Hugh Jackman's 10 Best Roles: From Wolverine Claws to Greatest Showman

10. "Van Helsing" (2004) – 24% on Rotten Tomatoes

When ancient evils wake, who you gonna call? No, not ghostbusters – it's the enigmatic monster hunter, Van Helsing.

Arriving in Transylvania, he's pitted against none other than Count Dracula. Yet, this is no simple tale of wooden stakes. Frankenstein's monster, werewolves, and more inhabit this gothic realm. As Helsing fights, he grapples with a forgotten past and dark prophecies.

Despite its ratings, it's a campy romp into creature features with Jackman leading the charge.

9. "Chappie" (2015) – 32% on Rotten Tomatoes

Let's paint a dystopian future, where police robots patrol crime-ridden streets. Enter Chappie, a damaged bot that gains sentience, learning like a human child. Raising him? A bizarre trio: a criminal duo and his creator, Deon (played by Jackman).

As Chappie grows, conflicting philosophies clash. Is he humanity's next step, or a dangerous anomaly? In this tech-thriller, Jackman trades heroics for mullets and morally grey intentions.

8. "Australia" (2008) – 54% on Rotten Tomatoes

Journey down under, in the pre-WWII landscape of the outback. Jackman's rugged cattle drover aids Nicole Kidman's English aristocrat in driving her livestock across dangerous terrains.

They face cattle barons, romance, and the Bombing of Darwin. Amidst sweeping landscapes, they discover common ground and an orphaned Indigenous boy's importance.

A tale of passion, turmoil, and resilience, "Australia" offers a sprawling, albeit stereotyped, epic.

7. "The Prestige" (2006) – 76% on Rotten Tomatoes

Ah, the lure of magic! Dueling magicians, Angier (Jackman) and Borden (Christian Bale), engage in a relentless battle for supremacy. Their tricks escalate, becoming deadly, with a mysterious machine adding an electrifying twist.

Obsession, sacrifice, and deception intertwine as secrets unravel. What's real, and what's illusion? Nolan's darkly elegant narrative leaves you questioning long after credits roll, with Jackman's tortured showmanship front and center.

6. "Prisoners" (2013) – 81% on Rotten Tomatoes

Let's turn the screws of tension. Two young girls vanish, leaving their families distraught. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) scrambles for answers, but it's the desperate father Keller (Jackman) who takes matters into his own hands.

Morality blurs as Keller kidnaps a prime suspect, demanding answers. Jackman's raw desperation contrasts with Gyllenhaal's procedural obsession, creating a nerve-wracking thriller.

When does righteous fury become dangerous obsession? Dive deep into this bleak rabbit hole to find out.

5. "Les Misérables" (2012) – 69% on Rotten Tomatoes

France, 1815. Jackman's Jean Valjean, a parole-breaking former prisoner, seeks redemption in a world relentless in judgment. Pursued by Javert (Russell Crowe), a tenacious lawman, their cat-and-mouse chase spans decades. As revolution stirs, love blossoms, barricades rise, and songs fill the air.

Valjean's journey intersects with revolutionaries, dreamers, and a destitute mother's legacy. Through heartbreak and hope, Jackman's voice soars, etching Valjean into cinematic history.

4. "Eddie the Eagle" (2016) – 81% on Rotten Tomatoes

Whoever said, "don't let dreams be dreams," must've had Eddie in mind. Against all odds, Eddie (Taron Egerton) is determined to be an Olympic ski-jumper.

Jackman's washed-up Bronson Peary becomes his reluctant coach. Their dynamic? Priceless. Through mishaps and soaring triumphs, the duo prove that spirit sometimes trumps skill. With Jackman's rugged charisma, this underdog story lands beautifully.

3. "The Front Runner" (2018) – 58% on Rotten Tomatoes

Politics and scandal: a tale as old as time. Rewind to 1988: Senator Gary Hart (Jackman) leads the U.S. Presidential race. Then, an extramarital affair allegation emerges. Journalists swarm, ethics are debated, and a campaign spirals. Through charismatic charm and pained expressions, Jackman captures a man in freefall.

In our age of public scrutiny, what boundaries exist between personal flaws and professional competence? This film leaves you pondering.

2. "Logan" (2017) – 94% on Rotten Tomatoes

In a bleak future, a weary Logan (our favorite Wolverine) hides at the Mexican border. But escape is a luxury he can't afford when a young mutant pursued by dark forces appears. As claws clash and old friends reunite, the journey becomes one of redemption.

Jackman's raw portrayal strips Wolverine down, showing the vulnerable man beneath the adamantium. Gone is the superhero veneer, replaced by gritty realism and inevitable decay. What does it mean to find peace in a life of violence? Logan's swansong provides a heart-wrenching answer.

1. "The Greatest Showman" (2017) – 56% on Rotten Tomatoes

Ladies and gents, step right up to P.T. Barnum's dazzling spectacle! Facing dismissal and scorn, Barnum (Jackman) creates a unique show, celebrating society's outcasts.

As the circus grows, so do challenges: public disdain, personal ambitions, and the allure of high society. Yet, amidst razzle-dazzle, show-stopping numbers, and Zendaya swinging on a trapeze, it's Jackman's infectious zeal that steals the spotlight.

Critics may have been split, but with Jackman at its heart, this musical became a box office sensation. After all, who can resist a tale about dreaming against all odds?