Actor Hugh Jackman passes the baton to Daphne Keen, the new X-23

[dropcap size=small]E[/dropcap]pic fight scenes and mysterious mutant children thrill audiences as Hugh Jackman returns to the screen to resume his role as the Wolverine in the new film, Logan. Set in 2024, we are taken to a very different future than most would imagine in the X-Men Universe.

The fight to liberate mutants has subsided, but only because of the questionably few mutant births that have occurred…possibly a result of an insane Doctor’s ambition. This is third installment in the Wolverine movies, and set in a completely new alternate reality as a result of the events in X-Men Days of Future Past, where the Wolverine himself changed the future.

From the bloody Wolverine brawls we are accustomed to in his films, to the suspenseful and surprising plot line, the audience will not have trouble staying interested. We see a few familiar faces and many new ones that are key to this action-packed movie.

Its R rating is appropriate because heads literally roll and and the gory deaths still occur even though there are six child actors in this film.  I was also very surprised with how savage the fight scenes were, especially the ones with Laura who matches the Wolverine in temperament.

As this is definitely the most violent of the X-Men films, it was tastefully gory. Another loose end in the plot is the matter of the mysterious mutant girl that was first seen in the trailers in January that resembles our favorite X-Man: X-23, played by 11 year old Dafne Keen from the Spanish television series, the Refugees.

There is no doubt she is worthy to be the Wolverine’s successor as we follow this new take on X-23’s origins. Going by the given name of Laura, the pair embark on a journey filled with plenty of evil scientists, obnoxious tough guys and lab experiments gone wrong. Logan has seen a lot of bad things in his incredibly long and full life, and this film is no exception to the X-Man archetype.

However, heartfelt scenes were not lacking and there will surely be at least half the audience crying both tears of joy and sadness who watch the presumably last Wolverine film, since Jackman announced he is stepping away from that role, according to an article in Entertainment Weekly. (Don’t read that article unless you want the ending to be entirely spoiled for you.)  

On a rating scale of five stars, I would definitely give this a four and a half, taking away the half a star because I know the true X-Men fans are going to have their hearts broken at least twice in this movie, but it had to be done.