Although I’m going to hold out hope that Ryan Reynolds can convince Hugh Jackman to return for Deadpool 2, this would be one hell of a way to go out. The R rating made me a bit skeptical as it seemed a bit reactionary to capitalize on the success of Deadpool, but it is used as a great story telling element that helped set the tone of the movie. Logan delivers on a multitude of levels for extreme ass-kickery in an extraordinary blend of action sequences and emotional gut punches making it easily the best X-men related film to date. Director James Mangold unleashes Wolverine in an adventure that gives fans of the iconic comic book character a long overdue showcase of the animal within. But for those unfamiliar with the franchise, there is still a heartfelt action-packed story will keep you thoroughly entertained for one wild ride.

To no surprise, Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart give us the best performances in their franchise long tenure. Stewart captures the frail humanity of Professor X as he battles an unknown neurological disease without any sacrifice to his wise and even-tempered demeanor. Both he and Jackman bring a very seasoned and damaged presence that is almost painful to watch for those who have long been fan’s of the franchise. I’m a little mixed on Dafne Keen‘s performance as X-23/Laura, though at no fault of her own. For the majority of the movie I actually found her character to be quite irritable. The creators definitely went for a rebellious feral child kind of personality to emphasize her similarities with Logan and her ability to bring forth mass carnage. Even though given the context of Laura’s upbringing this makes sense, she spends about two-thirds of the movie shrieking with no audible dialogue in a manner that I found overly petulant. Luckily, the third act manages to salvage her character in a way that makes me excited to see more of her in the future.

Wolverine spends so much of Logan getting beaten down and struggling to get up rather than maiming his enemies, that it really paints him our beloved hero in a fashion that we’re not accustomed to. Quite honestly, it took some time to realize he’s no longer the bruiting beast we’re used to seeing, especially with X-23 outdoing him in almost every action sequence. Although it was a bit tough to digest that a small child is causing more bloodshed than our Adamantium-covered brute, she definitely proves her strength. No one will ever replace Wolverine, but we’re in great hands with X-23 as she maims, shreds, hacks, stabs, and gouges her way in a series of flips, kicks, punches, and leaps like you could not imagine without seeing for yourself.

I wasn’t too big a fan of the route they chose to give Logan a formidable opponent, but that aside, this third act is one of most spectacular I’ve seen by a comic book movie — perhaps ever. Mangold ties up Logan’s “final” run in a beautiful amalgamation of tear jerking moments and some much needed violence. All questions that you may have during the movie are answered in a way that doesn’t feel shoehorned in and gives us one “last” glimpse of Wolverine’s unrelenting spirit to stand up for what’s right and his inability to shy away from a fight – no matter the odds or consequences.

Score – 9.5/10

P.S. – No end credit scene, only pre-film scene. Mangold masterfully does this to keep the tone set by the ending of the film intact.