Before we get into the breakdown of the first 40 minutes of the film and our interview with director James Mangold, there's the business of the new trailer for LOGAN, so let's all kick back, pop our claws, and soak this bad boy in before venturing deeper into what LOGAN has in store for us. Check it out below!
And here's an EXTENDED version of the trailer:
Okay, now that that's taken care of, let's get into it. Last month as part of Fox's 2017 Showcase preview we got an early look at footage from WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, A CURE FOR WELLNESS, ALIEN: COVENANT and LOGAN. The preview event certainly aroused excitement for all of the projects, but the one that left the biggest impression was without a doubt LOGAN. While we know that the aim is for a hard-R rating (very evident from the preview, too) and that this is to be Hugh Jackman's last hoorah as the character on the big screen, there's been some trepidation about how director James Mangold will pull it off and leave us satisfied with the finale. Well, after sitting through the first 40 minutes of the film, I can safely say that LOGAN is absolutely the kind of Wolverine film we've all been waiting for. Bloody, fierce, unhinged, gritty, and yet still fun (and funny at the right moments). In addition to the 40-minute preview, I also sat down with Mangold to talk about the film and he was very honest and open about his hopes and intentions for Hugh Jackman's final outing as the character. Check out the interview below and keep scrolling for my review/summary of the first 40 minutes of the film!
LOGAN – 40-minute Preview summary and review
*Note – The following has been edited down after publication due to requests from the studio
For fans looking to see a Wolverine film that brings to life the brutal violence of both the solo comics and the Old Man Logan miniseries, LOGAN is the film they've been waiting for. In the 40-minute preview, we saw a broken down Logan trying to survive in a semi-post-apocalyptic world, while caring for the similarly old and worn-down Professor X. Logan is a shell of his former self, driving a limo to make money and struggling with his declining health. However, when he receives a call that brings him in touch with a young girl, Laura/X-23, he is put back into harms way and challenged again to pop his claws as Wolverine and rejoin the fight.
The tone is every bit like a gritty superhero western and both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart bring a darker, edgier, profane tone to the franchise and one that definitely capitalizes on the R-rating. Logan dispatches a group of gangsters in the beginning of the film that shows this is the bloody affair you've been waiting for ever since he got his first solo outing (which didn't really pan out so well). After a run-in with the mysterious (and cyborg-like) villain Donald Pierce (Boyd Holbrook, playing it very charismatic and cool), Logan finds himself suddenly thrust into the kind of trouble he's been trying to escape, while doing his very best to remain as anonymous as possible.
When Laura shows up at his doorstep, drawing Pierce and his Maurauders close behind, the action kicks into high gear and we see the full scope of LOGAN's potential and that Laura is a force to be reckoned with…and then some. A more acrobatic version of Wolverine, she is a vicious force of rage and an impressive as hell presence that I did not excpect. Anyone that had any doubts about Laura/X-23 being a formidable and engaging character can rest easy. She's the real, bloody deal. After a rousing and violent confrontation at Logan's hideout, Logan finds himself at a crossroads, dealing with a violent mutant child with similar abilities as his and a geriatric Professor X that seems pleased with her arrival. This sets up what absolutely has the potential to be a standout film by its own right, if not one of the better superhero films made to date.
By my account, it's already the best Wolverine movie they've made, just after seeing 40 minutes. It's dark, it's gritty, it's violent, it's bloody, and yet it still doesn't forget where it comes from, harkening back to the prior Wolverine films, as well as the X-Men films. This feels like a legacy film and one that really seeks to go out with a bang. Whether or not that truly means the end of Hugh Jackman's reign as Wolverine is unclear, but at the very least this feels like a film that will give him his proper, unhinged due as the character, while still honoring everything that came before. I feel like there are more surprises to be had and genuinely can't wait to see the rest of the film. If it's anywhere near as close to as cool as that first 40 minutes then LOGAN will certainly be worth the wait.
LOGAN slices into theaters on March 3rd. Also, our contest to join me in NYC on February 12th to interview Hugh Jackman is still open, so be sure to check it out and enter if you think you're Wolverine enough!