Four things about the Logan film trailer

Four things about the Logan film trailer

by rick olivares

The trailer for “Logan” that was shown last Friday, October 21, smacks of an explosive denouement for the “Wolverine” series of films.

The third installment of the fan favorite comic book character Wolverine, played with the required bad ass sass by the talented Hugh Jackman, will be shown next year but here are some things that non-comic book fans should know.

“Logan” borrows plenty from “Old Man Logan”

The original “Old Man Logan” storyline written by Mark Millar and drawn by Steve McNiven ran from Wolverine #66-72 and culminated in Wolverine Giant-Sized Old Man Logan from 2008-09. A second volume written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Andrea Sorrentino was part of the Secret Wars storyline in 2015. The third volume, now a regular series, is written by Jeff Lemire with Sorrentino returning as the artist.

In this storyline, much like the classic “Days of Future Past” story that changed the Uncanny X-Men storyline forever, the United States has been conquered by is supervillains with most superheroes wiped out. Logan, hiding in plain sight, has willfully retired from his heroic days after taking part in a mutant massacre. But he is pushed out of the retirement after a series of tragedies befall him and his loved ones.

How powerful was this version of Wolverine?

Plenty.

Beginning with the “Death of Wolverine” storyline, Logan has been de-powered. In the first part of the trailer, we see Logan’s hand shaking from what appears to be arthritis. A result from the weakening of his healing factor that has kept him alive for so long?

This frailty and weaknesses he feels make for a more sympathetic character. And that seems to be a huge influence in the coming film.

The appearance of X-23

Over time, it was revealed how Wolverine was an off-shoot of the super soldier program that many countries developed after the first appearance of Captain America.

X-23 or Laura Kinney is a cloned daughter of Logan and eventually has taken up his mantle.

Unlike the heroic Wolverine everyone knows who started out as a special operations soldier before turning into a superhero, X-23 was bred to be an assassin. She later becomes a member of the X-Men’s para-military team, X-Force, and eventually takes up Logan’s mantle as the All-New All-Different Wolverine that is being currently published.

A changing of the guard cinematically?

Professor Xavier appears

It should be interesting to know that when Wolverine joined the X-Men comic book wise way back when Len Wein and Dave Cockrum drew the now classic Giant-Sized X-Men #1, both Professor Charles Xavier, leader and founder of the X-Men, and Wolverine were constantly at odds. That was because Logan was a violent character who had this take no prisoners approach that vastly differed from Xavier’s Ghandi-esque aversion to violence and death.

Over time, Logan becomes the guardian and progenitor of Xavier’s ideals. Characters do change.

In the X-Men film series, after the first ever film, Xavier sees off Jackman’s Wolverine who retraces his roots and to fill the gaps in his tampered memories. This one finds the two of them in this last adventure.

“Hurt” by Johnny Cash is the perfect soundtrack to this film

The nearly two-minute trailer of “Logan” is played to the music of country singer Johnny Cash whop croons a westernized version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” that appears in their seminal album, “The Downward Spiral”. I like Cash’s version because his gravelly rich baritone adds a touch of tragedy and dread to the feel of the film and story. It’s perfect.

If we look to its comic book story, Logan lives in a world of hurt (and dishes some). This is a really dark story and the scarred body of Logan barely tells of the horror and carnage that befell him and of course, what is to come.

Prepare for carnage.