《羅根》漫威科學與過分「刻意」的劇本 劇透
比起《未來昔日》(X-Men: Days of Future Past)無形擴散開來的末世顫慄氣息,《羅根》(Logan)可說是近乎刻意的營造著悲傷與絕望感。
劇情編排方面就是一部逃命公路電影,隱世的設定被打破後,丟下戰友Caliban,老中青三人組踏上尋找伊甸園的漫漫長路,先被數量取勝的壞人找上,一陣混亂中又踏上亡命之旅,接著擁有世界上最危險的腦袋,也是現存最強大的讀心能力者X教授(Professor X),不可思議的在這一路要瘋狂驚險萬分的逃命旅程中選擇放下征戰多年、兵不厭詐的精神,竟然沒有提前察覺到身後的人,並不是自己的寶貝學生,就這麼被X-24一爪插穿胸膛,只能說癲癇加上初期阿茲海默症會讓最強大的讀心者,徹底忘記自己有讀心和心靈對話能力,史上最優秀的變種人領袖就這麼空虛的在金剛狼的懷中辭世。
逃命過程也看不到金鋼狼與蘿拉(Laura)有任何培養關係的互動,繼續強硬的推疊著高壓氣氛,只見一個脾氣和個性何其惡劣的男人,持續用「我關心的人都會發生不幸」為藉口,閃躲並破壞著幸福的可能,最後「Transigen計畫」特地培養來當殺人武器的新生代變種人,全部都忙著要一股腦把氣出在Donald Pierce,全然沒有注意到另一邊的金剛狼被X-24攻擊的節節敗退,以殺人為最終目的培訓的這群小孩到了緊要關頭,也只懂得趕快逃離戰場,留下金剛狼繼續奮戰,最終導致他的結局。
整部電影可是說處處散發著為了「結束而結束」的氛圍,缺乏說服力的讓兩位末代的X戰警成員毫不風光的退場,所幸休傑克曼(Hugh Jackman)與派崔克史都華(Patrick Stewart)的動人演技使死亡變得不那麼廉價,而達芙妮·金(Dafne Keen)的優異選角讓人渴望看到愛恨分明的蘿拉能有更多的精彩故事,她恰如其分的參與分散不安,卻也凝重了分別。
變種人的殞落基因學
《羅根》接續《未來昔日》重啟時間線而展開的新世界,到了2029年,世界上的變種人並未被Bolivar Trask研發的哨兵大軍(Sentinel)給全數殲滅,卻因為Dr. Rice執導的「Transigen計畫」受到添加入飲食中的化學成分抑制,使得第23對染色體,也就是性染色體上的會造成變種人超能力的X基因,無法因隨機性突變而啟動,因此當X基因繼續沈睡(Dormant )在性染色體裡,就算順利遺傳給下一代,也不會有所表現,更不會製造有超能力特色的蛋白質,促使25年來沒有任何變種人自然出生,但在漫長的歷史裡,即便是未抑制X基因的自然狀況下,極少見的例子中,也曾有Homo superior 變種人雙親,產下過演化返祖的智人(Homo sapiens)小孩。
金鋼狼與腦前額葉發展
在這種看不見未來的氛圍下,最令人意外的大概是金鋼狼(Wolverine)到了2029年怎麼還是個d***head,只能說這角色的腦前額葉經過了197年後依舊沒有發育完全。「兒腦開竅手冊」(Welcome to Your Child's Brain)的作者神經科學家珊卓. 阿瑪特(Sandra Aamodt),提出即便多數國家的法律界定18歲為成年年齡,腦科學研究的結果卻認為多數人要到25歲,大腦才算發育成熟,特別像是控制衝動情緒、管理行為的前額葉,就是一個需要更多時間來發展的區域,金剛狼大概是因為自癒能力作祟的緣故,不只人老得慢,很顯然的連腦前額葉都發展遲緩,難怪當初到了「X學院」(X-mansion, Xavier's school for talented youngsters)會這麼顧人怨,N年後,人還是這麼的___(請自己填)。
「威斯特徹斯特事件」與腦部退化疾病
《羅根》反覆提及「威斯特徹斯特」(Westchester)這個地名,地理上是位在紐約州東南部的一個地區,是「X學院」的所在地,變種人的庇護所,更是X戰警的家園。廣播橋段對於神秘的「威斯特徹斯特事件」描述與賭場飯店的驚險狀況如出一徹,顯然都是由X教授的癲癇症狀所引發的大災難,透過前面的線索,得知高齡97歲的X教授罹患老人都難以避免的某種腦部退化疾病,也發生教授一度認不得金剛狼的狀況,可以假設他罹患初期阿茲海默症,因為他不具有ALS、亨丁頓舞蹈症和帕金森氏症等無法自由控制肢體(雙手)的症狀,但也無法排除他罹患其他的腦部退化疾病的可能性,以上幾種腦部疾病都不具有癲癇症狀,因此只能推論是因為教授大腦皮質神經細胞異常活躍造成頻繁的精神性癲癇發作。
當年事件波及六百多人,其中七名變種人不幸身亡,X教授也在投宿農家人的那一夜坦承他做了一件永遠無法被原諒的事情:
I remembered what happened in Westchester. This is not the first time that I’ve hurt people. Until today, I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me, so we kept on running away from it. I think…I finally understand you.
也是自從那次事件後,金鋼狼才開始這段獨自帶著X教授流浪的日子,在求助無門的狀況下找上了具有追蹤其他變種人能力的變種人Caliban幫忙,於是才引發後面的一連串事件,從X教授的自責與金鋼狼的對話可以推敲出死去的七名變種人,顯然是幾名核心的X戰警成員,也是X教授最深愛的孩子們,所謂的「他們」都不在了,可能代表著獨眼龍(Cyclops)、琴葛雷(Jean Grey)、野獸(Beast)、暴風女(Storm)、幻影貓(Shadow Cat)、冰人(Iceman)、小淘氣(Rogue)等前面X戰警系列中出現過的X戰警成員不幸犧牲了。
《羅根》劇本粗略的參考Mark Millar所寫的Old Man Logan漫畫,故事裡Mysterio 創造的幻覺使金鋼狼在不知情的狀況下血洗「X學院」,屠殺X戰警成員,這事件在此後造成他無法抹滅的心理陰影,而電影或許是為了平衡個性已經很不討喜的金鋼狼,才將設定改為讓X教授一人承受沈重罪惡。
所以誰是X-23和Caliban?
電影中原先被標記為X23-23的蘿拉,是第23個金鋼狼複製計劃的實驗成品,承襲「Transigen計畫」自阿爾克萊湖(Alkali Lake)團隊偷來的金剛狼基因,因此與金鋼狼在血緣上有父女關係,再現當年Weapon X計畫,她如金剛狼一般的被改造成有「亞德曼金屬」(Adamantium)金屬包覆的骨骼,也加上額外的「亞德曼金屬」利爪。蘿拉初次登場是在電視動畫X-men Evolution中,是個九頭蛇(Hydra)組織培養的金剛狼複製品,因為累積出高人氣,才日後發展出自己的漫畫系列。
事實上Caliban 曾經出現在《X戰警:天啟》(X-Men: Apocalypse),就是那位雇用靈蝶(Psylocke)來當保鑣,提供自己追蹤變種人的能力來換取金錢的白子,不知到底是怎麼回事,Caliban居然會中年大轉性?從一個嗜財的生意人變成X教授的專業看護與金鋼狼的忠貞好朋友,最終也壯烈加入金剛狼和X教授的行列,成為這部電影中第三名「有名字」的過去式變種人。
Caliban在漫畫中曾經加入過「天啟」,成為四騎士中的「死亡」,事後被X戰警打敗的他,恢復原先人畜無害的性格,加入機堡(Cable) aka 獨眼龍的兒子Nathan Summers(注意到《羅根》的《死侍》預告No good deed中,死侍進去變裝的那個電話亭的右邊寫著非常兒童不宜的字樣:”Nathan Summers Cumming Soon“,對,就是這位)的團隊X-Force,也是機堡最忠誠也是感情最要好的朋友之一。
(嗚嗚,有人會羨慕嫉妒恨)
PS. 可能有很多人來不及跟上《死侍》預告最後那一連串比小學生跑得還快的字幕,以下提供字幕給大家慢慢看這篇世紀長廢文,中文翻譯請參見批踢踢的Re: [情報] 羅根的死侍預告。
The Old Man and the Sea is the story of a fight between an elderly, accomplished fisherman, Santiago, and a really big fish. Like… HUGE. The story opens with Santiago suffering eighty-four days without catching a fish because he’s the unluckiest son-of-a-bitch on planet earth. Honestly, if you were in a boat for eighty-four days, it’d be hard to NOT catch a fish… even by accident. Santiago was so unlucky that his apprentice, Manolin, was forbidden by his Ma and Pa to fish with him. But as The Fresh Prince used to say, ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand’. So the boy visits Santiago’s shack anyway.
Ignoring the inherent risks of unsupervised playtime with an elderly man who talks to himself, Manolin helps out, moving Santiago’s fishing gear, making food and talking about baseball. Especially Joe DiMaggio; who used to bump fuzzies with Marilyn Monroe. The next day, Santiago tells Manolin that he’s going way out into the Gulf Stream. WAY OUT north of Cuba. Lady luck is returning!
On the eighty-fifth day of his crappy luck, Santiago drops his lines, and by noon, gets a bite from what feels like a big ass fish. He’s sure it’s a winner. He fights and fights and fights but can’t pull the monster in. Santiago’s leaky old boat is pulled by the fish for two days and nights as he holds on for dear life.Even though he’s bloody and beat, Santiago begins to appreciate this mighty adversary. He starts calling him “brother” or maybe even, “bro.” It’s sort of a love story if you really think about it. And like most romantic comedies, the reader pictures a delightful outfit changing montage, followed by the inevitable interspecies wedding.
But on the third day, Santiago is freakin’ EXHAUSTED, and decides he just wants the fish to do what he says and not always swim wherever it wants. So he stabs it. With a f*cking harpoon. It’s a mess. Super gross. Blood everywhere. Because, like many men his age, Santiago has difficulty expressing his emotions and fears with words – instead giving in to base desires – and imposing his gigantically terrible positions on any given subject through unblinking violence. Typical.
Anyway, he straps the marlin to the side of his skiff and hits the road home, ready to act like a total show off to everyone and probably gouge people on the price. But guess what? Pretty soon sharks begin to attack the bleeding marlin’s carcass, because we all know, life is a tragic opera and just when you think you’ve finally found something good and true, sharks come along and rip it all to f*cking shreds while dry-humping your dignity with their crazy-weird shark dicks. Sure, Santiago tries killing a few of them, but drops his harpoon because his hands are just as old as he is. By nighttime, the sharks have pretty much eaten the entire marlin.
Only a bleach-white skeleton remains, silently mocking him in the murky darkness.Santiago realizes he’s still unlucky. REALLY unlucky. (Duh!) He calls the sharks “dream killers”. Which isn’t really all that fair. I mean, the sharks were just doing their job and the marlin… Jesus, don’t even get me started on the marlin! It was just hanging out one day, minding it’s own business, maybe thinking about ways it could be a better provider for it’s family and WHAM! Harpoon in the brain. Who’s the “dream killer” now, f*ckface? The hypocrisy is pretty much boundless at this point.
Eventually Santiago makes it ashore. Leaving the bones of the marlin and the boat, he hobbles to his shack. He makes it home and crashes, like I said – he’s super tired.The next morning a group of fishermen gather around Santiago’s boat. One measures the skeleton and, holy shit-shingles! It’s over 18 feet! The head of the fish is given to Pedrico (strange that this is the first mention of him) and the other fishermen ask Manolin to send their glad tidings to the old man.
Manolin brings Santiago newspapers and coffee when he wakes and they decide to fish together again. Many years later, there’s a Red Lobster Restaurant in nearly every city in America, offering a casual dining experience and convenient parking.
備註:
1. 根據《X戰警:金鋼狼》(Xmen origin: Wolverine)(2009)的數據,James ”Jimmy” Logan Howett, aka 金鋼狼(Wolverine)出生在1832年,因此2029-1832年,可以得出金鋼狼已經漫長且近乎孤獨的活了197個春夏秋冬。
2. X教授查爾斯賽維爾(Charles Xavier)出生於1932年,從彼時算起他應該要有97歲。
3. 2004年起世界上就再也沒有變種人新生兒了,到了2029年,一共是25個年頭。