Logan (2017)

Reviewed by Markus Watson

A spoiler in the last third of the review.

Rated R. Running time:  2 hours 21 min.

Our content rating (1-10) Violence 8; Language 8;

Sex/Nudity 6. Star rating (1-5): 5. Our star rating (1-5): 5

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

Logan is the final chapter in the story of Wolverine, a member of the Marvel Comics X-Men.  The year is 2029 and Logan (Hugh Jackman), AKA Wolverine, is now an old man.  He doesn’t look much older than 50, but he is actually 170 years old.  His body no longer regenerates the way it used to and the Adamantium metal that coats his skeleton is slowly killing him.

Logan now works as a chauffeur in El Paso, Texas, but lives south of the border where he and a clairvoyant mutant named Caliban (Stephen Merchant) take care of an old, senile Charles Xavier, AKA Professor X (Patrick Stewart).  Most of the world’s mutants are dead, the X-Men have been long disbanded, and the world is far from safe for people like Logan and Charles.

Early in the film, Logan connects with a young girl named Laura (Dafne Keen) who is being hunted by an organization called Alkali Transigen.  With pressure from Charles, Logan reluctantly takes responsibility for the girl and promises to deliver her to a secret location where she’ll be safe.

Logan is a man who does not trust anyone.  For Logan, the world is not safe and relationships are a burden—which is exactly how he experiences this little girl.  And, yet, he eventually finds that there is a place for love and care in his heart for Laura.

At the end of the movie, Logan sacrifices his life to save Laura and several other mutant children from those who are hunting them.  Just before he dies, Logan looks into the eyes of Laura, smiles, and says, “So this is what it feels like.”  Here, at the very end, Logan has found the joy of selfless love—of giving himself wholly for another person and receiving love in return.

This experience of giving up oneself for the good of another person is a key human experience that is rooted in the love of God.  God is a giver.  “For God so loved the world that he gave….”  And when God gives, God gives big!  God’s giving is “lavish” (1 John 3:1).

As human beings created in the image of God, we find our deepest fulfillment in giving ourselves in love—to our children, to our spouses, to our neighbor.  As counter intuitive as it seems, this is where real joy is found.  And this is the joy that Logan has finally found.  At long last, Logan can truly rest in peace.

This review with a set of questions will be in the May 2017 issue of VP.