: Theatrical

I will preface with this: VIOLENCE. SWEARING. R RATING!!! I'll compare to Blade and Deadpool, since yes some people forget there was another R rated comicbook movie before the red suited menace. If I remember Blade right, Logan has more of both, but compared to Deadpool I'd have to say it's a tie for violence. Deadpool has a lot of shock violence (as in "hi I just smashed a guy into a road sign after decapitating him with a bike chain"), while Logan is full of claw violence and a few short scenes of what I'll call healing factor violence. You see a shot of body parts growing back. I can't remember Blade being that nasty (maybe Spawn went there, but Spawn is its own category of cool). Swearing wise, I'll wait for the youtubers to count 'em up. DP and friends rank in at 84 F bombs, whereas Logan may be in the 50s? TBH I wasn't counting. I just knew as soon as I heard three or four out of CHARLES I knew this was going to be a rough movie.

Charles cursing is surprising, but then again I can understand why he would take to such language. We saw him do a little of it when he was depressed in Days of Future Past, so wouldn't he naturally step up once all his mutant children are gone and the world is a desolate place as it was? Speaking of the good natured Professor, there were some giggles in the theater when Logan called him Chuck, that was a cool nod.

And nods abound, as I was glad to see. Danzan is visible in Logan's bedroom, and though it's unlikely I like to imagine his limp is connected to the same injury in The Wolverine. I knew there would be some comics from the trailers (that I tried to avoid), but I didn't expect the old Western references. Charles and Laura share a tender moment over one of his favorite flicks in a hotel room, which actually becomes important later on. Logan is recognized as the Wolverine early in the film (despite mutants being gone), there's a few nods to earlier franchise installments, and of course the overall references to Old Man Logan. The violence in the film has been noted as excessive by some, to which I say go get a copy of Old Man Logan and read that sucker. The pages starting from the SNIKT spread in particular are exactly what this movie is going for. In all honesty, that book is more violent. Logan doesn't jump out of the inside of anyone's stomach here.

If you watch the previous standalone Wolverine installment, you'll notice that it does not have a "save the world" theme like other comic book movies made around the same time. Logan definitely follows that same idea. This is a character movie first and foremost, not a superhero movie (even though several characters look up to Logan as a hero). It's appropriate that the title is Logan and not Wolverine in that regard, much like The Dark Knight is more of a crime thriller and less of a Batman movie.

The twists were a little predictable, but then again if you are as heavy into Wolverine mythology as I am, you tend to see certain plot threads coming. (And I was really hoping something like that one would happen, even if they did it a little differently than I originally guessed.) I do believe they pulled this twist off rather well, as it sends the right message in having Logan in the final film (for this portrayal of the character) face his demons. Rice as an antagonist was a little corny, but what are you going to do? Nothing is perfect.

This is a definite 5/5. A great send off, the Wolverine movie we all wanted to see, and it makes me sad that there are people whining that it's R rated. Take your kids to Lego Batman, this is for the adults.