WhileThe Prestigeisn’t always listed amongHugh Jackman’s best movies, the underrated thriller proves that we need the star to take on more villain roles. There are few actors who I associate with heroic roles as much as Hugh Jackman. Jackman’s performances as Wolverine cemented his status as a legendary screen superhero, but there are plenty of other roles that reinforce his heroic screen persona. His charismatic portrayal of P.T. Barnum inThe Greatest Showman, his put-upon Jean Valjean inLes Miserables, and the sweet rom-com heroes ofPaperback HeroandKate & Leopoldall prove Jackman’s heroic bonafides.
Hugh Jackman’s New Movie Can Make Up For Ridley Scott’s 44% Rotten Tomatoes Flop From 14 Years Ago
A 14-year-old Ridley Scott movie flopped with a 44% Rotten Tomatoes score, but a new Hugh Jackman movie can now finally make up for its failures.
As if to further prove this point, Jackman’s rare villainous roles have included some of his biggest flops. WhereHugh Jackman’s best rolesoften see him play heroes like Wolverine, 2015’sPanand the same year’sChappieboth saw Jackman take on rare villain roles. The star had a blast playing these antagonists, but both movies were critical and commercial failures. For me, this reinforced the idea that Jackman’s best bet was sticking to heroic roles. However, one ofdirector Christopher Nolan’s most underrated moviesreminded me this isn’t necessarily the case.
The Prestige’s Rupert Angier Is Hugh Jackman’s Best Villain Role
The Wolverine Actor Stuns As Christopher Nolan’s Obsessive Magician
The Prestigeis a complicated, morally ambiguous story of two obsessive magicians who set out to destroy each other after their paths cross early on in their stage careers. Jackman’s Rupert Angier is a consummate showman who devotes his life to his craft, while Bale’s mercurial Alfred Borden is a working-class magician whose natural talent leads him to dominate the stage.The Prestige’s twist endingreveals just how much Borden relied on natural talent, while his rival required elaborate stagecraft. Nolan’s movie audaciously reveals Bale’s character had a secret twin all along.
Angier’s take on the trick involved cloning himself nightly and killing a clone at each performance.
Thus, Borden’s infamous Transported Man trick was nothing more than a pair of identical twins swapping places. This illusion cost Borden his personal life, as he and his twin lived as the same person for decades to maintain the illusion. However, the same trick cost Angier his soul and his sanity, driving him to innovation and murder as he attempted to replicate the Transported Man. He eventually succeeded, but Angier’s take on the trick involved cloning himself nightly and killing a clone at each performance. This, along with framing Borden for his murder, makes AngierThe Prestige’s villain.
Hugh Jackman Should Really Play Villains More Often
The Prestige Showcased Jackman’s Considerable Range
While Angier is the worst of the movie’s two main characters,Hugh Jackman makesThe Prestige’s villain a captivating figure. His performance imbues Angier with the same charm asThe Greatest Showman’s Barnum and I admired his dedication to the art of magic despite its personal cost. What makesThe Prestigeone of Nolan’s best moviesis the movie’s study of these two conflicted characters who, in another life, might have been great friends and collaborators. I was wowed by Jackman ensuring Angier never feels like a one-note obsessive villain, instead bringing the audience onside as he struggles to uncover Borden’s secrets.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how good Jackman’s other villainous roles are. Jackman’s scenery-chomping is the highlight of the otherwise painfulChappieand, while he couldn’t single-handedly save the misguidedPan, he is the best thing about the bizarre fantasy/ fairy tale/ musical hybrid. Meanwhile, although far from a traditional villain, his role in 2013’sPrisonersproved to me that Jackman has range to spare. The star is both sympathetic and scary in the role of a suburban father whose vigilantism gets out of hand with tragic consequences.
We Can’t Forget How Versatile Hugh Jackman Is (Despite His Wolverine Return)
The Screen Veteran’s Career Includes More Than Just Heroic Roles
It’s easy to associate Jackman with Wolverine alone, and the actor has earned a place in the pantheon of great comic book movie performances. That said, it is important not to miss out on the star’s range thanks to the popularity of this role. Wolverine’s hard-edged cynicism is one side of Jackman’s screen persona, but the wide-eyed idealism of Barnum is equally compelling.Jackman’s likable Christopher Nolan villainwas engaging thanks to his cold, clinical attention to detail, while I found the misguided antihero ofPrisonersfascinating thanks to his hot-headed attitude.
The Prestigeearned $109 million on a budget of $40 million upon its 2006 release.
Van Helsingsaw Jackman play a more traditionally quippy hero, while 2008’sAustraliaproved the star could headline an Old Hollywood melodrama. Jackman has a versatile screen CV, something that the success of both the Wolverine movies and his collaboration with Nolan proves. The star has weathered his fair share of flops, but I’m glad this allowed him to take on a broader range of roles.The Prestigeshowed thatHugh Jackmanstill harbors plenty of potential in darker roles, while the rest of his career marks him out as one of the great blockbuster heroes.
