Logan

So after 8 films and 17(!) years, it's time for Hugh Jackman to hang up his adamantium and move on from Wolverine and the X-Men. Totally mis-cast (or so we thought) initially, as he's taller and rather less Canadian than the comic book legend, it's hard now to imagine anyone else's mutton chops in the role.

That's not to say that the films he's appeared in have been sparkling or stuck to canon (damn you, Marvel) and so Jackman, and returning Director James Mangold (blame him for the better-than-people-say but ultimately quite dull and plot-hole ridden The Wolverine) decided on stepping away (well, forward) from the timeline and giving Logan a proper send off.

Like Deadpool before it (whose success clearly paved the way for this film) we're still 'in world' (ignore the conspiracy theorists) but suitably removed from the X Mansion. Here, we have fast-forwarded to 2029 with only Wolvie and Prof' X alive from the classic team (in a suitably mysterious, unexplained hint it's suggested that Charles was responsible for killing some, if not all, of the team.)

Logan is older (if not quite full Old Man Logan) and his healing deteriorating, and Charles has early stages of dementia and is prone to seizures classing him as a 'weapon of mass destruction.' Logan is keeping Charles as far away as possible from civilisation but their solitude is disrupted by the arrival of a girl with frighteningly similar mutant abilities to our titular character.

A road trip roller-coaster then ensues with revelations about the girl (supposedly the first new mutant in 20-odd years) keeping us on the edge of our seats.

Amazingly, for a Marvel film, there are no CGI robots, no Earth-threatening super aliens and no mess of a final battle just grounded, 'realistic', character-driven action with arguably the two most interesting of the mutants (I'm sure Magneto, Deadpool and the criminally underused Gambit would have something to say about that.)

It's the first time we've seen a 'proper' Wolverine film; he swears gratuitously and the violence is properly savage. Jackman supposedly took a pay cut to ensure a higher rating and it totally pays off.

It'll confuse some not entirely bought in to the character and the franchise though. It's slow, methodical and, as it constantly likes to scream at us through very obvious references, rather more in thrall to classic Westerns than any of Marvel's other superhero output.

For fans though, it's super satisfying. Jackman and Sir Patrick Stewart are better than they've ever been in their roles, new to the series Caliban (Stephen Merchant) is a great addition, Narcos' Boyd Holbrook is great as the antagonist and new find Dafne Keen is fantastic.

Where will Marvel go from here with the X-Men then? This completes the third 'trilogy' (originals, Wolverine solo and prequels) so leaves the timeline open. Perhaps a sequel to this film starring the young mutants? A Deadpool-led reboot (please, please introduce Gambit into the second Deadpool film!) or another refresh (surely not after Days Of Future Past and Apocalypse meddling with the canon.)

It seems a shame to leave the character, and the series, behind and Logan is a film which, however brilliant, leaves a slightly bitter taste of disappointment that the series' potential was never truly hit but, these fanboy grumbles aside, this is the Wolverine film we've been waiting for and deserved. Another Marvel triumph.

4 stars ****