Hugh Jackman’s New Movie Is Beating Logan and X-Men With Critics — Here’s Why
Critics are flocking to Hugh Jackman’s new whodunit The Sheep Detectives, with early reactions hailing Amazon MGM Studios’ star-packed caper as a sharp, screwball crowd-pleaser. Hitting theaters May 8, it’s already sparking buzz as Jackman’s most purely fun big-screen turn since his superhero heyday.
If you've been waiting to see Hugh Jackman do something truly odd (in a good way), there's a new murder mystery comedy hitting theaters next week called 'The Sheep Detectives.' Early buzz is unusually positive—and, frankly, it’s kind of wild how much critics are digging it, even compared to some of Jackman’s best work.
The Numbers: Jackman's New High Score
So here’s the big headline: 'The Sheep Detectives' is sitting at a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes from 30 reviews. That’s not just good—it's better than Jackman's previous critical darlings. For comparison:
- 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' - 90%
- 'Logan' - 93%
- 'Bad Education' - 94%
- Even this year’s 'Deadpool & Wolverine' (which everyone’s talking about) scored a 77%
Point is, Jackman already has a resume full of critical hits, but this one is now his top-rated movie ever. That is not what I expected from the phrase 'murder mystery with sheep,' but here we are.
What's the Movie All About?
The movie is based on Leonie Swann’s quirky 2005 novel 'Three Bags Full,' with a script from Craig Mazin (yes, the 'Chernobyl' guy!) and direction by Kyle Balda. So you’ve got some serious talent steering the ship.
Besides Jackman, the cast is alarmingly stacked: Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Tosin Cole, Mandeep Dhillon, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Conleth Hill all show up in human form. The sheep themselves are voiced by—and just wait for this list—Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, and Rhys Darby. Yes, you read that right.
This Isn’t Just 'Knives Out' With Wool
Early reactions are calling this thing delightful and, maybe the weirder surprise, genuinely heartfelt. You expect goofy or cutesy, but critics are saying it digs into themes of grief and loss with actual emotional depth. It’s not just a parade of sheep puns (though I’d bet my ticket money you’ll get a few).
The tone apparently hits the same sweet spot as the 'Babe' movies (remember that talking pig?) meshed with the snappy cleverness of 'Knives Out.' That’s a take I didn’t have on my 2024 movie bingo card.
'It’s the cutest, sweetest movie ever made about accepting death and confronting grief and trauma that’s probably ever been made,' says Jim Vejvoda at IGN. And Courtney Howard at Fresh Fiction calls it an 'absolute winner' that 'will touch audiences’ heads and hearts.'
Will It Make You Cry? Apparently Yes—and Also Laugh
Another critic, Chris Tilly from Dexerto, points out that it’s both funny and likely to sucker-punch you in the feelings. Honestly, the reviews make it sound like a surprisingly layered story hiding underneath the sheep costumes and animal hijinks.
So, Should You Care?
If you like smart murder mysteries, films with talking animals, or want to see Jackman continue his almost unfairly strong run of good movies, don’t skip this one. 'The Sheep Detectives' lands in theaters May 8.
I’ll be there out of curiosity—and also because, let’s be real, how often do you get to see Bryan Cranston play a sheep?