9. Nightcrawler Attack (X2: X-Men United)
When it comes to cold-open action set-pieces in superhero movies, few hold a candle to 2003’s X2: X-Men United. The scene introduces us to Nightcrawler, played by Alan Cumming, as he infiltrates the White House to kill the president.
Once considered the gold standard for comic sequels, X2 was universally praised by critics and fans upon release. It was a box office success and improved upon the original in ways all sequels strive to but few achieve.
Unlike some films from that era, it doesn’t feel dated from the time passed since its release. It’s still an expertly-constructed comic book adaptation with great performances and fantastic action scenes to boot. One standout sequence is the aforementioned White House raid.
Nightcrawler’s impressive power set is put to great use here. Teleportation was something that hadn’t featured in the previous X-Men film, so seeing it here was refreshing and unique.
The choreography of the scene is almost balletic, with the camera moving slowly through the White House following Nightcrawler. He’s adept at using his powers, and the ease with which he dispatches secret service agents is compelling to watch.
X2 packs in great storytelling and choreography with visual panache, and the scene still holds up all these years later.
