'Logan' a proper sendoff

At well over two hours, “Logan” is a deliberate and painfully slow burn; a grim and gritty swan song for the Wolverine. It’s a fitting farewell for one of the most beloved and complex superheroes in the Marvel lineup.

Right from the get-go, the bleak, desert wasteland of the American Southwest paints a dreary picture of what has become of the once-fearsome warrior. The year is 2029, and Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is old, weathered, gray-bearded, and just plain tired. The mutants that once protected the world from evil are now hunted to near-extinction, with Logan protecting his lone ally, the rapidly ailing Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). Their existence has been stripped away to pure survival, a squalid life without the glamour and comfort of the past. Logan is a limo driver, ferrying the border for contraband medicine to keep his friends alive while accepting the inevitable atonement for his lifetime of violence and self-preservation. Pretty much the picture of destitution.

Leading the persistent mutant hunters is a new breed of super soldier, Pierce (Boyd Holbrook), whose drawl and bravado don’t quite fit on his frame. It wouldn’t be much of a superhero film without a villain, but there isn’t really any epic showdown or earth-shattering battle. It’s more of a character study and a punctuation mark on the career of an actor who has donned the claws an unprecedented nine times over the course of 17 years. It’s an attempt to tie up loose ends, those ends being Logan and Professor X.

Dafne Keen is Laura, the young mutant who instantly bonds with Logan through their mutual origins and plight. This naturally relegates Logan to take on the reluctant father-figure role, which is the crux of his redemption and, ultimately, purpose. It is a bit off-putting seeing some young girl tear men apart with her claws, but the battle between humans and mutants has always been an allegory for xenophobia at its core, and violence is a natural byproduct, so it is fitting.

Writer-director James Mangold (“Walk the Line,” “The Wolverine,” the under-appreciated “Cop Land”) bravely enters the R-rated superhero realm; a taboo until last year’s massively successful “Deadpool” proved there is a market for the ultra-violence that naturally comes from a man with knives protruding from his knuckles. The blood is certainly gratuitous, but it’s also on par with what we’ve been expecting. Where Mangold shines is in establishing the setting. Part of what frustrated me is also what was probably most beautiful. Austerity at its core; dusty roads, distant hills and dilapidated small towns moving into scenic visages of nature’s beauty. Probably somewhat intentional, the scant cinematography allows for the characters to drive the story.

I have mixed feelings about “Logan.” It might even require a second viewing, but it was certainly too long. There were too many rushed introductions of new characters, including the interesting, but unexplained Caliban (Stephen Merchant) and the immediate bond between Logan and Laura wasn’t exploited as deeply as it could have been. That said, it was charmingly violent, a ballet of blood and dismemberment, perhaps as natural as a predatory animal, such as a wolverine might be.

If you are a fan of Jackman’s Wolverine, there’s no doubt you will be pleased by this film and the ultimate resolution; there will be a continuation to the X-Men universe, no doubt. The melancholy of saying goodbye to Wolverine might leave you feeling a bit wistful, but it is perfect timing.