Logan
A masterpiece. There is no other way of saying it. It’s seriously that good. I can’t even think of this as a conventional superhero movie. It sits in a place like The Batman. A film which is passionately crafted from beginning to end which serves as a creative outlet. Its commentaries surrounding immigration, human exploitation and whitewashing movements are incredible. Taking these iconic characters at their worst state is a huge step forward in what’s been given to us in the past. Mangold understands the goal that these movies should serve a greater purpose for audiences.
It’s dark, gritty and violent but has heart and warmth that is so forgotten in most of the X-Men movies, characters with actual personalities. Mangold doesn’t need an ensemble to sell his movie, its narrative does the talking for him. A beautiful farewell to a character that’s been a part of my childhood and adolescent memory which never fails to move me into tears. A man so hellbent on dying is given his wishes but when he has something worth living for. It’s harsh and painful but so beautifully executed. I love the addition of comic books in this movie, used as whitewashing propaganda which turns real people into mythologies of reverence. The mutant children lean on these fantastical interpretations of the X-Men, it may not be real or true but it’s enough to give them hope and something to believe in.