Hugh Jackman‘s career is a rare blend of blockbuster spectacle and surprising versatility, spanning superhero epics, sweeping musicals, intimate dramas, and sharp-edged thrillers. From his breakout as Wolverine to his work on stage and screen, Jackman has built a filmography that invites spirited discussions among fans. To cut through nostalgia and personal bias, one useful compass is Letterboxd, where millions of film fans log, rate, and discuss movies with passionate honesty.
Letterboxd ratings offer a crowdsourced snapshot of how Jackman’s movies resonate today, not just how they were received on release. The movies reflect rewatches, evolving tastes, and the collective judgment of cinephiles who weigh performances, direction, and cultural impact. Looking at Jackman’s movies through this lens reveals which projects have endured, which have grown in esteem, and which surprises have quietly climbed the ranks.
10
‘The Greatest Showman’ (2017)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.5/5
The Greatest Showman follows P. T. Barnum (Jackman), a man from humble beginnings who dreams of fame and success. After losing his office job, he creates a groundbreaking entertainment show by bringing together people considered outsiders, such as performers with unique appearances and talents, and celebrates them on stage. As Barnum’s circus grows into a worldwide sensation, he struggles to balance ambition, public approval, and his family life.
This Letterboxd rating for The Greatest Showman makes sense when placed alongside Jackman’s broader filmography because the movie sits at an interesting middle ground between crowd-pleasing entertainment and critical depth. Compared to his most acclaimed performances, The Greatest Showman leans more on spectacle, music, and inspirational energy than on nuanced storytelling. Compared to lighter or less distinctive entries in his career, The Greatest Showman is memorable, rewatchable, and culturally resonant.
9
‘The Fountain’ (2006)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.5/5
The Fountain is a sci-fi epic that weaves together three interconnected stories across time, all centered on love, mortality, and the fear of loss. In the present, a scientist desperately searches for a cure to save his dying wife. Jackman plays a version of the same character across time. In the past, he’s a Spanish conquistador seeking the mythical Tree of Life to save his queen, and in the future, he’s a solitary traveler who journeys through space toward a dying star.
The Fountain asks a lot from viewers because of its abstract structure, symbolism, and nonlinear narrative, and its Letterboxd rating reflects this. Jackman delivers a deeply committed and vulnerable performance, but the movie’s experimental nature can distance viewers who prefer clearer emotional payoffs, making it easier to admire than to fully connect with. At the same time, The Fountain deserves a solidly positive rating because it showcases Jackman stretching himself further than in many mainstream roles.
8
‘Eddie the Eagle’ (2016)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.5/5
Eddie the Eagle is a sports biopic about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), a determined but unlikely athlete who dreams of competing in the Olympics. Despite lacking natural talent, funding, and support, Eddie decides to pursue ski jumping, a sport Britain hasn’t competed in for decades. With the help of a reluctant former champion coach, Bronson Peary (Jackman), Eddie trains relentlessly and overcomes injuries, ridicule, and low expectations.
This movie is an example of the dependable charm that defines the middle tier of Jackman’s filmography. It makes sense, then, that Eddie the Eagle sits comfortably among his projects that are solid, rewatchable, and likable rather than ambitious or career-defining. This score also acknowledges that the movie is well-made, uplifting, and elevated by Jackman’s charisma, while also recognizing its predictability and modest dramatic stakes.
7
‘Rise of the Guardians’ (2012)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.6/5
Rise of the Guardians is an animated fantasy film about a group of legendary protectors, including Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Sandman, and the Easter Bunny (Jackman), who unite to defend children’s hopes and dreams from the dark spirit Pitch Black (Jude Law). When Pitch threatens to spread fear and weaken belief, Jack Frost (Chris Pine), an overlooked and uncertain guardian, must discover his true purpose.
This Letterboxd rating for Rise of the Guardians makes sense because it represents a well-liked but not career-defining entry in Jackman’s filmography that highlights his versatility rather than his dramatic weight. Rise of the Guardians stands out as one of the stronger animated projects connected to Jackman’s career. His voice performance adds humor, edge, and personality, showing a different side of his screen persona while still tapping into his charisma.
6
‘Les Misérables’ (2012)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.6/5
Les Misérables is a musical drama set in 19th-century France that follows Jean Valjean (Jackman), a former prisoner seeking redemption after being released from years of hard labor. As Valjean rebuilds his life and becomes a respected factory owner and mayor, he is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), who believes people can never escape their past. Valjean also spends his life raising the orphaned Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), whose mother dies under tragic circumstances.
Letterboxd users highlight the fact that Les Misérables sits between technical achievement and uneven execution. As Valjean, Jackman delivers one of the most physically and emotionally demanding performances of his career, fully committing to the live-sung musical format and the character’s long moral journey. As divisive as the movie remains, Letterboxd viewers also rightly point out that this is a highlight of Jackman’s career in that it highlights his dramatic acting abilities, vocal endurance, and ability to commit to a character.
5
‘Bad Education’ (2019)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.6/5
Bad Education is a drama based on a true story about Frank Tassone (Jackman), a highly respected New York school superintendent whose image of excellence begins to unravel when a student journalist uncovers financial irregularities in the district. As the investigation deepens, it reveals a web of embezzlement, secrecy, and personal compromise beneath the polished surface of success. The movie focuses less on the scandal itself, and more on how ambition, denial, and the desire for admiration can lead to someone’s downfall.
This respectable Letterboxd rating for Bad Education makes sense when looking at Jackman’s filmography because it represents one of his strongest but most understated performances rather than one of his most iconic. Jackman’s work here is restrained, internal, and quietly unsettling. The movie is deliberately low-key, focusing on gradual moral erosion instead of big emotional moments. While the movie lacks the spectacle or cultural impact of his biggest projects, it stands out for its intelligence and realism.
4
‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ (2014)
Average Letterboxd Score: 3.7/5
X-Men: Days of Future Past blends time-travel science fiction with superhero drama as the X-Men attempt to prevent a dystopian future where mutants are nearly extinct. Facing an unstoppable threat from Sentinels, the group sends Wolverine’s consciousness back into his younger body in the 1970s to stop a key event that leads to mutant persecution. The movie connects past and present timelines, bringing together original and prequel-era characters.
It makes sense that X-Men: Days of Future Past is ranked so high among Jackman’s filmography by the Letterboxd community because it represents one of the strongest and most effective uses of his most iconic role. As Wolverine, Jackman carries the narrative across timelines, combining physical intensity with emotional weariness in a way that feels more mature than earlier franchise entries. Ultimately, Letterboxd users note that this movie gives Jackman a chance to excel at within a franchise context.
3
‘Logan’ (2017)
Average Letterboxd Score: 4.1/5
Logan follows an aging, weary Wolverine living in hiding in a near future where mutants are nearly extinct. He cares for a frail Professor X (Patrick Stewart) while struggling with his fading healing powers and guilt over his past. Logan’s life is upended when he’s forced to protect Laura (Dafne Keen), a young girl with abilities like his own, who is being hunted by a powerful corporation. As they travel together, Logan is drawn back into his old life and gradually forms a bond with Laura while confronting what it means to be a hero.
A near-perfect Letterboxd score makes sense for Logan because it stands out as one of the most critically respected and emotionally grounded films in Jackman’s career. Few of his previous projects match Logan in terms of thematic depth and consistent critical and audience praise. The movie takes significant creative risks by stripping away traditional superhero spectacle in favor of a more mature story, which is something Letterboxd users have responded to.
2
‘The Prestige’ (2006)
Average Letterboxd Score: 4.3/5
The Prestige is a psychological thriller about two rival magicians in late-19th-century London whose professional competition escalates into obsession and sabotage. As each man becomes consumed with outperforming the other, their lives unravel through secrets, sacrifices, and increasingly dangerous illusions. Jackman plays Robert “The Great Danton” Angier, a magician from an artistocratic background, and his body double Gerald Root.
Such a high Letterboxd score for The Prestige makes sense because it represents one of the most intellectually ambitious and tightly constructed movies in Jackman’s career. While Jackman is widely known for charismatic, physical performances, The Prestige highlights his ability to play darker, more morally complex characters. The movie benefits not just from Jackman’s talents, but from strong ensemble performances, making it no mystery why Letterboxd users rank it so highly.
1
‘Prisoners’ (2013)
Average Letterboxd Score: 4.3/5
Prisoners is a tense thriller about the disappearance of two young girls in a quiet suburban town and the desperate actions that follow. As the police, led by a determined detective, struggle to find solid leads, one of the girls’ fathers takes matters into his own hands, driven by fear, anger, and a need for justice. Jackman plays Keller Dover, a working-class father of one of the girls who goes missing. He becomes increasingly desperate and takes extreme measures in an attempt to find her, believing the authorities are not doing enough.
Prisoners is rated so highly on Letterboxd because it is one of Jackman’s most demanding and morally complex roles. Letterboxd users tend to reward projects that challenge them ethically and emotionally, and Jackman’s portrayal of Keller Dover, driven by fear, rage, and love, elevates the film beyond a standard crime thriller. Jackman’s willingness to play an unlikable, morally compromised lead is a major factor in why the movie resonates so strongly with cinephile audiences.
Prisoners
- Release Date
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September 20, 2013
- Runtime
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153 minutes
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