Have you ever thought about what the future may look like? Well, look no further. “Logan” is a science fiction film that takes place in 2029, where the future sucks and the people somehow devolve into horrible and unethical human beings. This futuristic film ends in the death of the Wolverine/Logan and Professor X, two beloved characters that have shown resistance toward their anti-mutant government to try and improve the lives of all mutants, but things have taken a turn for the worse when the government attempts to create mutants in an effort to make human weapons.
First published in the 1960s, the X-Men series has had a strong hold on its audience. Extremely popular among comic book fans, the X-Men have taught their young audience about government corruption, bigotry and the importance of fighting back against prejudice and discrimination.
The film shows how life is unfair and how could it not be when people are murdered because of something as simple as skin color or language? As seen throughout history, treatment of minorities is often observed to be cruel and unjust, for example through the Jim Crow Laws. The government showed its lack of equal treatment towards minorities as seen when they created laws that target African Americans.
Chris Claremont, the writer of “Uncanny X-Men,” shares his thought process behind the treatment of mutants seen throughout the “X-Men” enterprise in a YouTube interview.
“The X-Men are hated, feared and despised collectively by humanity for no other reason than that they are mutants. So what we have here, intended or not, is a book that is about racism, bigotry, and prejudice,” Claremont said.
“Logan” is used as a metaphor for racism and reflects the treatment minorities experience today, using mutants to demonstrate modern-day racism. Throughout history, minorities have had to face discrimination in different forms, whether they be physical, verbal or medical abuse.
After “Logan” and Professor X escape from the transigen soldiers, Laura (X-23), shows them a video taken by Gabriela Lopez, a nurse, who helped her and other children escape. The video shows the inside of what looks to be a hospital with children following a “doctor.”
“They were raised in the bellies of Mexican girls. Girls no one can find anymore. Their fathers are ‘semillas genéticas’, special seeds in bottles,” Lopez said.
This is reflected in “Logan” when we find mutants have been subjected to unethical experimentation, which is comparable to the experimentation conducted on women throughout history like Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey. These three women were enslaved and experimented on by Dr. J. Marion Sims to further the field of gynecology. He conducted experimental surgeries on women of color who did not have any rights or power in the 19th century; they were left to the whims of the dominant majority, thoroughly dehumanizing them as also seen with the mutant children in “Logan,” who are also the victims of illegal experimentation by a society who sees them as less than human.
“Don’t think of them as children. Think of them as things with patents and copyrights,” “Doctor” said.
In today’s society the importance of mental health is at an all time level and “Logan” does its part by informing its diverse audience about post traumatic stress disorder also known as PTSD.
The Wolverine is a prime example of someone who wrestles not only with PTSD but with the struggle to connect with others due to more than a lifetime of the loss and demise of those he loved. Throughout the movie, we see Logan try to cope with his diminishing physical and mental health by becoming an alcoholic.
Caliban, a “roommate” and helper, played by Stephan Merchant, washes their clothes and finds an adamantium bullet in Logan’s pocket, one that he was planning to use to take his life and decided to try to talk to him.
“A year ago, you asked me to help you, and God knows I’ve tried, but I can’t help you, Logan, not really…if you’re not going to talk to me. I hear you at night, you’re not sleeping, you don’t want to talk about that, or the booze you’re drinking, or the pus you’re wiping away from your knuckles,” Caliban said.
This scene perfectly demonstrates a trait of PTSD, avoidance. Logan’s avoidant tendencies became more prominent throughout the movie, with his reluctant attitude to speak on what bothers him.
Logan was a very emotional and action filled movie. Unlike the other X-Men movies, Logan gave the audience a reality they can understand such as family, death of those they loved, discrimination and the effects of this treatment that had notable effects on both its cinematic universe and modern society. It gave its audience a look into what the old-mutant’s life looked like without the need of buying its respective comic books. Overall, the movie was insightful and tears were shed; it was bittersweet and we would recommend it to people who like action movies with a side of sadness.
