Top 5: Reasons to be excited for ‘Logan’

Thursday we were all blessed with a trailer for Logan, Hugh Jackman’s last movie as his adamantium-clawed, alter-ego, Wolverine. The trailer seemingly promises a movie that will be a mix of the impeccable bleakness of Children of Men, and the “father/ daughter” dynamic of post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us. If Logan is anywhere near the quality of these masterpieces, it’s going to be great, but here are five other reasons to be excited.

1. It’s based on “Old Man Logan”

This Mark Millar penned comic book run on the character saw Wolverine (a.k.a Logan) in an alternate universe where the villains had won, and turned the world into a desert wasteland — and it’s fantastic, with every reading becoming better. Seeing as Fox (the studio behind the X-Men films) doesn’t have the rights to most key characters from the novel, enormous liberties will be taken with the source material. To be honest though, that’s okay, because the core story of an older, weaker, and reluctant Logan being forced into a trek across a barren America is still undeniably exciting.

2. Mangold is directing it

James Mangold is a talented director. 3:10 to Yuma is a modern western classic, and while the last Wolverine stand-alone film, The Wolverine, had it flaws, the direction wasn’t the problem. Mangold is a fine director and seems to have the studio enough on his side to allow him to make the movie his way, and that’s a good thing (just look at the results when Fox interferes behind the scenes). If the trailer is an accurate depiction, James Mangold might be the next Christopher Nolan for superhero movie direction.

3. It pairs the two strongest actors in the franchise.

While J-Law is a good actress, she never fully embraced her role as Mystique in the recent X-Men reboots. Hugh Jackman is one of the most underrated actors in movies today. He is often only passed off as “the actor who plays Wolverine,” but everyone forgets his roles in films such as The Prestige, Prisoners, and he was one of the best parts of Les Miserables. Patrick Stewart has a resume, from Star Trek to Green Room, which speaks for itself. The close pairing of these two actors will almost certainly make for the best acted, and most emotionally charged X-Men movie since X-men: First Class (see that scene where Eric remembers Hanukkah with his mother). Also the fact that this might be the last time we see these actors in these iconic, career spanning roles, you can rest assured they are going to give it their all.

4. Its R-rated

Few comic book characters are better suited to an R-rating more than Wolverine. In the comics, Wolverine rips apart his foes (and it is depicted in every bloody detail), however his film counterpart is comparatively tame, with both of his solo efforts barely justifying a PG-13 rating. Judging by the skull-splitting scene at the end of the Red Band trailer, Logan looks to be a violent, more adult route that better suits the character’s comic book tendencies. With the more mature rating, we can safely say this movie will be the one fans of the unrestrained Wolverine deserve.

5. Hugh Jackman looks like Mel Gibson.

Who doesn’t miss Mel? From Mad Max to Lethal Weapon, Mel Gibson has delivered some of the finest action hero roles in modern cinema. Hugh Jackman seems to be tapping into his fellow Aussie’s prowess by looking identical to him, and acting like the real life Gibson (minus the rampant antisemitism). Watching the trailer reminded me how much I miss Mel and how I hate Hollywood regaling him to shit movies like Expendables 3. If this movie is successful, other people might begin to realize how much they miss ‘ole Mel, and give the man the renaissance he needs. #BringMelBack