Every Marvel Comic Book Movie Ranked From Worst To Best

6. X-2

After the impressive debut of Bryan Singer's X-Men team, he took advantage of the freedom afforded by not making an origin movie to to delve more into the characters, focusing again on Hugh Jackman's Wolverine as the emotional heart of the civil rights-led story.

Brian Cox comes in as a truly compelling villain with personal conflict driving his desire to eliminate mutantkind and the introduction of the idea of a "who watches the Watchmen" thread was as innovative as it is over-tired in the genre today.

Having won the role of Wolverine comparatively late in production for X-Men, the sequel saw Hugh Jackman really blossom into the role. He looks more suited to the character after more chance to work out and he had worked on developing an angry vulnerability to run beneath his violence. It's something of a shame that his rise to prominence cost so much to Cyclops, but the right character won in the end.

The film also adds excellent new elements in Cox and Alan Cumming's tender, charming Nightcrawler, but its success comes down to refinement in all of the central roles. Both McKellen and Stewart add more depth, Jackman is more confident and Rogue more interesting (even if Halle Berry's Storm is a little poor) and it all feels like Singer really finding his groove.