Top 3 Hugh Jackman movies you must watch

Hugh Jackman is widely known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men universe, but there is so much more to him than that role. The Australian star began his acting career in the 1990s through television. He soon started working in films through Australian projects like Paperback Hero and Erskineville Kings, released in 1999. Shortly after, he got his big break in X-Men (2000), which changed his career trajectory. He started getting recognized as this Marvel hero, whose metal claws could cut through virtually anything.

Hugh Jackman continued playing this ferocious mutant hero with a tremendous healing power up until 2017's Logan. That's when writer-director James Mangold gave us an emotional ode to this beloved hero through a stripped-down film. Although set in a dystopian world, it feels more like a character-driven neo-western flick. It allowed Jackman to show that Logan is a far more complex character than just a powerful mutant. While being a part of this popular franchise, he also worked in some other genres.

Someone Like You (2001) and Kate & Leopold (2001) portrayed Hugh Jackman as a charming romantic lead. Eddie the Eagle (2015) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) allowed him to deliver his comical chops. Chappie (2015) and Real Steel (2011) showed him leading action projects with a massive appeal. However, some of his finest movies so far must be Les Misérables (2012), The Prestige (2006), and Prisoners (2013).

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Here are the top 3 Hugh Jackman movies you must watch

3. Les Misérables (2012)

Hugh Jackman may be known more as an action star with wit and charm, but he is just as talented of a singer and a dancer who can carry an entire musical drama on his shoulders. In 2017, he got to flex those creative muscles in The Greatest Showman, alongside Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson. However, a few years before that, he gave an Oscar-nominated performance in another musical based on a well-known stage drama.

Directed by Tom Hopper, Les Misérables is a sweeping saga set in 19th-century France. It follows Jackman as a man trying to lead a new life as he escapes prison after many years of imprisonment. With a talented supporting cast including Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe, and Eddie Redmayne, this movie is one of the most acclaimed works from Jackman's filmography, and rightfully so.

2. The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale in the central roles as two 19th-century magicians who do not see eye to eye on matters of their life and art. Co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan, this psychological thriller seamlessly blends elements of mystery and period drama with a bit of science fiction to offer a clever and utterly fascinating play of lies and deceptions.

The film is filled with narrative twists and turns that reveal more about the characters and what they stand for. It helps us better understand their mutual frustrations and bitter conflicts without losing its inherently suspenseful nature. Aside from Jackman and Bale, the film stars Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Piper Perabo, and David Bowie, who make it a memorable experience.

1. Prisoners (2013)

Hugh Jackman's Prisoners is one of those visceral psychological thrillers that may be too hard to rewatch. It comes from Denis Villeneuve, the visionary French-Canadian filmmaker behind Dune (2021), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and Arrival (2016). Much like his past work, Prisoners is a deeply reflective slow-burn thriller that does not rush into jumping to any conclusions about its characters or their dynamic. The film explores the lengths a father will go to in a desperate search for his missing daughter.

While gradually amping up the tension, the film shows these characters reach their breaking point as they try to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of two young girls. In addition to Hugh Jackman, the cast includes acclaimed names like Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Melissa Leo, and more, who help bring out the raw intensity of their emotions.