TheX-Menfranchise is filled with highs and lows that are unparalleled in the superhero world, containing incredible titles followed by forgettable material. With comics, movies, TV shows, games and much more, it’s easy to see why this group of misfits and mutants are so lovable, but can be so detested as well.
When it comes to the movies, however, there is one character specifically that makes every installment a bit better, regardless of its overall quality.Hugh Jackman as Wolverineis undoubtedly one of thebest comic book casting decisionsof all time, considered by many the best comic character live-action portrayal. However, with so much fluctuation in the franchise, Jackman’s performance also mutates with every movie.
9X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
A Wolverine Cameo As The Highlight Of An Unsalvageable Story
X-Men: Apocalypsemay have had a lot of faults, but its biggest was how little Wolverine there was in it. When theX-Menfranchise was rebooted, the lack of Wolverine was quickly noticed. Even with incredibly short appearances, Hugh Jackman was able to be the best part of the weakest movies.
With a short cameo, Jackman was able to bring an entertaining scene to a confusing narrative as Weapon X. Not only that, his appearance in the movie showcases how much he actually brings to theX-Men, providing consistency to an inconsistent franchise.
8X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Wolverine Saves A Disappointing Trilogy Finale
Whereas the first twoX-Menmovies were able to bring a lot of the magic of the comics to life, the third one had a shift of focus to Jean Grey’s character and her transformation into Phoenix. WithX-Men:The Last Standnot being as highly regarded as the other installments, it still gave fans some Wolverine to salve the disappointing ending.
Hugh Jackman’s sharp performance is one of the few reasons why thissuperhero movie aged better than expected. The quality of his portrayal of the character is undisputed, but Wolverine’s storylines in this trilogy’s finale definitely made Jackman’s performance less perfect than it deserved to be.
7X-Men: First Class (2011)
A Dose Of Wolverine With A Short Yet Memorable Appearance
X-Men: First Classwas astrong start to the rebootseries,featuring younger versions of the characters set before the original trilogy. Even though it missed Wolverine’s continuous involvement, it did not fail to give the audience some Logan. In one short scene, Hugh Jackman’s appearance is memorable, as he’s able to represent all the character’s charm with a single line.
Drinking in a bar with a cigar in his hand, Jackman says so much with so little, especially when considering most of it was profanity, in true Wolverine fashion.
The Wolverine trilogy did not have the strongest of starts, with the unfulfilled promise of giving Wolverine a great origin story, badly constructed characters, and unresolved plot lines. Yet Hugh Jackman’s performance is thankfully not among the many mistakes in the trilogy.
In fact, Jackman’s iconic representation of the character who is beaten by time, hopelessness, and purpose, is what makesX-Men Origins: Wolverinea somewhat enjoyable watch. The butchering of Deadpool’s character, and the story’s underwhelming stakes, did not dim Jackman’s delivery of a great Wolverine, giving a foundation for the character’s trilogy to stand on.
5The Wolverine (2013)
An Action-Packed Prequel-Sequel Showcasing Jackman’s True Strength As Wolverine
Even though the Wolverine trilogy gets progressively better,The Wolverinewas a turning point for Jackman’s solo journey as the immortal character. Even though the movie was drowned out by the otherX-Menmovies,The Wolverinestill delivered an action-packed narrative based on one of the character’s most iconic comic runs.
Despite its faults, Hugh Jackman managed to elevate Wolverine’s story, proving once again why Wolverine is one ofX-Men’sstrongest characterswith his undeniable athleticism and gruff yet endearing charm.
4X2 (2003)
A Great X-Men Movie Featuring A Classic Wolverine
Considered by many the pinnacle of the originalX-Men,being the best ranked movie of the trilogy, this story has so much to give. Although not breaking any molds,X2: X-Men Unitedhas everything that makes a great action-packed super-hero movie, including Hugh Jackman’s rendition of the character.
Even though Wolverine is as great as ever, this movie had so much to celebrate, so Jackman’s portrayal was just another factor that made it soar to incredible heights. It remains one of the bestX-Menmovies ever made over 20 years after its release, but it is not Jackman’s best work in the franchise.
3X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)
Wolverine Connects The Future And The Past Of The X-Men
It literally took Hugh Jackman returning to theX-Mento truly revive the franchise. After a not so great reception with the last movie of theX-Mentrilogy, and some re-kindled positivity fromFirst Class,Wolverine returned to bring together the original cast with the reboot series in anepic and unique crossover.
Days of Future Pastfeatured Wolverine going back to the past to save humanity and mutantkind from the Sentinels, serving as the focal-point of the movie and the driving force behind the entire narrative. Wolverine carries the rest of the movie forward, and implied the potential of a largerX-Menmovie universe though his interpretation of the character.
2X- Men (2000)
A Great Character Introduction To The Most Iconic Wolverine Ever
AlthoughX-Menis the first movie of the franchise, featuring Hugh Jackman’s first portrayal of the character, it is filled with great moments, especially in terms of Wolverine’s scenes. With one of the best introductions to a character in superhero movies, the grumpy Logan is one of the best elements in the movie.
Despite being new to the role, Jackman was able to prove from the get go, with his introduction alone, why he is the perfect live-action Wolverine. Nothing about that has changed in the two decades since.
1Logan (2017)
An Emotional Send-Off Filled With Joy And Heartbreak
If theX-Menand, specifically, theWolverinemovies made mistakes, thenLoganmade every one of them worth it, giving an incredibe, soul-stirring send-off with marvelous characters and heartbreaking relationships. All to give Wolverine the development he needed before Jackman hung up his claws (at least, so it was believed at the time).
This master class in acting has every cast member giving the performance of a lifetime, but Jackman goes one step further, bringing out everything that makes Wolverine a phenomenal character. The good and the bad of Wolverine is all wrapped up in a tragic performance by Hugh Jackman, making it not just the bestWolverinemovie, butone of the best Marvel moviesperiod, regardless of the character’s current future in the MCU.
