"You don't have to fight anymore. Don't be what they made you."

Looking back, my favorite comic book movies are the ones that fight for more than what's contained within the story. Into the Spider-Verse was a loud, proud answer to the question "What makes a hero?", Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was an emotional assurance for those building something together out of broken pasts, The Dark Knight is an uncomfortable glimpse into what good morality can actually accomplish in a world of evil, and Logan is a movie about purpose. Cruel purpose. As much as these are "hero fights the villain" stories, they also stand as visual representations for discussions that are bigger than themselves, which is what I believe is the key to making stories about these characters impactful. Wolverine is a image for those who believe in good but don't know how to fight for it, and this movie dedicates itself entirely to that idea, no sugar. It's refreshing and rare to see an approach like this in a world that often relies on softness and humor to help the medicine go down. You're hurt several times through this movie watching Logan try and claw his way out of the fight. Maybe if he could hit the dirt hard enough, he'd find the light on the other side. But he can't. The brutality forces you to feel the hopelessness he feels, and, in the end, the release releases you as well. I always make it without tears until that final shot, just a beautiful representation of what the character, what the franchise, and what stories like Logan's mean to people. It's a mature and honest understanding of how these colorful superheroes can have an impact in a way that doesn't treat everyone like mindless consumption machines. Heroes are meant to make you think, to make you hope, to make you believe, and Logan understands that in a way that so many other films should've. I bestow upon it the honor I've only given to a few of its kind: this is not one of the best comic book movies, it's among the best movies ever. Here's to hoping Deadpool 3 leaves this one untouched minus a few gags.