Hugh Is This?By TIM DAVID HARVEY
#SuperheroSeason
Clawing his way through his enemies, this guy is fierce. With that mean-mugging, killer look in his eyes no bub can stand in his way. He takes punch after kick, stab after bullet and slices and dices through them all like they where fresh meat and veg ready for market next day. If he used those 'Edward Scissorhands' like finger nails to a more fruitful venture he could make an excellent landscape gardener or ice sculptor, but just like Johnny Depp, Hugh Jackman is searching for something a little darker than that. He's the Wolverine and from the terrific 'X-Men' trilogy that spun off into two triumphant 'Origins' sequel, Logans run that last saw him in Tokyo, Japan is about to take us to the 'Days Of Future Past' and a forthcoming 'Apocalypse'. The biggest Marvel mash-up that the Avengers wish they could do with Spider-Man and this Wolverine mixes all the original Fassbender/McKellen and Stewart/McAvoy, Magneto and Professor X academy of students from the original and origins reboots films for what looks to be one of the biggest blockbusters of a year that's running amok with 'Transformers', a 'Planet Of The Apes' and the mega movie monster that is 'Godzilla'. Even the 'Age Of Ultron' has to give way to the fact that after 'The Amazing Spider-Man' sequel true to its definition and the even better 'Captain America-The Winter Soldier' that this is the magnificent Marvel's most magical year yet. It's the age and gravity defying Hugh Jackman that's bringing it all together in a 'Quantum Leap' of time travel, muscling up to play the iconic, comic character he was a born right to play as Robert Downey Jnr was Tony Stark's Iron Man. After going it all lone wolf this Avenging X-Men is about to show that even with a star studded cast of 'Star Trek' captains, 'Lord Of The Rings' wizards, 'Hunger Games' winners and of course the man Fassbender, that he is a cut above the rest.
There's more behind those claws however. With those bulging veins and ripping biceps he's got an arm bigger than trees lumberjacks bring down...and with that shirt he wore to go with that growing beard in the Wolverine 'Origin' film he was doing exactly that. His workout regime is strong enough to do that day to day to if he swapped a Hollywood pay cheque for a labourers one. Hugh is the jack of all trades that could do anything when he's not earning his rep in the gym. This same guy that tells people where to go if he's not throwing them off a roof as X-Men's most loved mutant is actually the nicest guy this side of Hollywood coming from Australia. So nice you can't even imagine him getting so angry to place Logan. This is a guy that is the personal picture perfect postcard at why Australia is one of the nicest places on earth just like his movie of the same name alongside Nicole Kidman. This is the guy that is nice enough to still maintain credibility whilst dancing his Wolverine claws alongside Psy, along to 'Gangman Style'. I mean did you see how nice this guy was when Ashton Kutcher 'Punk'd' him that he was burning down his house? Hugh's the type of guy that would stop and look under the hood of your car if you where broken down on the side of the road, only to push you to the nearest towns gas station if he wasn't already driving you there himself. He's the kind of guy that would bail you out of jail in Monopoly, or get the next round if your short. He's the kind of guy that would come round and fix the leak in your sink and wouldn't even take you up on your offer for a cup of tea...unless you where offended if he didn't. He's no rage filled mutant about to tear your head off. He's no savage.
He's the loyal father who will do anything for his family and the amazing actor that is making the Academy notice his unchained 'Prisoners' acclaimed performance of real merit. What was arguably last years best movie deserved more time with the Oscars-especially for Hugh-like when he was all singing and dancing to become one of its funniest, best and most entertaining hosts of recent and all-time. The man who sang his way to higher acclaim for the Academy with his breakout and breathtaking performance in 'Les Miserables' that was anything but the hammed-up, period fun of 'Kate & Lepold'. A lead that showed he was more than just a superhero character, but a super talent that can take it beyond acting and even carry the notes of a perfect performance of a legendary musical that still strikes a chord even when swapped from stage to screen. The Wolverine made him a comic-book icon and a star, the pure performances in 'Les Mis' and the pained, fatherhood struggle of good versus evil in taking the law of his kidnapped child into his own hands in the powerful 'Prisoners' add the word 'legend' to his lasting legacy. This is the kind of accented acting we saw from the Aussie in the likes of movies like the magical Nolan ensemble 'The Prestige', stealing the show with a slight of hand of the tricks of his trade alongside the likes of Batman and the Black Widow in Christian Bale and Scarlett Johannson. The kind of film that stands out from all his fun and fond roles in the delightfully vampire dark 'Van Helsing' and the rock-em and sock-em fun of the Robot fight of 'Real Steel'. From toy soldiers to the brutality of child abuse Jackman shows he can carry a picture with his charm and charisma but also delve into the darker depths of human struggle and emotion in films that strive to strike harder than just the mainstreams big, blockbuster success. He's the type of actor that could have shown a whole different side of him and his underrated and unique acting range in say something like '12 Years A Slave', but was too busy making Academy acting accreditations in 'Les Miserables' and 'Prisoners'. All whilst still having the time to shape that hair and beard into another swipe with Wolverine.
Even Kristen Wiig's character in 'Despicable Me 2' knows that when it comes to Australian you have to learn about "Huuugh Jack-man" or, 'Huge Jacked-Man' as those 'Honest Trailer' guys from 'Screen Junkies' joke. 'My Fair Lady', 'Beauty & The Beast' and 'Sunset Boulevard' began his theatre trained career in his native land as he even turned down the hugely popular 'Neighbours' soap to make it as a real actor home and away. As he went to 'Oklahoma' via London's West End he truly brought his show-stopping talent to the world. He earned himself a prestigious Olivier Award...and of course the movie rights of the musical. Then came this leading mans lone wolf moment as he studied everyone from Clint Eastwood's 'Dirty Harry' (according to Hugh, when he told Clint how much he admired him during the Oscars, Harry responded dryly "you're holding up the line kid") to Mike Tyson to shape the Wolverine for the X-Men trilogy that dominated Marvel and the superhero genres before the Avengers or even Batman had a fighting chance. Hugh even wore the claws day to day to get used to them as the scratches on his face and scars on his leg can attest. Let's hope he didn't leave his bathroom in the same state he left the sink and towel rack to that family that took him in for the first Wolverine solo film. Still from bench pressing 300 pounds to having his co-stars wear platform shoes like Tom Cruise this guy matched the weight and height of Logan had gave pound for pound one of the best and most iconic performances of a comic book character that will forever, fondly last in the legendary lore of hallmark heroes like the very catalogue coral of cells themselves. With a sharper take alongside the Storm of Halle Berry than the pairs punctuation to the Travolta action flick 'Swordfish' no wonder this leading hero was shortlisted to play 007. He may have shared the stage with James Bond himself Daniel Craig in 'A Steady Rain', but he almost took it from him and stole the thunder of his spy reign.
His versatile talent was great enough to play three different characters in Darren Aronofsky's science-fiction 'The Fountain'. As the shower of success under the umbrella of all Wolverine dug up for him kept pouring. Still digging even deeper this film took a lot emotionally and physically out of Hugh, but in the light of this darkness showed a testament to just how terrific and dedicated this dynamic talent is. Between Woody Allen 'Scoops' with 'Prestige' and Marvel co-star Scarlett Johannson and voice work for 'Flushed Away' and 'Happy Feet' this wolf kept barking and howling even covering Prince's 'Kiss' with Nicole Kidman during his extra time. After producing and starring in both 'Deception' and a television series that kept him close to music in 'Viva Laughlin', Jackman reunited with Kidman for Baz Lurhman's romantic epic 'Australia'. Taking the role off Russell Crowe and taking it back to the roots and some of the most turbulent times in history of his homeland. This was personally this stars most powerful picture. This one man talent has done it all and even added a one-man show to his triumphant, theatrical credit, tracking his life history to the tune of his favourite Hollywood and Broadway numbers. This silver-screen warrior has worked hard and earned his fun from the hilarious 'Lonely Island' features to the helpless 'Movie 43', but there's more in store for the claw. From joining 'The Butler's' Lee Daniels in their own '12 Years A Slave' history chasing in 'Selma' (we said he had more range) to reuniting with the Oscar stage of Anne Hathaway for 'The Greatest Showman On Earth'. If that wasn't enough this Jackman is grizzled enough to play Blackbeard in the forthcoming 'Pan' picture for a new Hook at the 'Peter Pan' tale. All this and another Broadway revival among all his outside interests and courageous charity work keeps this mans claws sharp and in all the pies. The jack of all trades is really working his way to his best years and will still have time to climb your tree to get your beloved pet. Let's just hope there's no cat-fights because this razor swiping talent is tougher than the rest. It looks like Logan's run is set to run and run to the days of future that will last. Aint that right bub?
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