*Spoilers Ahead…
INTRODUCTION
Logan is the best film in the “Bryan
Singer X-Men Universe.” I am bias of course, so let me be self-reflexive up
front. I knew I was already going to love this movie several months before I
even saw it. I knew I would loved it because Hugh Jackman was going to end his
tenure as the character of James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine with this film, it was
going to serve as the “unofficial” end of the Bryan Singer X-Men timeline[1],
and they were adapting the Old Man Logan storyline[2]
one of my two favorite Wolverine stories from the comics. So, I was in the bag
for this film for those reasons. What I didn’t expect, was the various social
commentaries this film presents through its narrative that goes beyond the standard
mutants as a metaphor for “insert marginalized group here.”[3]
The commentary on immigration, family, and the relationship between
masculinity, violence and emotional suppression, are woven together in such a
rich tapestry of social critique. Yet,
one needs to be emotionally prepared for the social, psychological and
emotional depths that this films journey takes you on; at the end of which you
realize this film does what few superhero films achieve; a transcendence of
genre[4]
This is a stripped down deconstruction
of the character of James Howlett/ Logan/ The Wolverine something that was
attempted before in the overall superhero genre, but with far less success.[5]
Thus, through its plot construction, characters, and social commentary Logan is a film that deserves a place
among the pantheon of elite superhero films[6]
PLOT
After
the events of Days of Future Past we
catch up with Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) in 2029 where he is in living on
the Texas/Mexico border driving a limousine under his birth name James Howlett.
Logan is trying to scrape together some money to pay for medication for himself
(his healing factor has seen better days) and for an aging Professor X (Sir
Patrick Stewart), as well as save up to buy a boat. He is keeping a low profile
several reasons. Natural Mutation has ceased, causing no mutant births in 25
years. This makes Logan, Charles and their friend Caliban (Steven Merchant) some
of the last mutants on earth. Lastly, Professor X has been classified as a WMD
by the US government as his Dementia causes seizures that paralyzes and
suffocates anyone within a city block radius.
The boat, we find very early on, is an end of life plan that Logan has
for both Charles and himself. The idea
being that they both will sail out to the ocean and die, Charles by
complications with dementia and Logan through an adamantium bullet he had saved
from the failed Weapon X program. Yet, before Logan can put this plan in
motion, a woman with a young child (Dafene Keen) being pursued by hired mercenaries
(led by Boyd Hollbrook) of a Genetics company, convince Wolverine (with some
help from Charles) to take them to a proverbial Eden in North Dakota. The Road
to “Eden” is fraught with peril, violence and death. Eventually it is up to an
ailing and broken Logan to protect the next generation of mutants by any means
necessary, even at the cost of his life.
HISTORICAL
The label of “superhero” film is often
given to the films that involve comic book superheroes from one of the two main
“houses” Marvel and DC. The venin diagram of characters and rights has been
made increasingly complex, as different studios have the rights to different
characters. Marvel is split with the
X-Men and any kind of Mutant Character’s film rights owned by 20th
Century Fox[7],
along with the Fantastic 4. While Universal has the rights to a solo Hulk film
and Namor. Up until recently, Sony had exclusive rights to Spider-man and all characters in his Universe. With the Sony deal made with Marvel over
Spider-man it is possible for Marvel to get all of its characters back. Though
given what Warner Bros, has done with the entire pantheon of DC heroes after
Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy,
which is not any indication that ownership equates to success.[8]
In
the early days, the “superhero” film (then dominated by DC Comics with the 1978
Superman film franchise and 1989 Batman film ) was one where the
protagonist has “special abilities” or “powers” who then fought an Antagonist (of
which the hero had a hand in creating) for the fate of a group of innocent
bystanders. While there was other film elements to it, the first three decades
of Superhero films reinforced, doubled down, and improved on that genre. The Best “superhero film” that fits this 30
year old model was Christopher Nolan’s Batman
Begins in 2005. Nolan gave is a stripped down character study of Bruce
Wayne that made us care about the man in the cape and cowl rather than just be
entertained by his villains. This decision to get to the core of the character
was so well done that it was used again in 2008 for the Maiden voyage of the
Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man.
Beginning in 2008 with the critical and
commercial success of The Dark Knight
that garnered Oscar buzz for best picture (and director) and Oscar gold for
Heath Ledger’s performance of the Joker; audiences raved at how the film
“transcended the genre”. This constant refrain was to acknowledge that The Dark Knight broke the decades long mold of Superhero film
and was one of the first films of its kind to invoke other genres ( in this
case a crime thriller) that just happen to involve superhero characters. Today, regardless of personal taste, any list
of the best superhero films have this common theme among them: they are not often
defined as a “superhero film”. Instead, they are defined as a film involving
Superheroes. In fact, if you look at the change in tone, scope and certainly in
budget of all of the X-Men films, they can be used as a barometer for the way
our cultural taste in superheroes has changed from the early days of Superhero
fare, to the current flavors we are interested in today.
The threat for an X-Men film in early 2000
was that the source material was a comic book.
At the time it was still seen as too geeky, and colorful. Thus, they powered down (most of) the
characters, stripped them of their iconic costumes (putting them in black
leather) and made their display of powers a set piece rather than a part of the
characters everyday reality. At the time,
this (thirty year) approach garnered success with the first three X-Men films,
and the Sam Raimi Spider-man trilogy. However, the last films in each of the trilogies
were caught in the wake of the changing tide of superhero film taste. Batman
Begins’ gritty realism and character study, again aped by Marvel’s Iron Man, signified a sea
change that went against the model we’ve seen and used before, to a stripped
down essence of a character.
This shift was heavily influenced and
motivated by the success of Nolan’s Dark
Knight Trilogy. Unfortunately. Hollywood producers yet again took the wrong
lesson away from this, and for a few years we saw a deconstruction of the
superhero, to horrible results (AKA Anything by Zack Snyder). What these
producers didn’t understand is that the Nolan Batman trilogy was not perfect
because it was a gritty realistic take on the character; it was perfect because
it was a character piece about Bruce Wayne, in a tone that fits for his
identity and the world in which he lives. In this new cultural ocean, the X-Men
franchise could not get its bearings. With the failure of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the producers (who were still contractually
obligated to make an X-Men film every few years to retain the film rights or otherwise
they revert back to Marvel) decided that the next set of X-Men films would be a
period piece involving the escapades of young Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr
(X Men: First Class). The film was a
moderate success and was much better received than Origins. However, in 2012, Marvels
The Avengers came out and the tide of our cultural ocean rolled again.
With the release and explosive success of Marvels The Avengers, Marvel Studios
cashed in on the riskiest gamble they have ever taken. They brought back the
colorful costumes and leaned into the very comic book nature of their
properties using it to fuel their storytelling. But that was not the risk; the
risk was establishing continuity, and it paid off in spades. When we first see
all of the Avengers on screen together it is magical. Therefore, to follow this
new cultural shift, the X-Men film
franchise attempted to cobble together continuity through the film X-Men: Days of Future Past, attempting
to connect the Cast of X-Men First Class with
the original X-Men trilogy and
Wolverine films. It seemed to be the right film for Fox at the right time. The
film went on to be both a commercial and critical success; something that has
often eluded the X-Men film franchise.[9] However,
the current of our cultural ocean was going to change again; but this time Fox
was going to be the cause, rather than just caught in its wake.
Wade Wilson/Deadpool has always been a
popular character in the comics. His rabid fan base has been clamoring for him
to be faithfully brought to screen (the glimpse of whom we saw in Origins doesn’t count). Since this
dismal portrayal of the character, Ryan Reynolds had always wanted to atone for
his participation in the previous film by striving for ten years to get 2016’s Deadpool to screen. It is important to
note that this hard work in fact did not pay off. The script and test footage
was shelved; Fox being gun shy that a Deadpool film was what they and the
public really wanted. In the end, it was
a strategically placed “leak” of the test footage for the film online, and the
ravenously positive fan reaction that followed, allowed the studio to give it a
chance. However, during production the producers traded the film’s production
budget (lowering in to a menial 58 million) in exchange for an R rating. Deadpool’s success and massive box
office returns paved the way for Logan.
FILM ANALYSIS
Logan is the pinnacle of
the superhero genre today. It is both an elevation and deconstruction of a near
immortal superhero at the end of his life. It is not an “X-men” film, by old
model standards. Following the
precedent set by The Dark Knight as a
crime thriller, Logan is a Western road
trip movie with Superhero characters. With
a lower budget and an R rating afforded to them thanks to the success of Deadpool, Logan tells his final tale
with immaculate gore and heavy pathos. Yet when looking into the film, its
character studies, themes, cinematography, and direction; all of it allows for
a transcendent experience above the substantive mediocrity of the bombastic
fanfare “films” that usually grace the movieplexes.
Character studies
One of the things that sets Logan apart, and more importantly,
allows it not to get drowned out by the litigious grandiloquent cacophony of
vacuity commonly produced by the corporatized franchise latent film industry[10]
is its characters. This movie has a
beautifully slow pace that allows the characters to breathe, to take up space,
and make that space feel lived in. Even
the characters that have less backstory, less “meat”, in terms of inclusion in
the script or screen time, or those that are just the personification of a
trope or a theme, have more to do, and more interesting things to say in this
film, than most other films in this genre. But outside those rich background
characters, the three characters that make up the ethos of this film are the
characters of Logan, Charles and Laura. These characters and the actor’s
performances are the pillars on which this film stands.
Logan
“There are too many wars, and life
is just so damn long.”[11]-
Logan
As an audience, we have been with
this character through all of the trials and tribulations of his life. From a young Canadian in the 1800’s to the
titular “old man” in this film, we have wept, raged and laughed with him[12]
Because of this, we have a vested interest every minute he is on screen[13],
and what we see is shocking. We see a
Wolverine that has more than just “lost a step” or one that has “gotten
older”. This is a Logan/Wolverine that
is broken. Yet, this is a very different kind of “broken” that we’ve seen
before. In The Wolverine, Logan is
emotionally broken because he cannot accept what he has done and what he is…a
living weapon. In Logan, he is a
broken weapon; corroded…poisoned by one of the things that made him stand out,
made him unique and special. It is breaking him down piece by piece, and now at
the end of his life, he’s ready for decommissioning.
However, despite some fan theories about
his healing factor possibly being severely compromised by the genetic food
manipulation concocted by Dr. Rice which wiped out the majority of the mutants
on the planet, we don’t get answers to how Logan got this way, which is both
infuriating and fascinating. Infuriating because it is such a huge departure
from where we last left the character in Days
of Future Past[14]who
was both healthy, fully whole, and content with is his place in the world.
Additionally, if you look at the organization of the X-men Timeline[15] that includes the
events of Logan; the altered
“brightest future” timeline that Logan creates at the end of Days of Future Past only affords him 5
good years (2023-2028) where he is healthy and happy with his surrogate family
before “The Westchester Event”[16]
happens. This realization is both sad and tragic adding to the emotional weigh
(upon re-watch) to the beginning of Logan
set in 2029. As infuriating as this
is, it is also fascinating that, in the context of the story, those answers are
unnecessary. Wolverine being a “shadow of his former self” is chalked up to
other factors; most notably age (he his close to 200 by this point). These
factors are reinforced by some of the themes, inspirations and source material
which help to minimize the importance of these (usually) essential questions to
the character’s backstory. But, once we
know the stakes for the character, every slash, stab or bullet that Logan
takes, we feel it too. Thus as the story progresses, we realize that with every
bit of damage Logan endures, he is that much closer to death…which becomes a
sobering reality by journey’s end.
As I have mentioned in a previous post, Hugh Jackman’s
Wolverine is an icon. It was his portrayal of Logan that was one of the best
things to watch in all of the previous Wolverine films. Here, supported by a
strong script, and the foreknowledge of ending Logan’s story[17],
Hugh Jackman gives it his all. In this film, he is the Wolverine we have always
wanted to see. crude, brash, murderously rage filled and swearing like a
sailor. Like an athlete playing their last game, Jackman gave it his all and
“left it all out on the field” or in this case, the screen.[18]
There is little doubt that Hugh Jackman leaving the role has created a massive
void, which makes the task of recasting impossible.
Charles
“I
would like to say that you were a good pupil, but the words would choke me.” –
Charles
Xavier
Another character that we have
equal investment in is Charles. Like Logan, but to a significantly lesser
extent, we have experienced the life of Charles Xavier from childhood. Played brilliantly over the last 17 years by
Sir Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy. It was the gravitas brought by Stewart[19]
and the human fallibility brought by McAvoy that both complimented each other.
They rounded out a character that was thought of as “God like”. Stewart created
the refined professional cultivated out of a lifetime of various experiences.
McAvoy showed the human struggle the character went through in order to reach
that serenity. In Logan, as we catch
up with Xavier at the end of his life, broken distraught and succumbing to
dementia (something that has consequences for more than just him). Stewart has
the ability to give us glimpses of the refined gentleman he’s played in the
past, along with flavoring his characterization with hints of McAvoy’s
performance wrapped up in a Shakespearean (King
Lear) shell.[20]
This Xavier, understanding that his time is short, and seeing all of the
progress he fought for turn to ash in his mouth with the erosion of modern
society into the bleak dystopia that opens the film, clings to the idea of
helping just one more mutant find their way. With his memory shot, and his
powers unhinged, he is a source of conscience and despair. Stewart is beyond
his usual magnificence here, tapping into something special. It is a performance that is Oscar worthy and
deserves, at the very least a nomination.
In
the X-Men film Universe, Charles Xavier is one of the most powerful mutants on
the planet. Thus, Charles then can be solution to any problem the X-Men face.
This is so apparent that several fans have asked, with tongue firmly planted in
their cheek: “Why even have any of the X-Men if Charles can just fix
everything?” This has undoubtedly has become a thorn in the side of the
filmmakers over the years. The writers would have to consistently write themselves
out of the “Charles can fix everything” corner. In X-Men he was “poisoned” by Cerebro, X-2 he was captured with his powers nullified, X-Men: The Last Stand he was atomized by Dark Phoenix, in X-Men: First Class he was nullified by
Sebastian Shaw’s helmet and the powers of Emma Frost, in X-Men: Days of Future Past he was addicted to a drug that annulled
his powers and in Logan, Xavier has
lost the ability to control his power, and is targeted for elimination by X-24.
While the elimination of Xavier has become a trope in these films, it isn’t
done with as much pathos, emotional relevance, and utter heartbreaking finality
as in this film. Charles’s death is not glorious, heroic or iconic. The tragic
simplicity of being stabbed in bed by the NEGA version of your adopted son,
while you come to grips with the soul crushing reality of the catastrophic
calamity you brought upon your other adopted children, is cinematic
poetry. This is the lyrical partnership
between Patrick Stewart the actor, and the writer director James Mangold. One
is the visionary and the other a life bringer. Together their Charles is my
favorite Charles: Deeply full of Pathos. His dialogue dripping with shades of
elegance followed by a string of vulgar practicality. It is magnificent.
Laura
"Don't be what they made you.” James
Howlett/Logan Wolverine
The central plot device in Logan is the character of Laura. Who is she? Why is she important? What is her
relationship with Wolverine? All of these questions about Laura are essential
for the unfolding of the plot. Since she is the driving force behind the
unfolding of the story, the final Wolverine Story is, in many ways, an origin
film for Laura X-23 (The All new Wolverine in the comics)[21].
While we have seen this sleight of hand before[22]
here it is so masterfully implemented and beautifully blended into the texture
of the film’s story, that it seems like the most natural progression. And even
though you are sad to see Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine exit, you want to have more
stories with Laura and the “New Mutants”. [23]
What also makes this story better than a
niche conclusion to a superhero property is in its execution. It does not
retread the same tropes and stereotypes that we often see. One example of this is
Laura’s character progression. Her development is not marred by the tragedies
we have seen befall her father. Instead, with Wolverine’s help, Laura is
re-forged by her experiences both good and bad, to not be defined by those
horrors she has both seen and committed. So in addition to a secret origin
story, Laura’s place at the end of the film, and her rejection of “the
animal/weapon” that she was meant to be, redeems and saves both her and Logan.
This outcome is layered throughout the climax of the film where Logan tells
Laura (in two separate occasions) that she can be better than him, and to not
be anyone’s tool (which comes with being saddled with her own set of demons).
There is an interesting gendered subtext I place here, seeing a father warning
his daughter about the objectification of women in our culture, and saying that
it is ok to rage against it. (Yes, this might be an analytical “stretch.”) All of the subtlety and subtext are possible
due to the outstanding performance by newcomer Dafne Keen.
Ms. Keen radiates emotion as Laura
having to use nothing but body language and facial expressions as she is
considered mute through the majority of the film. Through one look; a stare or
a narrowing of the eyes, she not so subtly announces her parentage in both look
and action. Ms. Keen is able to portray a girl on the edge, but with a softness
and childlike exuberance. Much of this could be the young actor’s own youth
fueling her character.
Ms.
Keen’s chemistry with the other principle cast is remarkable especially with
Jackman. The scenes with Wolverine and Laura together, especially when they are
fighting together, are so palpably kinetic that it reminds me of Lone Wolf and
Cub. A feeling that left me frustratingly insatiable, always wanting more of
their teamwork, bond and love.
The
Chemistry with Stewart is equally grand. While I am of the mind that Patrick
Stewart would have chemistry with a stool,[24]
his onscreen relationship with Keen is tender and magnificent. While there is
no dialogue exchanged between them throughout the film; a look, and or a clasp
of a hand is all we need to recognize the depth of feeling these two characters
have for one another.
Cinematography
The cinematography of Logan is spectacular. The director of photography John Matheson
provides the audience with a very intimate framing that is uncharacteristic of
a general superhero film. There are extreme closes ups, with longer takes that
make a scene carry on longer than on would expect. This helps to set and
maintain the slow pace of the film, mirroring the struggles of the main
characters.
Matheson also really captures the western
film genre aesthetic constantly enveloping the shot with maroon and dark
oranges of the southwest as well as draping Hugh Jackman in brown and gold
which not only invoke the western overtone, but also of the character of
Logan’s iconic costume. This is only contrasted in two parts of the film. The
Vegas scene and the scene in the forest; where the neon lights of Vegas and the
vibrant greens of the forest conflict with the color pallet of the film but
blend nicely with the blood and gore that sprays across the screen. However,
the true beauty in the cinematography is the use of color timing; culminating
in the creation of a black and white version of the film.
The
origins of this version of the film began when, during the marketing campaign
for Logan. Director James Mangold
started releasing black and white photos to the public on Social media. The
overwhelming positive response to this campaign lead the filmmakers to create a
black and white version of the film titled Logan
Noir available on the Blu-ray release of Logan.
Logan Noir in many respects,
is a superior cut of the film. The blacks and greys in the film pop off the
screen and seem to add to the bleak tone the film is trying to set. The crisp
sharpness of the images, and use of shadow, makes the visuals more vibrant.
From Logan’s grizzled face and deeply detailed scars, to Charles’s withered
hands and gaunt face, the black and white version enhances the character
definition, thereby elevating the actor’s performance. Through the black and
white version, one can really see the influences of Kurosawa (Particularly his
films Yojimbo and Sanjuro). Everyone should see this
version at least once.
Themes
The majority of films have something
that they want to say. Even those films without a clear vision, purpose or
point, have a message and contribute to the social/cultural zeitgeist; as films
are at once both a product of and purveyor of culture. To the extent that films
succeed in their thematic pursuits varies regardless of genre. Logan is unique because it combines
genre that allows for an amalgamation of various themes that at first glance,
don’t seem like they go together. The first two themes will be placed in this
film analysis section, whereas the other two themes will be placed in the
Social analysis section.
Theme
1 : Death.
In
comic book culture there is something known as “the Superman Problem”; which
refers to characters that are so powerful, that they cease becoming relatable
and lose the connection with the readers.[25]
While Logan/Wolverine/ James Howlett hasn’t really lost touch with the readers,
but, due to his healing factor, has been functionally immortal.[26]
With that immortality there is an emotional disconnect that happens. We know,
for all intents and purposes, that that Wolverine is going to be OK. That loss
of threat, does not do well to build dramatic tension. Which is why, in the
film version of Wolverine he has been able to be manipulated by Magneto, bested
by Sabertooth, and depowered to fight Ninjas. While all of these aspects are in
the comics, they are employed in the films to increase the sense of threat for
the character.
When Hugh Jackman revealed that he
was donning the claws again for a third solo Wolverine film, he did so under
the hastag #OneLastTime. The implications of which were clear, that this was
going to be his last film portraying the character. At the time the speculation
(later confirmed) on the reason for this decision was, in part, due to Jackman’s
natural aging. Because of that, many of us fans rightly surmised that they were
going to pull from the “Old Man Logan” storyline so that Hugh Jackman could
play over his current age. Additionally, the tone and location of the film in
the X-Men timeline, along with this being the swan song for Hugh Jackman’s
portrayal of the character, greatly suggested that the end was going to involve
the death of one or more than one character. However, the audience is rarely
prepared for the movie being about death and the grief that comes with it.
Death hangs over this film like a
specter. It is set at a time of post-modern dystopia, characters are
strategically introduced in deserted environments, all of the other characters
from this series that we know and love are gone, while the film makes us watch
the characters that are still alive sadistically struggle. As the film
progresses, death follows our main characters. Wherever they go, Logan, Laura
and Charles bring death; whether by their own hands, or in the case of the
Munson Family, by circumstance.
From the first frame of the film, the
suggestion of death is very apparent. During an interview director James
Mangold states that the opening shot of Logan where the titular character is
awoken inside his limousine, is in fact a metaphor for a coffin; one that he
never really escapes throughout the film. The director wanted to indicate to the
audience that, even at the beginning of the film, Logan is dead already; and
with death comes grief.
The Kubler-Ross stages of grief are
widely publicized and known to the general public; but what is less well known
is that these states (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) are
not linear stages. Logan can be seen in all of these particular stages
throughout the film. To this end, all of the rage that Logan portrays in this
film can be framed as a part of the Kubler –Ross stages. This rage is not one
that is generated from the immediate situation, it is one that is a culmination
of his entire life. Throughout the rest of the film, Logan is at a different
stage of grief: He denies help to the
nurse protecting Laura (later even denying that Laura is his daughter and
initially rejecting the love she gets from him), he only decides to help the nurse
and Laura after bargaining for enough money to help him and Charles buy the
Sun-seeker. It is clear Logan is depressed about his life, especially after the
death of Charles. He finally has acceptance when he follows the kids into the
woods, and a short while later, even accepts his death with Laura by his
side. Thus, from the beginning of the
film, Logan was in the stages of grief, but it was grief over the loss of his
own life, one that had come to an end a long time ago. In essence, Logan, at
the start of the film was dead already, he just didn’t know it.
Theme:
2 Family
The
second major theme of the film is one of family. There is a clear family dynamic between the
three principle lead characters: Charles being the patriarch, his son
James/Logan and his granddaughter Laura. While this family isn’t a cohesive
unit at the beginning (predominantly because Logan is rejecting the love that
Laura represents and, in his own way, he is attempting to protect her from his
own toxicity). As the film progresses the family unit begins to congeal. Yet,
it is apparent that in the early part of the film, Charles is the glue and the
focal point for formation and maintenance of the family. It is Charles’ act of
reaching out to Laura (in the aforementioned Shakespearean way) in order to
repair and secure his legacy that motivates the story, and it’s Logan’s desire
to protect Charles that holds the family together until Charles’ death.
In
a brilliant humanistic turn, in the father son relationship between Logan and
Charles the filmmakers represents the realities of many adult children have
when caring for older parents. There is such care given to this relationship,
and the raw honesty of seeing a son have to help his ailing “father” use the
toilet; having to pick him up and have to navigate the use of the wheelchair in
transport, emotionally resonates with the daily existence of so many people.
In addition, when Logan has to deal with
Charles’s lack of memory and dementia (outside of the existence of superpowers)
he has to bear the sharp barbs or hurtful ridicule and violent anger from a
person he has loved and respected for years. And, like many other adult children
today; Logan, even though he is hurt by those words, recognizes that it is not
Charles that is saying this, but his illness. Because of this recognition he
does not take it to heart. Never has a superhero film dealt with and portrayed
late stage aging and elder care in such a believable way.
Charles and Laura have a clear
grandparent/ granddaughter relationship. In the beginning of the film we hear
that Charles is telepathically “talking” to someone. While it is later revealed
that that person is Laura we are never privy to their psychic conversation.
Yet, we can get a glimpse of their relationship in the way they physically
interact with one another.
Laura constantly cares for cares for
Charles, protecting him from violence (even going so far as to take a bullet
for him) and is gentle with him. He imparts sage wisdom about life and attempts
to guide her along her way. Seeing the film from Logan’s point of view, we do
not see what happened in the hotel room to make Charles have a seizure, but we
can clearly see that Laura was trying to protect him, and vice versa. Charles
is constantly reminding Logan about Laura, to not forget her and that she
represents the future of mutant kind. The intensity of the Charles/Laura relationship
culminates in her blind berserker rage at the knowledge of his death.
Laura and Logan’s relationship is strained
from the beginning. Laura having been weaned on tales of her father from comic
books (which is direct opposition to the man that she is presented with) and he
does not want to believe that he has a daughter. Logan continually attempts to
leave her and rejects her at almost every turn. It is only Charles that links
these two people together, and that link is nearly severed once Charles dies.
It is only when Logan is willing to die with purpose, that this bond is forged
completely; a father willing to die for his daughter, a daughter who is willing
to protect her father by “killing the monster” inside of him and be there, by
his side, at the end.
Additionally, the action of Laura killing
X-24 can be emblematic of the way that having children cause parents to put
aside less admirable traits and behaviors that they had before the child was
born. Many parents stop smoking, drinking and or making poor decisions in order
to provide a better life for their child. Thus, the destruction of X-24 could
be read as metaphor for a parent “cleaning up their past,” and becoming a
better person for their child. Also, it is at that moment that Logan is the
most loving and amenable to Laura in the entire film; moments before his death.
SOCIAL
ANALYSIS
Like any form of entertainment, Logan is a cultural product that is also
a reflection of it. Through its plot, Logan
allegorically becomes a commentary on the social issues of immigration and
toxic masculinity.
Theme 3: Immigration
The history of US immigration has always
been a tenuous one, fraught with periods of intense hypocrisy. In this country,
we have an ideal cultural value that, as a country of immigrants, the United
States is a refuge, a bastion of pro-immigrant policies. However, due to the power
of cultural assimilation, once individuals are able to assimilate into the
culture (this ability is variable by race, class ethnicity and historical
context) we attempt to close the door behind us.
Currently, the United States is having a
resurgence of isolationist and non-interventionist policies that has caused an
increase in restrictions on immigration, and the criminalization of certain
people (the undocumented, refugees etc. SB 1070, the 7 nation Muslim Ban).
While these ideas have been fought against, challenged, and blocked; there is
still a lot of anti-immigrant sentiment in our country. There was the removal
of DACA, while also holding the program hostage in order to fund a border wall
with Mexico. This, coupled with the desire our 45th president has to
promote more white ethnic immigration, one can imagine that the current discourse
around immigration itself is quite volatile.
One needs to barely scratch the surface of
Logan’s plot structure to find the
importance of immigration as a theme. On the surface, it is clearly written
into the text of the film that the story of the children and their escape to
Canada from Mexico is a clear refugee allegory.
To be clearer, it was the Spanish speaking children who were the product
of genetic experimentation in Mexico (with the implication that in Mexico there
are lax government restrictions on human test subjects) become refugees using
the United States as a transitional country on their way to find safe haven in
Canada.
The filmmaker’s choice to use Canada may
have been one part driven by character (as Wolverine has always been a Canadian
superhero) and two parts socio-political:
1. During the production and photography of the
film the Syrian refugee crisis was in the news, and very much on the minds of
the public. In that time, newly minted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, had a
near open door policy for Syrian refugees (as opposed to the far more
antagonistic stance of the US.) going so far as to personally meet refugees at
the border with blankets, food and water. The gesture seemed to ideal that it
is possible that it motivated the end of the film[27]
2. The image of a
multi-racial group of young exploited and outcast mutants hoping to find refuge
in Canada while running from an American Military contractor that wants to
capture and weaponized them speaks to the painful realities of the problems of
immigration in this country. It is allegorical because in speaking to a lot of
underline fears we have, this kind of extremism is not far from reality.
Theme 4: Toxic
Masculinity
Toxic Masculinity is a term that
refers to the various cultural and social practices (usually performed by men,
but often supported by women) that reinforces a specific and limited expression
of manhood; that ultimately harms both men and women. This narrowed form of masculinity promotes a
suppression of emotion (all except anger), strict heteronormativity, terseness,
and violent and sexually explicit behavior. This is the type of masculinity
that gets reinforced through its acceptance and validation within the social
structure. Our social institutions (the economy, politics, the family,
healthcare and certainly the military) have reinforced and given rewards to
this type of masculine gender expression.
Additionally, because we socialize our boys
and girls to live in an exclusive gender binary, boys’ gender expression is
ridged. They have to be boys, and that is usually understood as a rejection of
anything that is considered feminine. Therefore, everything else outside of
this narrow and specific masculine script is seen as a failure. This means that this masculinity is not only
toxic but it is also fragile.
Because of this fragility, boys and
men are constantly in danger of their inevitable masculine failure. Since boys
have to recreate/reaffirm their masculinity in every social situation they are
in (especially around other boys/men), they are in a constant state of anxiety
over the continuous threat to their masculinity. That anxiety can lead to
various examples of overcompensation on the part of boys and men, to be seen as
masculine both among boys and among heterosexual girls/women. You can see this
in the examples of masculine posturing, to the development and marketing of
clothing and other products (cars, movies, music, and sports) that promise to
make a boy/man “a real man”.
However, the major problem happens when
boys attempt to regain their masculinity after it has been revoked. The three most common ways in which one can
alleviate the shame of “un masculine” behavior and validate their masculinity.
Sociologically
speaking, the three quickest and easiest ways to regain masculinity in the US
culture is through:
1)
Mass consumption of Alcohol
2) The sexualization/conquest of women
3) Violence.
Thus,
the reason why this form of masculinity is culturally toxic, is in the very
real consequences of binge drinking, rape, and death that are clear
consequences of men having to regain and maintain their “manhood”.
In the comics, the character of Wolverine
is the epitome of Toxic Masculinity. He, modeled after the archetype of the
cowboy, is laconic (allowing his actions rather than his words judge his
character), he is prone to fits of anger that is playfully referred to in the
comics as a “berserker’s rage”, he is known to have sexual relationships with a
cadre of women, whom he gruffly objectifies by referring to each of them as “Darlin”.
But, like many characters of his archetype, he is “strong and silent”; never
expressing his emotional pain in healthy ways, only through violence. Yet, even
Wolverine’s masculinity is policed in the comics in the way that his height (he
is only 5’2 ) is constantly ridiculed; and in true toxic masculine fashion, it
is met with a violence response; either in threat or in action.
Throughout the majority of its films, The X-Men film Franchise has done little
to dissuade the audience from this portrayal. In the early days of the original
X-Men Trilogy the fan reaction was
that they wanted to see Wolverine “cut loose”.[28]
What they meant by “cut loose” is they wanted to see Wolverine be more violent.
With each passing film there was a ratcheting up of violence that culminated
in the R rated Logan. However, the
interesting result of the pursuit of a pure, authentic masculine portrayal, Logan in its execution, becomes a
subversion of it.
During the previous films in the X-men film Franchise there was
unparalleled amounts of violence. As with other PG-13 films marketed to
children, there was no restrictions on the amount of violence, just
restrictions on how real that violence seemed. Therefore, even in these other
films, you saw copious amounts of violence, it was just without the realities
that violence produces. This inevitably creates a disconnect in the viewer’s
mind and desensitizes them to the violence on screen[29]
and contributes to the overall masculine toxicity.
Logan by being rated R,
reinstates consequences to violence that we have rarely seen in superhero
fiction. Unlike other R rated superhero
fare like Deadpool (which is Looney
Tunes-esque in its approach to its uber-violence), Logan realistically imagines what the consequences would be if
someone was attacked by a man with blades coming out of his knuckles. By adding
the real like consequences of evisceration, severed limbs and decapitation the
violence in Logan is no longer
glorified, it is disturbing, disgusting and hard to watch. This is culminated
in a key scene when Laura, Logan and Charles are in Vegas and Charles’ seizure
has frozen space-time around his potential attackers. We watch in horror as
Logan slowly, painstakingly moves down the corridor and into the room
mutilating the paralyzed, yet conscious assailants. Thus, it is through the
character of Logan, that we not only see the dangers of Toxic Masculinity, but
also how to save ourselves from it.
Everything about Logan in Logan is a deconstruction of toxic
masculinity; analyzing its overall danger in our culture. A near literal
interpretation of this masculine toxicity is the adamantium poisoning Logan
experiences. The very thing that made him a living weapon is killing him. In
fact, every single time he uses his claws, or his healing factor, the closer he
comes to death. Therefore, the more
Logan contributes to violent masculine behavior, the faster he is poisoned.
The continuation of this form of
violent masculinity has literally become toxic.
Secondly, many men when they start to have
a family often have to reconcile their own history with toxic masculine
behavior, making sure they do not attempt to reproduce that same behavior in
their children. This form of reckoning is especially true if these toxic masculine
reformists have daughters (This is
because we often frame a girls/woman’s humanity through their value in relation
to men) because men are more likely to adopt feminist friendly policies if
they see girls/ women as human and not objects.
Logan’s toxic masculinity reckoning comes
in the form of X-24 a younger, more feral, mindless killing machine that Logan
has to face in order to protect his daughter (who experiences and adopts the consequences
of toxic masculine practices), from the same fate. So, in the end, Logan
battles his toxic masculine demon in order to protect his daughter.
Ironically, like most men mentioned above,
Logan is saved from his own toxic masculinity by the existence of his daughter,
who in the film, doesn’t just change the way Logan thinks, but literally kills
the embodiment of her father’s toxic masculinity through the death of X-24.
After the destruction of X-24, Logan, with his new found emotional maturity, can finally express the love he has for Laura.
He gives the lovingly fatherly advice, while telling her she does not have to
be like him; that she does not have to fight; she “[Doesn’t have to] be what
they made [her]”. It is then, at the moment of his death, Logan rises above the
toxic masculinity that has plagued him thought his long life to become a
complete person.
CONCLUSION
At
the time of this writing, Logan is
the first superhero film to be nominated for an academy award for Best Adapted
Screenplay. While I want the film to win, being a realist, and having a keen
insight into Hollywood’s inner workings, I know this will not happen. It is (as
they say) just nice that the film was recognized. Win or lose, this does not take away from the
fact that this film is one of the most sophisticated superhero films welcomed
into the exclusive pantheon of genre bending superhero films. However, Logan’s character study, depth of
emotion, kaleidoscope of genre mixing (superheroes, western, Road movie, Family
drama, etc.) and Shakespearean quality makes it the perfect non “superhero”
Superhero film, and one that is worth your time and contemplation.
[1] This
point is moot considering that the film franchise timeline is already so
convoluted and chopped to pieces that it is nearly as incoherent as the comic
books
[2]
Loosely, of course.
[3]
Something I think that was not fully explored in the whole of Bryan Singer’s
films. He only used mutants to explore
two marginalized groups: gays and lesbians and Jewish Holocaust survivors
[4]
Some people are of the mind that since Marvel Studios has achieved its
dominance in the field, they make genre pictures with superheroes in this such
as “Space Opera” with superheroes = Guardians of the Galaxy or “Political Thriller” with Superheroes =
Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I disagree because they still follow a
superhero organizational structure. It
is one that works, but it is one that is quickly getting tired.
[5] Watchmen
[6]
The Pantheon includes: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Superman the movie, Black Panther, and Guardians of the Galaxy vol
1 +2
[7]
This portion of the article was written before the Disney/ Fox mega merger that
will solidify Disney as the single biggest and most powerful media company.
Fans, this is not a good thing and I have written about this in a separate post
[8]
See the Snyder led DCEU
[9]
Unfortunately, all of the critical good will they wasted later, on the dumpster
fire that was X-Men: Apocalypse
[10]
Look into the relationship between Disney and China. Disney films have been
huge successes in China. So, Disney often panders to the Chinese audience. As
they did with different versions of the film and the Tibetan
erasure in Dr. Strange
[11]
This dialogue is not in the film, but was used as a part of promotional
material revealing a black and white photo of Jackman’s Wolverine
[12]
In my previous post I have already discussed how Hugh Jackman’s performance
embodies the character to the point where recasting the role within the next
10-15 years will be impossible.
[13]
Given the marketing and the relatively common knowledge that this was going to
be Hugh Jackman’s last performance as the character, Logan’s death was a
possibility for me in this film. The same way that the death of Bruce Wayne was
a possibility at the end of The Dark
Knight Rises
[14][14] I do
not count his cameo in Apocalypse because
it inconsequential to what we have seen before, and everything about that movie
I wish I could just ignore.
[15] A
Futile effort I know.
[16]
The first time Charles has a seizure that injures 600 people and wipes out the
X-Men
[17]
Hugh Jackman started the marketing for this film with the hashtag #OneLastTime
Indicating his decision to walk away from the role.
[18]
One of my favorite anecdotes of the making of this film is Jackman recounting
the filming of the forest sequence where he was supposed to run full speed up
hill toward the camera. After a few takes, Jackman got winded after one of the
shots but he said “ Alright! Let’s do it again!”. The DP said, “Na, we’re gonna
wait because you just passed out, mate.” Hugh was so keyed up that he didn’t
even realize it.
[19]
One of my favorite scenes in any X-men film is the first conversation between
Xavier and Magneto in the first X-men, where they acknowledge their friendship
and outline their basic differences in their philosophy about mutants and
humans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkRyP8bp0Io
[20] A
performance that is absolutely deserving of an Academy Award Nomination but for
many anti-genre reasons, Stewart was snubbed.
[22]
John Blake in The Dark Knight Rises
[24]
Certainly more than Clint Eastwood had at the 2012 RNC
[25]
It is important to note that whenever you read fiction there is a necessary
suspension of disbelief that goes on. You know, for the most part, that the
protagonists will win and that the antagonists will be defeated
[26]
In fact the character of wolverine was just resurrected in the comics
[27][27] It
certainly motivated the criticism of the film. During the Storm Of Spoilers
podcast, film journalist Joanna Robinson
that in the film Logan Justin Trudeau was
still Prime Minister and flies around protecting the border on a Hypogryph
(from Harry Potter)
[28]
This is referring to the number one complaint/criticism that Hugh Jackman
received from fans in between X-men and X2: X-Men United.
[29]
There are many studies that have been done on desensitization which has been
linked to a loss of empathy
