5. The Death Of Jean Grey - X2
What was that I was saying about X-Men: First Class needing to reclaim the former glory of the comic book movie series? Well, they don't come much more glorious than X2, which still ranks among the finest superhero movies ever made, and boasts one of the most tearful finales of any genre entry with the death of one of the central characters. The important thing to remember is that, when X2 came out, it was still pretty early days for superhero movies as we now know them. The idea of a major franchise killing off one of its core ensemble was almost unheard of, even though those in the know were well aware that, following comics chronology, the character would later return in somewhat different form, subtly hinted at by the final shot (all of which sounds rather similar to a more recent superhero movie). The finale of X2 sees our mutant heroes board the X-Jet at William Stryker's Alkali Lake base, when the nearby dam bursts, and a malfunction prevents the jet from taking off. Seeing no other option - and possibly seeking release from the developing powers which she has struggled to contain - Famke Janssen's Jean Grey exits the jet and uses her telekinesis to both hold the water at bay and lift the jet above; then, once the jet is safe, letting go and allowing the flood waters to consume her. The real strength of Bryan Singer's work on the X-Men movies is his knack for telling the story from numerous points of view, and getting us into the heads of all the characters; and that's what really makes Jean Grey's death so profoundly sad. We see the grief of each and every one of the X-Men for whom she sacrificed herself, and we feel their pain.