Hugh Jackman is a man of many talents. He can act, he can sing, he can dance, and he does it all while being one of the most handsome men in Hollywood. If we’re being honest, the older Hugh gets, the better he looks. He truly does age like a fine wine, if that isn’t too cliche to say.
Over the course of his 20+ year career, Hugh has been in many big films and some smaller budget productions. He basically defies all logic when it comes to gaining and losing weight. For 17 years, he portrayed Logan/Wolverine in the X-Men franchise and the intense diet and workout regimen he had could put any superhero to shame. He might have hung up his claws for good, but that doesn’t mean we can’t admire those adamantium beauties! Out of all of his movies, these are his 16 best, though some of his movies are much better than the others. Just see where 2017’s Logan lands on this list!
16. Australia
Australia is not Hugh Jackman’s worst film, but it is nowhere near the top of this list. He and Nicole Kidman were commended for their great chemistry, though the critics were torn on this movie, some claiming it was way too long, but not bad otherwise. Not exactly the kind of review you’d want on a big budget film!
The movie is a new take on typical WWII films, by focusing on what took place in Australia during the war between 1939 and 1942. Despite all that, Hugh and Nicole’s characters manage to fall in love. Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four, saying “Baz Luhrmann dreamed of making the Australian Gone with the Wind, and so he has, with much of that film’s lush epic beauty and some of the same awkwardness with a national legacy of racism.” Still, many also felt the film was blown out of proportion and overdone. Some critics even went on to call the movie preposterous and outlandish.
15. The Greatest Showman
Hugh Jackman might not be the greatest singer in the world, but this movie did provide he really is a showman. While his performance overall is good, his solo songs don’t highlight his talents, and the film has some glaring issues. The movie jumps around about 25 years in time, but Hugh and Michelle Williams look exactly the same. The Greatest Showman is all about P.T. Barnum creating the circus, but coming in under two hours, there isn’t enough time to tell the story concisely.
However, the film is still entertaining and even has some great moments, though sadly Hugh isn’t apart of those moments. The greatest scene in the film is between Zac Efron and Zendaya Coleman when they’re confronting the reasons why they cannot be together by serenading each other with “Rewrite The Stars.” It comes as no surprise that this film has a fairly low Rotten Tomatoes score, but it is still a fun ride.
14. Kate & Leopold
Kate & Leopold is proof that Hugh Jackman can be very charming, but it doesn’t mean a movie is going to be a smash hit. This flick is about a Duke who travels time (as if that is totally normal) from 1876 New York to present day. He winds up falling in love with a woman from the modern era, although they don’t think things can work considering their differences.
But in classic romance fashion, one of them is willing to give up the life they know for their love for the other person and they dramatically reunite right at the end. Meg Ryan and Hugh have decent chemistry, but the predictability of this movie is what weighs it down. Hugh did receive a Golden Globe nomination for his work, however!
13. Van Helsing
Even when playing a legendary monster hunter, Hugh Jackman still is as handsome as ever. Van Helsing was made as an homage and tribute Universal Pictures horror movies from the ’30s and ’40s. While the movie got an overwhelming number of negative reviews, it is still very entertaining for all Hugh Jackman fans, as well as horror fans.
The main character is based on the Dutch vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing from Irish author Bram Stoker‘s novel Dracula. Van Helsing takes on many big bad monsters, from werewolves to Count Dracula and more. As long as fans go into this movie expecting a creature feature, they will be pleased with the film and enjoy it.
12. The Fountain
At the time of the film’s release, the critics were divided. Michael Atkinson, writing for Sight & Sound, reviewed The Fountain by saying, “It’s difficult to recall another American film that, in pursuing a passionate and personal vision, goes so maddeningly, uproariously wrong.” A scientist is consumed by the idea of mortality and is trying to find a cure to death for his cancer-stricken wife. While the film might not have been a critical success at the time, it has since become a cult hit. It was basically a financial failure, not even breaking even by pulling in less than the budget of the film. Either way, it has found a fan base in later years.
11. The Wolverine
The Wolverine is not the worst of all of the X-Men films and in fact, has some great elements, but it is not the best of the X-Men films either. This was a huge step up from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as it didn’t try to introduce twenty X-Men characters in the process. Instead, Logan is brought to Japan to reunite with an officer he saved during the bombing of Nagasaki. While you’d think this means that years later they’d be on good terms, the man winds up trying to steal Logan’s regenerative abilities. The greatest part of this film is the mid-credits scene. Logan is in an airport when he notices everyone around him has stopped moving. When he turns around, Professor X (who had previously been dead) and Magneto approach him for help. Talk about an epic cliffhanger!
10. X2: X-Men United
There have been so many X-Men films since this one, it’s almost crazy when you realize just how many times Hugh Jackman has had to play Wolverine. Back when X2: X-Men United came out, it was very highly praised by critics. They loved the action sequences in the film. X2 is one of many films that explores Wolverine’s past, wherein this film he searches an abandoned military installation for clues about his life. The movie also introduces us to the evil William Stryker. In this movie, enemies Magneto and Professor X work together against the men in power that are afraid of mutants. Compared to X-Men: The Last Stand, this movie is a masterpiece.
9. Happy Feet
Happy Feet might not be one of your typical Hugh Jackman movies, but it still is phenomenal! In fact, it is always great to see an actor work an animated film and succeed. This film about penguins comes with a much bigger message about accepting those who are different from us.
Hugh voiced Memphis, the father of a young penguin named Mumbles. Unlike all of the other penguins his age, Mumbles can’t sing. But what he can do is dance! He’s a great dancer, but none of the other penguins can understand this difference. That is until they all learn how to dance too. It might seem sappy, but the film was critically acclaimed and is truly a feel-good movie. Hugh must have done this movie so that his son Oscar, who was six at the time, could finally enjoy one of his father’s movies.
8. Rise of the Guardians
Much like Happy Feet, Hugh most likely initially signed onto this film so his children could enjoy one of his movies. His son was 12 and his daughter was seven when this movie was released in 2012. Rise of the Guardians is an interesting take on holiday films. Hugh Jackman plays the Easter Bunny, who is not some cute little bunny with a fluffy tail and a pink nose, but instead is totally jacked.
Santa is a giant dude with tattoos, the Tooth Fairy has an adorable herd of little helpers, and poor Jack Frost is forgotten by everyone. The film explores why Jack isn’t an honored guardian, like his peers, and it helps him learn how to change that. Rise of the Guardians is easily one of the most underrated Christmas movies in Hollywood. Just sayin’!
7. X-Men
The first of many X-Men films, the original proves to be a good one. Hugh Jackman was told to expect the 2000 film to fail. Apparently, a friend of Hugh’s in Hollywood told him, “Dude, I’ve heard not very good things about the movie. You really should book something else before it comes out.” That friend should have had a bit more faith, as X-Men spawned nine more films to be released over 17 years, with four more on the deck between 2018 and 2019.
The first movie in the franchise introduced the masses to the Professor Xavier, his X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Wolverine got sucked into the conflict between the two groups and, while it feels like things might be semi-resolved by the end, we all know that this world revolves around the fight between former friends, Professor X and Magneto.
6. Eddie the Eagle
Clearly, Hugh Jackman is 20th Century Fox’s golden boy. When he isn’t busy waving around his claws, he is doing films very outside of his bracket. Hugh went “back in time” for this biographical sports comedy-drama based on the 1988 Olympics. Hugh played Bronson Peary, a former champion ski jumper who struggles with alcohol addiction. Hugh worked very well with star Taron Egerton, who portrayed Eddie Edwards. Eddie is the first British skier to represent Great Britan for the first time since 1929. The film has many inspirational cliches, but despite the cliches, audiences still loved the movie and believed in the heart of it all.
5. The Prestige
Long before The Greatest Showman, Hugh Jackman showed off his flair for showmanship. The Prestige is about two magicians who are willing to do anything to do outdo each other after they become rivals. Their feud is understandable as Hugh’s character blames the death of his wife on Christian Bale‘s character. The movie received some Academy Award nominations after receiving critical praise. Not only was the film a hit with critics, it also had a strong showing at the box office, which should come as no surprise seeing as it had two big film stars behind the film.
4. X-Men: Days of Future Past
As all X-Men fans know, there have been many attempts during this series. First, there were the original films, then we got a Wolverine origin story that was meant to span an origin trilogy for other X-Men characters, and then we got the prequels. Unlike Star Wars, these prequels were done well.
Though Wolverine was alive during WWII and all the timelines after that, he didn’t make it into the prequel films until X-Men: Days of Future Past. It was well worth the wait. This movie combined both timelines, past and present. In order to save the X-Men of the present, someone needs to travel back in time to recruit the help of a young Professor X. The only member of the X-Men that had been alive then, aside from the Professor and Magneto, was Wolverine. Due to his regenerative properties, he is only one who can go back in time as well without harm to his brain in the process. The combination of both sets of characters made the film entertaining to watch from start to finish, and it is the best of the all the prequel films we’ve received thus far.
3. Prisoners
This is one of those movies that doesn’t need an elaborate plot to be incredible. It is the kind of film that hits home with audiences because of the realistic nature. When two little girls are kidnapped, the lives of everyone that loved them are thrown for a loop. Hugh Jackman plays one of the parents of the kidnapped children and when the suspected kidnapper is released, he takes things into his own hands.
He tortures the man to try and find out where the missing girls are and its deeply moving — the twist ending just wakes the film all the more exciting to watch.
2. Les Misérables
There have been many movie musicals, but there are none quite like Les Misérables. The film was loved by audiences and critics alike. Hugh won the Golden Globe for Best Actor and was nominated for the Academy Award as well. Les Misérables was nominated for many accolades, and the entire cast was praised for their work.
Hugh had a tough role to take on, playing Jean Valjean, who begins as a prisoner being released after a 19-year prison sentence (all for stealing a loaf of bread). Hugh’s singing is impeccable and his parrying against enemy Javert (Russell Crowe) makes their story one of the most interesting ones to watch throughout the entire film. Hugh Jackman is known for throwing himself into his roles and for Les Misérables he lost 25 pounds for the movie! Damn.
1. Logan
If you thought any other Hugh Jackman movie would top this list, you need to watch Logan again. This film isn’t just the best X-Men movie there is, it is one of the best superhero films of all time. Before Logan was released, Hugh confirmed that it would be the last time he’d portrayed the clawed hero, Wolverine. After 17 years, Hugh was ready to be done with the character that made him so famous, though he truly loves the character. Logan even emphasizes that Wolverine is tired. Almost all of his friends are dead. Professor X is not the man he once knew. Apparently, Wolverine has a tiny clone of himself in the form of a little girl who barely speaks English. Hugh Jackman plays multiple versions of this hero in the film and his dedication to the role and seeing it to the very end shows in this movie. It is a movie that will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you want even more of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, but there is no more. Allegedly.