Lakeshore Records, out now

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine swansong gets an atypical score from genre stalwart Marco Beltrami that fuses together the movie’s genres into a thrilling 58-minute soundtrack release.

Like Legion, the new X-Men V series, Logan boasts a score that’s a long way away from the conventions of John Ottman’s heroic fanfares. As director James Mangold shares in the liner notes, he asked his composer to create something that reflected a modern Western and 70s road movie, eschewing any of the superhero tropes of recent comic book movies. On the face of it, not an easy task, but Beltrami has not just previously written an Oscar-nominated western for Mangold (3:10 to Yuma) but also the director’s The Wolverine.

Following the flickering Marvel Studios logo we are usually blasted by some brassy refrain, but instead Main Titles is a simple piano tune augmented by guitar, slowly building in tempo and enriched with the haunting wail of a harmonica. It’s reprised in To The Cemetery. And Logan’s Limo, and while not obviously hummable, sets the tone

Logan’s youthful ward Laura earns her own theme in a track of the same name –ambient and slightly discordant – but as it’s reprised in Eternum – Laura’s Theme there’s a greater clarity as the character develops a sense of wonder.

Feral Tween is all snarls and growls, encapsulating the pent-up fury of the juvenile co-lead, while Beyond the Hills and Up to Eden offer more of a sense of optimism in their primarily orchestral composition. The movie’s baddies are showcased in The Grim Reavers and X-24, low guttural drones and frenetic strings, reminiscent of Johann Johannsson’s Sicario.

Verdict: There’s nothing predictable or tired about Logan the movie, and Marco Beltrami plays his part by delivering an exciting and eclectic mix of cues. 8/10

Nick Joy