Its Trevor’s Top 25 Films of the last 25 Years, with #23, LOGAN, a 2017 film directed by James Mangold. In a dark future of the X-Men universe, an elderly Wolverine must save a mutant child.

LOGAN is a brutal bleak Western that just happens to star a broken-down superhero. There is so much cruelty and unfairness here, that the brief moments of levity shine like sunlight. Mangold pushes hard, digging into classic cowboy themes of mercy, honor, and what kind of life we owe ourselves. The action is still bruising and vicious, the slow-down of the Vegas scene gives a visceral poignancy to the deaths.

Best Scene. The entire farmhouse sequence is lovely, complex, and punishing stuff. I am fascinated with Xavier pushing Logan into feeling connection, almost at the sake of the family protecting them. What are the ethics of what Xavier is doing? This is dark to the point of nihilism and never has a gun failing to fire been so devastating. And dear God that final scene with Logan and Laura. It is geared specifically to devastate a father.

Best Performance. Patrick Stewart finally gets a chance to act in this role and he is wonderful; cranky, terrifying, tender, and coarse. Casting comedian Stephen Merchant as Caliban is so interesting; the gallows humor mixed with care. Hugh Jackman owns this role, and his gruff exterior can so quickly and casually slip aside to show his astounding depth of heart.

A hard grinding film that nevertheless finds hope for life in the dark; but also a lovely sendoff for a legendary character.