With the recent announcement of Hugh Jackman returning to the role of Wolverine in Deadpool 3, fans are revisiting his impressive Few actors have risen to fame as suddenly as Jackman with him being virtually unknown in the United States until he was cast as Wolverine in X-Men. From there, he quickly became one of the most popular and versatile stars in Hollywood.
Jackman is known for his extraordinary work in big blockbusters and award-winning films which have become audience favorites. Of course, not all of his projects have been hits. Some of these roles feel like big missteps that audiences didn’t latch on to. What do the voters at IMDb consider to be Hugh Jackman’s best and worst films?
Hugh Jackman’s Best Movies
X2: X-Men United (2003) - 7.4
- Available on Disney+
While the first X-Men movie was a great introduction to Jackman’s role as Wolverine, he really started to show his potential in the first sequel. X2: X-Men United deals with the X-Men split up and go on the run when the school is invaded by government operatives.
The movie adds fun new characters like Nightcrawler and really improves on the action this time around with some amazing sequences. Jackman once again gets the meatiest role as Wolverine’s mysterious past is a big part of the story.
Les Misérables (2012) 7.5
- Available on Netflix
Though he is known as a badass superhero on screen for many fans, it is no secret that Jackman has a whole lot of other skills. His musical talents are put to excellent use in the adaptation of the beloved Broadway classic Les Misérables.
Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a former convict who tries to turn his life around in 19th century France only to be pursued by a relentless and unforgiving lawman (Russell Crowe). The movie was seen by many as a thrilling big-screen version of the story and Jackman earned an Oscar nomination for his performance.
The Greatest Showman (2017) - 7.5
- Available on Disney+ and FX Now
It is well known that Jackman has impressive musical talent which he has put to use in both films and on the stage. The Greatest Showman once again allows Jackman to embrace this side of his talents in the musical adventure about P.T. Barnum’s creation of the world-famous circus.
The movie paints Barnum in a positive light, glossing over the darker aspects of the true story, but audiences were thrilled by the musical. The songs are rousing and fun and are performed by a great cast, including Zendaya and Zac Efron.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - 7.9
The X-Men franchise has a confusing timeline, to say the least, but its two timelines collided in thrilling fashion for X-Men: Days of Future Past. In an attempt to alter the future in which mutants are hunted, Wolverine is sent back in time to enlist the help of young Professor X and Magneto.
The ambitious plan to combine the old cast with the young worked wonderfully. The film makes for a wildly fun superhero adventure filled with high stakes and some surprisingly emotional moments.
Logan (2017) - 8.1
Until the recent Deadpool 3 announcement, fans thought they had seen the last of Jackman’s most iconic role in Logan. The movie is a brutal and emotional farewell for the character and tells the story of an old and broken Logan finding redemption by protecting a young mutant.
Jackman gives his best performance in the role and director James Mangold creates a captivating, dark neo-Western tone. The hard R-rated story feels like no other superhero movie and seemed like a fitting end for an icon of the genre.
Prisoners (2013) - 8.1
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Jackman gives one of his most underrated performances in the dark and disturbing crime drama Prisoners, where he Keller Dover, plays a family man whose daughter goes missing. When a suspected kidnapper is let go, Keller decides to take matters into his own hands in order to find his child.
Prisoners is a haunting and engrossing film from that helped launch the Hollywood career of Denis Villeneuve. Though Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano are also excellent in their respective roles, it is Jackman’s performance that elevates the film to another level.
The Prestige (2006) - 8.5
Jackman teamed up with acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale for this brilliant and twisty period mystery. In The Prestige, Jackman and Bale play two rival magicians whose attempts to outdo one another gradually turn deadly.
Nolan crafted a compelling story that is packed with twists and turns to keep the audience guessing until the very end. The Prestige is the kind of movie that demands to be watched again and again in order to pick up on all of the clever clues hinting at The Prestige’s twist.
The Worst Hugh Jackman Movies
The Front Runner (2018) - 6.1
Jackman took on a real-life character in an intriguing story about a little-known yet hugely influential aspect of American political history. The Front Runner finds Jackman playing Gary Hart, a U.S. senator whose presidential campaign unravels with the media fascination of a supposed scandal.
Jackman is underrated at playing these kinds of grounded and flawed characters but unfortunately, his performance was not enough to save the movie. What could have been an interesting look at how scandals became the focus of political campaigns is made into a forgettable political drama.
Deception (2008) - 6.0
- Available on HBO Max DIRECTV
The thriller Deception delivered the promising pairing of Jackman and Ewan McGregor, but the material let down the talented actors. McGregor plays Jonathan McQuarry, a successful businessman who is introduced to an exclusive and secret sex club by his new friend (Jackman). But when a girl goes missing, Jonathan finds himself wrapped up in a dark conspiracy.
The film wanted to be a twisty erotic thriller in the vein of Body Heat but ended up falling far short of those ambitions. The overall story isn’t very compelling and the twists are uninteresting.
Someone Like You (2001) - 6.0
- Available on Starz DIRECTV
As Jackman’s fame was taking off, he took a role in the romantic comedy Someone Like You, in which Ashley Judd plays a woman who is dumped by her boyfriend. As she tries to figure out her romantic life, she agrees to move in with her womanizing co-worker (Jackman).
Judd is a natural in rom-coms and Jackman is extremely charming in his role, but the film overall was fairly by-the-numbers and didn’t try anything new to the genre or leave a lasting impression on audiences.
Van Helsing (2004) - 6.0
- Available on Hulu
A story of the famed monster hunter Van Helsing sounds like a brilliant idea for a franchise, but something went wrong here. Jackman plays the titular hero who takes on classic Universal monsters such as Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Wolf Man.
Of course, Jackman makes for a dashing hero, but the film’s other aspects do not match his talents. From the CGI to the goofy comedic elements, Van Helsing feels like an uninspired attempt at making a summer blockbuster. What should have been a great movie letdown audiences.
Reminiscence (2021) - 5.8
Available on HBO Max
Though Jackman tries his hand at a lot of different genres, his recent sci-fi thriller Reminiscence was a miss for the actor. Set in the distant future, Jackman plays a man who specializes in investigating people’s minds to recover lost memories. But one of his cases soon leads to an obsession.
Despite featuring a strong supporting cast that includes Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton, the movie failed to impress too many fans. It was largely seen as a dull and forgettable thriller that wasted the talents involved.
Pan (2015) - 5.7
Before Disney became obsessed with remaking all of their animated films into live-action adventures, Warner Brothers took a shot at the beloved story of Peter Pan. This version serves as an origin story in which Peter teams up with a young James Hook to save Neverland from the evil pirate Blackbeard (Jackman).
Pan was a notorious flop at the box office and it hasn’t caught the interest of audiences since. It seems few people felt an origin tale of these characters was necessary at all.
Movie 43 (2013) - 4.3
- Available on DIRECTV
Movie 43 is an anthology comedy film with an incredibly star-studded cast — and it’s likely that every one of them is terribly embarrassed to have been a part of this mess. The film is regarded by many as one of the worst movies ever made and a massive waste of great talent.
Jackman stars in one segment alongside Kate Winslet. They play a couple on a blind date and the whole thing is centered around one crass, unfunny joke.
