Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #21 December 2015 | Page 32

The plot has significant holes in it. Some come
from material that was cut to avoid an R rating. This
is apparent in a sequence involving Box (voiced by
Roscoe Lee Browne), the deranged cyborg running the
city’s food processing centre. It plays out in a choppy,
disjointed fashion due to scenes involving nudity that
were cut. The film is also hurt by including scenes
from the book that seem out-of-place or involve
concepts not fully (or even cursorily) developed. A
sequence in Cathedral, an abandoned area of the city,
is a prime example of this. In the book, the sequence
is well-developed and gives the narrative a nice jolt
of action. In the film, the sequence plays out just long
enough to slow down the story and raise questions for
the viewer (e.g., why would any part of an enclosed
city be abandoned), while not providing any useful
information or a worthwhile action scene.
Finally, the ending borders on being
nonsensical. Logan is able to destroy the computer
because he gives it an answer that it doesn’t like.
He tells it that there is no Sanctuary, that all of the
unaccounted for Runners were killed by Box and that
everything outside of the city domes is a wilderness.
The computer basically says, “Does not compute” and

explodes. This is not a satisfactory end to an otherwise
thoughtful story.
“You try like hell for renewal. You have the
same chance as anyone else…Carousel.” Logan 5
On balance, the film is worth watching. The
main cast give good performances. Some of the
visuals are memorable. The Carousel sequence is a
disturbing mix of gladiatorial games and a religious
revival meeting. The ruins of Washington, including
an ivy-covered Lincoln Memorial, are well-executed
and visually reflect the theme of a society so focussed
on youth, that the riches of the past are forgotten.
The cold concrete sets with their utopian veneer
capture the feel of a stagnant world. Finally, the film’s
themes are resonant today. Issues of over-reliance on
computers, the negative effects for society that a focus
on youth to the exclusion of all else can have and even
how to restructure human civilisation to better fit our
world’s natural limits can all find reflections in the
world of Logan.
Recommended.

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