Though he might be known for the rippling muscles, leather jacket, and monstrous claws, Hugh Jackman is one of the most versatile actors Hollywood has to offer. The Australian actor got his start in stage productions, before earning international praise by starring in Oklahoma! and Carousel. Since 2000, when he first portrayed the tortured soldier, Wolverine, Jackman has been involved in a wide variety of movies; he remains one of the few ‘superhero’ actors whose best filmography (according to IMDb) does not include those films for which he is best known - X Men.
Real Steel: 7.1
In this 2011 movie, Hugh Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a former boxing champion who was eventually kicked out of the ring by the introduction of immense robot fighters. Now a small-time promotor who collects the metal scraps that result from each battle, he re-connects with his estranged son, with the goal of building a champion fighter for a last shot at redemption. Real Steel pulls on the underdog story that made Rocky so popular, combining it with a touch of futuristic tech, which is all pulled together by the endearing on-screen skills of Hugh Jackman.
The Fountain: 7.2
The Fountain is an ambitious undertaking that weaves together 3 semi-concurrent stories. At the center of each story is a Man (Hugh Jackman) who travels through Time searching for immortality. It begins with Tomas, a 16th Century conquistador who seeks the Tree of Life. In the 21st century, Tommy (Jackman) is a surgeon desperate to cure his wife’s cancer. And in the 26th century, the Man is now an astronaut named Tom rocketing through space with nothing but a dying tree and the ghost of his dead wife for company. It’s not a film for everyone. It is strange, bold, and filled with those dark, existential questions we often would rather avoid. But it is still worth the watch, especially with Jackman at the helm.
Rise Of The Guardians: 7.3
In this, Jackman once again shows his versatility, this time as a voice actor. Rise of the Guardians takes an interesting perspective on the classic Christmas story; the Guardians are a select group of immortal figures whose goal is to protect children from darkness and despair. The group is comprised of certain mythical creatures, including Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman). But conflict arises when the boogeyman Pitch Black seeks to destroy the Guardians by convincing children that they’re not real. While the audience might be targeted towards younger children, the story remains engaging, and the animation remains colorful and crisp.
X2: X-Men United: 7.4
In this, the second of the original X-Men movies, the main conflict centers around General William Stryker, an ex-military commander who is instrumental in the establishment of the Mutant Registration Act, a governmental program designed to keep mutants in check.
This threat forces the mutants to band together, resulting in big, dramatic, CGI-powered fight scenes. While this movie certainly lacked in certain areas, namely the script, it is still an enjoyable way to spend 2 hours.
X-Men: 7.4
This 20-year old film told the origin story of the X-Men. Following several main characters, including Logan, Jean Grey, and Magneto, we got to see where they started, and how they became who they are. This all culminates in the classic battle between good and evil, with Magneto’s team of mutants seeking to lord over men, and Charles Xavier’s team of mutants seeking to live amongst men. Of the films that belong to this franchise, it is not the best. But it is the beginning, which certainly makes it significant. Beyond that, it marks the first time that Hugh Jackman slipped into the leather suit and donned the eccentric facial hair of The Wolverine, a big milestone.
Les Misérables: 7.6
Adapted from the Victor Hugo novel, which has long been a popular musical that even made it to the big screen in 1998, then starring Liam Neeson, Les Mis (2012) stars an incredible cast, showing off talents that, for many actors, seemed hidden. Led by Hugh Jackman, with costars Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Eddie Redmayne, Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a recently freed man who has spent the last 20 years in prison. It is a story about revolution, redemption, war, and hope. And it is widely regarded as one of the best movie-musicals ever made.
X-Men: Days Of Future Past: 8
There was a moment in mutant history in which Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), fearing the dangers that mutants posed, created a robotic soldier designed to capture, and kill mutants. Set some time in the future, these Sentinels have evolved and are close to accomplishing the goal of complete mutant genocide. Knowing that he alone can bear this burden, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) volunteers to be sent back in time in an attempt to prevent the Sentinels from ever being created. While the film touches on several interesting subplots, none are truly explored; this movie is like most superhero movies in that, while it is not particularly well-done, it is still a fun watch.
Plus, any time we get to see Jackman wielding those famous claws is always a bonus.
Prisoners: 8.1
Keller Dover is a simple man living a simple life when his daughter and her friends go missing. With few leads to go off of, the investigation soon putters out, sending Dover (Jackman) on a mission to rescue his daughter at all costs. While the film often feels drab and gray, it is the performances of Jackman and Jake Gyllenhall that tie it all together. Jackman, who perhaps by portraying Wolverine, has become an expert at showcasing incredibly poignant levels of rage and fear, is the perfect grief-stricken father spurred on by nothing more love and fear of loss.
Logan: 8.1
Logan is arguably the best superhero movie to ever grace our screens. Largely, the glaring problem with these kinds of massive blockbuster movies like Avengers and Justice League is an utter and complete reliance on CGI and green screen. Characters are rarely truly developed, the action never feels real, and plot holes are generally expected. Logan serves as the complete opposite.
Set in a future where the mutant gene no longer exists, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is tired, both physically and mentally, from a life that has been far too long. The adamantium that coats his bones is poisoning his body, reducing his ability to heal, and his only true friend is an aging Charles Xavier, whom Logan must take care of. The story develops organically as Logan encounters a mutant girl and agrees to see her to Eden, a place where escaped mutants supposedly can live freely.
Besides the fact that the story itself is well-written and organically constructed, the movie stripped away what we were told superhero movies had to be. Without leather tights, CGI, or that frustrating tendency of PG-13 movies to show violence solely off-screen, Logan finally tells a story that is grounded in reality in a way that is gritty, horrifying, and incredibly emotional. Jackman’s performance is fantastically heart-rending, the gore and violence are displayed at a level we always wanted, without feeling forced, and the story neatly completes Logan’s long character arc. This, while perhaps being one of Jackman’s greatest performances, is the epitome of the 300-year-old tortured mutant soldier, Wolverine.
The Prestige: 8.5
Directed by Christopher Nolan’s expert hand, and starring two legends, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, The Prestige is a story about illusion, deception, and prestige, in the form of magic. Catapulting Jackman once again into a Victorian London, it follows Jackman and Bale as they inadvertently kill an on-stage assistant during a trick. The death of the assistant leads to a life-long feud between the 2 magicians, as Bale’s character, Alfred, rises to the top of his profession, then falls to rock bottom, before showcasing an unexplainable teleportation trick. Robert (Jackman) then drives himself to the edges of insanity, seeking science in an attempt to understand and explain the illusion that Alfred is employing.
Like most Nolan films, this is not a movie for simple-minded, straightforward enjoyment. It is complex, smart, and thoughtful. And with the cast led by these two accomplished actors, it is unsurprising that this is Jackman’s best work to date.
