Reviews

Wolverine films have always troubled me in the past.

They have only got through carried by the characters popularity and the huge talent of Hugh Jackman. It's easy to forget that 17 years ago it was mooted that he had been miscast in X-men as Wolverine but he quickly won audience members around and all credit to him he has made the part his own despite the variable quality of the solo material and an unbalanced push the character got through the x-men franchise.

The Origin's outing had material to make a great movie but failed through stupid use of that material and nearly killed off Deadpool to boot. Now Deadpool has made a Billion Dollars! Studio Interference? The Wolverine was jaw dropping for the first 30 minutes really good for the rest of the film and then Origins style stupidity kicked in again and the resolution was idiotic - Studio interference not just suspected but a definite in this instance. Now we have Logan and has the Studio learned its lesson? Unbelievably yes and the result is a very good film that clearly all parties wanted to make.

Stylistically the movie gets a lot from westerns and the often referred to in the press junket 'Shane' moments. It is a road movie and the theme's of Family and Legacy permeate and how you cannot escape your past. Standout for me was Stephen Merchant as Caliban who added a contrast to the gruff Wolverine and who's presence fleshed out the situation they were in. Patrick Stewart played a senile and cantankerous Prof. X well but overplayed the R-Rating, you will see what I mean. Boyd Holbrook was good as he always is but was too 'Villain by numbers'. Richard E. Grant was excellent but had little to do unfortunately.

Hugh Jackman, as is the case over the last 17 years, has now made the part of Wolverine impossible to recast for at least a number of years and even then not without creative distinguishing changes. That is how outstanding he was in this film portraying a decline of an erstwhile almost invulnerable hero with style and, as the part required, an indignity. We shall not go gently.........

8/10 for me but they should have added the following: The Westchester Incident, Sabretooth (Liev Schrieber), Whatever happened to Magneto would have provided emotional material for Stewart. Richard E Grant playing a Composite of his own character plus the material used for Holbrook (And Holbrook not in it!).

If the character arc was taken to it's logical conclusion then we always did know it would end this way. Logan is a fitting conclusion to Hugh Jackman's involvement with the character. But it also should have been a fitting conclusion to the generation one x-men, it so nearly is, and with the additions noted above it would have been....................

Straight off I will say I was entertained and they did a good job of introducing flawed new characters and incorporating old ones and explained most of the relationship between the two although they relied on the Star Wars thing of not explaining everything Verbatim, which I like, this adds to the mystery but lets be honest the 'hidden' history probably only exists in outline somewhere yet to be developed.

Rey and Finn are introduced and do a good job between them. They are likable in the star wars tradition and carry the film well and mess up a lot the way characters should when thrust into unlikely situations.

By contrast Po is the rebel X wing hotshot Black Leader that exudes indomitable character and is the fight in the rebellion. Isaac's is good casting.

The princess was not used a lot but was not bad. Han Solo was convincing and had aged appropriately. Luke is a cameo but in both scenes adds charisma like you wouldn't believe - he is the last Jedi no doubt.

The villain Kylo Ren is in development on-screen and is hinted at as not being the finished article and expresses 'issues' very well. Goes to the petulant side of his character a little too much but is ultimately convincing and is set up definitively to become the big bad guy to try and fill a Vader shaped void. Where Darth Vader was inevitable and assured Ren is less reliable and flawed which is convincing because no one has completed his training either Sith or Jedi.

The original character that I was most entertained by was Chewbacca - the writing has developed much more emotional range and his interactions are way ahead of the other films and I enjoyed this immensely both the humour and the aggression. BB-8 is a great evolution of the 'droid' cute and loyal with a range of expression which belies his limited means to express them. Truly all terrain also.

They should not have gone with a 'Death Star' type entity although I thought the execution pretty good it was far too easily defeated. The rebels should have failed in there bid to destroy it and merely disabled it. This would have added jeopardy to go forward with a gun to the rebels head. Their was at least 3 film's mileage in that story line but as per Hollywood its blown in one movie.

I would have loved a force ghost or two. Anakin, Yoda, Qui Gon Jinn and an aged Ewan Mcgregor as Obi Wan Kenobi. Its got to come as done right the fans would literally expire!

Go into this film with an open mind and you will be entertained. Do not love the fact its just their as it needs to be good no matter how loved the franchise is the writers do need to try harder they have a galaxy of possibility to play with after all.

Also, a word for the fanboy's and girl's, do not have such high expectations that nothing is good enough the last 6 films were a product of a creative process that was not without its flaws and most importantly that is the way to the dark side.

I am going to be controversial.

Joss Whedon should not direct Avengers: Infinity War.

The reason is he has created 2 perfect super hero team up films and I just do not want him to fall flat being pushed by a studio to create a third.

He should however write and produce and delegate the direction to the Russo's for the third installment. The division of labor would ensure quality as they, with The Winter Soldier, get where this should go.

Ultron is without a doubt a worthy villain, a potentially omnipotent AI that can be everywhere with an internet connection and yet also no where to be found. The conclusion he reaches regarding humanity is a little tired but the execution in this movie is so good this can be forgiven.

The development of the Avenger characters is also good to see i.e.

Iron Man, Tony stark - Should we really be doing this anymore? He clearly has PTSD from his experiences. He is having to soldier whilst never meant to have been a soldier.

Hulk, Bruce Banner - Finding it difficult to reconcile the wanton destruction and casualties, including fatalities, caused by his alter ego!

Captain America, Steve Rogers - Will the war ever be over, can I ever go 'home'. Basically deals with everything and remains a stable leadership force.

Thor, with his unique perspective realizes there are too many 'Infinity Stones' appearing and causing too much trouble over a short period of time so some greater bad must be behind it. Otherwise he remains consistent as you would expect from a God. Chris Hemsworth is the most perfect casting for this role and I hope he continues with it as long as he is able.

Hawkeye - Family man, great development here and has much more screen-time and some key moments, really would like a Hawkeye film and what comes through is his vulnerability, self sacrifice, commitment, skill and intelligence - he has no powers other than supernatural accuracy so everything else is all him, a relatively normal guy with a lot of specialist training.

Black Widow, shows a vulnerability also, carrying on that road she has created of 'yes I am a super spy/assassin, but the scales are off my eyes' and the romantic beginnings with Banner are well written.

New characters The Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and The Vision - see the movie and be impressed.

Where do they go from here? Based on the evidence of this film alone I would predict:

Andy Serkis is going to be the bad guy in 'Black Panther'.

Planet Hulk is set up not by the banishment of Bruce Banner but by the 'self imposed' banishment.

Thor will not be involved in 'Civil War' but his next movie will be the big set up for 'Infinity War' in which he will return, and be very upset with Tony Stark...................

Captain America will die in Civil War, and, em, return in 'Infinity War', and be very upset with Tony Stark...................

Tony Stark will try to make everything better whilst making everything worse and everyone will be upset with him until he redeems himself at the end of the 'Infinity War'.

I, for one, cannot wait. 8 out of 10. Loses 1 for clichéd main premise and another for not being the original Whedon cut of 3 hours, at this stage the studio needs to trust its Director and also the fact the audience loves this!