X2 (2003) User Reviews (1,166)

Another X-ellent movie!

[MinorityReporter · 8/10 · 12 December 2005]

Some people would tell you that X2 is more conventional and mainstream than the first movie and to that I can only say: What a load of rubbish! Not only does X2 continue in the style set by the first film but it also improves on it greatly. This is achieved by adding more characters, making a deeper story and making the ever expanding universe even more chaotic so as better to capture the essence of the comic book. Two thumbs way up! The story picks up after the events of the first film in a way that pleases the viewers of the first film and is satisfactory to new viewers. The story is still well written and the pacing has improved a lot from the first film. There are no real slow points during the movie and the director takes special care to cram many of the scenes with breath taking visual effects so the audience will never lose interest. The dialog is once again both very sharp and witty and intelligent and allows for adequate character development. The character development is something some people have seen fit to criticize as they claim there isn't enough of it and except for only two characters I whole heartedly disagree. The character development of the main characters happened pretty much in the first film and therefore it is only necessary to add a bit more depth to the characters instead of repeating the character development from the first film. I did feel, however, that the film seemed somewhat rushed at times and that is a shame as it definitely had potential to be a 2½ hour film.

The acting is still sublime and I, of course, have to emphasize Hugh Jackman who is still absolutely brilliant as Wolverine. Both in bringing out the animal sides during the fight sequences but also in keeping the character human like in the comics. Ian McKellen returns as well and further fleshes out his character of Magneto and makes the character every bit as devious and charismatic as in the previous film. Patrick Stewart returns as well and does what he did in the first film and he is still the only one who could play Xavier. Among the new actors are Brian Cox and Alan Cumming. Cox does what he does best and plays the new villain with the exaggerated style he usually does. Cumming on the other hand shows remarkable depth as Nightcrawler and is in spite of his appearance one of the most human characters in the film. I will miss him in the third film. Lets hope Beast is any bit as good as in the comics. Some have had their characters lessened in the sequel. Most notably James Marsden while Famke Jansen's character is developed further. Halle Berry's character Storm is still kept in the background but I'm sure she will get more screen time in the third film. Aside from the ones I have now mentioned the acting is quite good all round.

Action wise the film took a major step up from the first film and many of the action scenes are quite simply awesome. We get to see more of Wolverine's feral rage which is always worth a look. All fights scenes with Wolverine are awesome and some of the most entertaining I've seen. Also we get a brief glimpse of Collosus kicking some ass and he does look cool I must say. In fact many of the individual mutants' powers are fleshed out in X2 and like in the original X-Men film they look absolutely beautiful. My only concern regarding the effects and action scenes is how on earth they are going to top them in the coming third X-Men film.

In regards to music and sound the film improved upon the first film with a much more catchy soundtrack and more audible effects. For example the sounds of Wolverine's claws shooting out and retracting have been amplified making him even more menacing than he was in the first film. Very well done.

All in all X2 is an excellent continuation of the original film and we are nearing something that is more like a saga than a series of films. I'm really beginning to see Bryan Singer as a master director after these two brilliant films and I am a little sad he opted to do Superman Returns rather than finish what he started with the X-Men films.

8/10

"Sometimes the mind needs to discover things for itself."

[nived84 · 7/10 · 18 April 2006]

2000's smash hit X-Men certainly deserved a sequel (or two, or three), especially with all the cash it made and how the first one ended. Now the X-Men are back together once again, and this time they've got some new friends, including Nightcrawler and Pyro, and as well as some new enemies like William Stryker and Lady Deathstrike (his personal mutant "assistant"/slave). This time the X-Men find themselves locked in an unlikely alliance with Magneto and Mystique (their nemeses from the first film) against an evil military scientist named William Stryker, whose main goal is to eradicate the world of mutants once and for all.

X2: X-Men United is in many ways an improvement over the first film. It's more psychological, it's longer, there's more action, more mutants, more of Wolverine slicing it up and like the first film it's never boring or drags, right from the get-go X2 is fierce and exciting. In fact, X2 is almost the perfect comic book film… almost. The one little, weak link in X2, for me at least, was Nightcrawler. Now, I like the character of Nightcrawler, but I honestly didn't care that much for Alan Cumming, he came off as a bit weak, and kind of "dorky". The character of Nightcrawler really just seems like a huge convenience to the plot; like the scene where he rescues Rogue in the X-Jet, which was oh so very convenient. But the one thing I liked about Nightcrawler, besides that awesome opening sequence in the White House, was his religious side, which I thought was interesting and made me sympathize with the character a little more.

Pretty much everything in X2 works perfectly fine, which I attribute all that success to the amazing cast (Jackman, McKellen, Stewart, Marsden, Janssen, Berry, Paquin, Cox, Romijn), and the fact that the film was written and directed by the same people who clearly knew what they were doing back in 2000, and here they show us once again they still know what they're doing, and they aren't afraid to up the ante and take it up a notch. If you liked the first X-Men there's really no reason at all why wouldn't enjoy or like X2 as much, or maybe even more than the first film. It still has those surprising moments of humor, and plenty of action, maybe even more so than the original. And like the original, X2 sets itself up for a third film; let's just hope it turns out (at the very least) as good as the first two films, if not better.

A few problems in an otherwise excellent film

[Chandler81 · 7/10 · 16 December 2004]

They've done a hell of a lot right. That's my response to Singer's X-Men films; they're slick, funny, emotive and a real blast to watch. Without overdrawn character introductions and explanations, X2 launches right into seventh gear and doesn't let up.

Admirably, the film allows the majority of its characters a genuinely engaging storyline amongst the bigger picture, and although the story is not without its fault (using Cerebro as a major plot point two films in a row is like building the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi; been there, seen it before) it is certainly worthy of high praise. It's amazing that in just two films we already have a real appreciation for the relationships between such a considerable group of characters, and it is for the continued development of these relationships - and not the cool story line and action sequences - that makes me look forward to another X-film.

I would love to say that it's the casting that makes the films so brilliant - and it's true, the casting is great - but a couple of these characters have been woefully miscast. Iceman stood out for me, bringing an uncomfortable Backstreet Boy vibe to the role, and although his role in X2 is small, James Marsden just doesn't seem to have it in him to hold a commanding and authoritative position among the X-sters as Cyclops. In the first X-film he managed to at least stand beside the Wolverine with some great gags, but he's been left in the gutter for X2, and in the single scene toward the end of the film where Marsden is allowed to genuinely act, his emotional response feels awkward and forced. I am sure he is capable of more than this, and hopefully when X-Men 3 comes around he'll have more to work with. I've never been happy with Halle Berry as Storm, and she looks bored out of her skull in this film. I hope not to see her return.

Thankfully, most of Singer's new cast are admirable. The recast Pyro is great and Nightcrawler is fantastic. In fact, Alan is the only actor in the film who comes close to matching the quality of Jackman's Wolverine and McKellen's Magneto. These wonderful actors all appear to genuinely revel in portraying their characters. Janssen steps her performance up a notch too and it helps the film no end. I really hope to see her in the next film.

Ultimately, there are just a few slip-ups here in an otherwise classy and supremely entertaining film. With such an established canon of characters everyone is going to have their own opinion on how particular character should be portrayed, and for the most part X-2 does the job. Hopefully the bugs will be ironed out and we'll see a sequel of equal or greater quality in a few years. I'm certainly excited at the prospect.

After Watching This, Roll On X-Men 3

[Big Movie Fan · 5 May 2003]

Absolutely happy! That is the only word I can use to describe my feelings after spending my hard-earned money to see X-Men 2. It was worth every penny.

Firstly, the makers of superhero films such as this have an unenviable task. They have to please hardcore comic fans and casual movie fans which is no easy task. And The X-Men-with their forty years of history and continuity-are perhaps the hardest heroes to put on the big screen. Well, I've spoken to many hardcore X-fans and casual movie fans and they all enjoyed it too.

I won't go into great detail about the plot. Let's just say that The X-Men and their enemy Magneto have to join forces to combat an even bigger threat. I enjoyed this movie so much because for the first time in years, I didn't read ANYTHING about the plot or any reviews prior to viewing it. That is why I'm not going to go into great detail about the plot. Just enjoy it.

All the favourites are back including my personal favourite Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (I hope Wolverine gets his own movie franchise one day). The makers of this movie have done a great job in making sure various characters get the right amount of screen time. We'd all love our favourites to get more screentime but with so many X-Men (and women), the producers have to do the best they can; and they do indeed.

There are a few really great special effects in this movie but unlike some special effects laden movies, the plot is more important in this movie. Furthermore, the movie is much deeper and really makes you think. Marvel comics (and movies) have always been deep and many of the issues have reflected real life. This movie is about persecution and intolerance of mutants and reflects many issues from the past and the present such as Hitler's treatment of the Jews and the different ideologies of Martin Luthor King and Malcom X. In fact, many longtime X-fans have compared the X-Men's Professor X to Martin Luthor King and the evil Magneto to Malcom X. Seeing a movie like this cannot only provide a couple of hours of entertainment but make you view society in a totally different way.

This is the best superhero film since the 70's (when we saw gems such as Superman The Movie) and the 80's (when we saw Tim Burton's Batman). It was a fantastic film but it begs one question-how are they ever going to top this?

The Best Comic Book Film EVER!!

[Logansneo · 10/10 · 7 May 2003]

With all the hype surrounding this summers blockbuster sequels, not the least of which is The Matrix Reloaded, as well as having to fight the ghost of Comic-book-movie-bombs-from-summers-past, it goes without saying that a lot of hopes and dreams were riding high on the shoulders of everyone involved in Fox's second big screen outing for everyone's favorite team o superheroes. Brian Singer himself must've been sweating adamantium bullets, not only being held under the gun by the studio to lead their next big moneymaker, but most importantly and fortunately for us because of his deep and honest desire to make the most accurate and cohesive comic book-to-film adaptation in the history of cinema. Well Brian I am thrilled to say that that is precisely what has been achieved with your amazing film X2: X-Men United!

It has become rarer and rarer to find a film that has the ability to grab your senses and lock your attention so firmly, not ever letting up until the credits role, such as this film does. One might only be able to count a handful of films where a sequel takes all of the good elements form it's predecessor, completely eliminates the things that didn't work or fit in the original, then goes on to not only exceed the expectations and hype surrounding it, but completely redefines and elevates it's genre. From this day forward let it be known that all other Comic Book films will hereby be judged and held up the new level of excellence set by Brian Singer's brilliant X-Men 2. And if ya' can't already tell, I kinda' like this flick! ; )

I am sure many of you would love to know exactly what makes this film worth spending your money on? Well, to try and sum it up the characters, their struggles, their dreams, their relationships, they all MATTER because infused throughout this entire production and at isn't core lies HEART! And at the same time the film can be both touching as well as possess a gritty and visceral quality, giving each in attendance license to participate in the action as an outlet for their frustrations and monotony of their everyday lives. Just as I felt as if I was part of the Fellowship in Lord of the Rings, so here again I feel like I am part of the X-Men team.

But what really drives my excitement is Brian Singer's seemingly boundless ability to correctly interpret the true spirit of the X-Men comics. Individually, as a team, hero and villain alike, he has somehow tapped into the heart of these books and like the title says, united them in a film that defied my highest expectations and ignites my imagination. This is however not to say that he hasn't altered things from the comics. But unlike other directors from the past who have butchered comic book adaptations, Singer's interpretation of the characters lets you understand that any changes that were made were for the best. Prime examples of this can be found in how deftly he handles Jean Grey and the silent discovery of her Phoenix powers. Understanding that it would be totally impossible for him to try and take the Phoenix Saga and directly translate that to film, Singer has rightly decided to do what lesser directors would have cowered at; to re-interpret this change, still showing Jean Grey inherit this power, but to use it to build on her character, and realize HER potential more than most writers of the comics have done in recent memory. At the same time treating the character with respect as well as both we the audience and the dedicated fans of the comics with that same respect and maturity. Another example of his skills in character interpretation is the way in which he has taken the religious zealot that was William Stryker in the comics and turned him into a much more menacing zealot shill clinging to the original characters' self righteous justifications. But by giving him the military background and simultaneously making Mastermind his son, as well as merging the scientists who created Wolverine and Deathstryke, Singer serves up an extremely multilayered and more well rounded Stryker with a very clear agenda. Brian singer accomplishes all of this at the same time he is sewing up crucial sub-plots and characters that are ingeniously and potently utilized.

To illustrate the difference between how Brian Singer and the writers/producers for X2 utilize the material and do so intelligently making us pay more attention to the details, and alternately how so many of us have gotten used to dumbed down films that lead us deliberately, treating most of us like children, to their obvious conclusions, I bring up a subject of much debate. Now some have pointed out that in the ending of X-Men 2 where Jean Grey goes out of the plane to sacrifice herself was unnecessary obviously did not follow what was occurring to Jean throughout the film. What I saw was her character going through the anguish and realization that something inside of her was reaching far beyond her capabilities to control and after seeing what she was capable of in her battle with Cyclops that at the mom ent she saw that everyone in the team was in danger on the plane, she used this as self justification to sacrifice her life for everyone and at the same time stop the force inside of her which she feared was a growing danger not only out of her control but could eventually threaten or hurt all those who she loved.

What other director can you name has so responsibly adapted something like this to film? I can think of only one off hand, Peter Jackson and his diligence to The Lord of the Ring books. I dare say the Brian Singer has accomplished more than even Mr. Jackson, because Singer has taken a Comic Book, something the majority of people and press disregard as children's books or even geek literature, and has transformed it into a very HUMAN, very poignant, very real experience, and can only hope that he will continue on what he has accomplished.



* * * * * (5 stars)

Better than the first.

[Devotchka · 9/10 · 18 September 2003]

This movie was great--much better than the original film, which was pretty standard as far as summer blockbusters go. X-2 skipped all the awkward and unnecessary attempts at a backstory (and I'm speaking as someone who knew next to nothing about the XMen when I saw the film) and went straight for an intelligent route. The characters were fascinating and the special effects were truly pretty good--and that's saying something, since I'm usually bored out of my mind by that kind of thing.Some of the acting was absolutely wonderful. Rebecca Romijn Stamos, Ian McKellen, Alan Cummings, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, and Anna Paquin more than made up for the mediocre attempts of Halle Berry and Famke Janssen.

Not as Keen About it as Most

[ThereelscoopwithKK · 6/10 · 7 December 2023]

Unlike many others I didn't enjoy this sequel as much as the first film. I found the story here to be very underdeveloped and mutants powers needed to be sort of edited along the way to make the plot go the way intended. In other words it felt a lot like patchwork. I didn't really learn anything more about the characters than I did in the first one, which you really should with a 2 hour plus film. The Wolverine, cyclops , Jean , love trio doesn't really work for me. None of them are very good at acting it out and it just feels extremely forced. Professor Xavier's role is minimized and I just wish he could be used more .

Magneto of course is an excellent villain played by the perfect actor. He's sneaky yet subtle and delivers his lines brilliantly. Stryker on the other hand is kind of a run of the mill villain and not particularly memorable.

Overall this movie is still so much better than a lot of the Marvel stuff we get now, but that really isn't saying much.

It still certainly encourages you to watch the next one in the series.

Better than the first film

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 24 July 2014]

Not that the first film was bad, because actually I still found it good, well-made fun for all its flaws. It's just that whereas the first X-Men film did feel like the beginning of a franchise that was yet to properly find its feet, it was found with X2. X2 isn't perfect either but still a very good film that is bigger and darker than the first and all the better for it. Again X2 is very well-made, with the dark visual style still maintained yet with a slightly grander look. The photography is beautiful and atmospheric, and the special effects are better here too, they were good in the first that they're slicker, bolder and eye-popping in the way that the first film didn't quite but almost did achieve. Whilst Michael Kamen's score in the first was fine, John Ottman's score here is an improvement being more in tune with the atmosphere and what's happening in the story.

The script is even sharper here and with more depth, the humour and comic one-liners are witty and genuinely funny, they are not cheesy or out-of-place nor are they too much. There is a melancholic tone too that is dark and quite poignant and the romantic elements are sweet but never too soap-opera-ish. The story is where the darker and bigger terms most apply, apart from a couple of parts that could have slowed down and explained themselves more you are glued to your seat almost the entire time and emotionally connect with scenes and characters too. The assault on the White House sequence is exciting and a brilliant way to start the film, and it is true that the climax here puts the climax of the first in the shade, it's not contrived in the slightest and you are biting your nails. X2 does a great job mostly with the characters, where they are more complex and relatable.

Although once again Storm and Cyclops are underdeveloped, otherwise Wolverine is a gritty and identifiable anti-hero, and of the other characters Nightcrawler was most effective. Though once again credit is due for making Magneto much more than a stereotypical villain. X2 is very well played by the cast, with the standouts being Hugh Jackman's charismatic Wolverine, Ian McKellen's menacing Magneto with shades of melancholy, Alan Cumming's camp yet affecting Nightcrawler and Brian Cox who plays Stryker with relish without falling into cliché territory. Also good are Rebecca Romijin-Stamos who continues to be sexy and icy, and her transformation sequences are among the visual highlights of the film and Patrick Stewart still is cool and fun though his screen time should have been longer.

Only three cast members don't quite work, and they were James Marsden who's even stiffer than he was in the first(not helped by his character not been used as well as he could have been), Halle Berry who looks bored and Shawn Ashmore does look awkward at times. Other than a couple of rushed, under-explained parts, a couple of characters given short shrift and a couple of performances that didn't quite make the grade the film is a touch overlength, but the film on the whole is very good and lots of fun in its own right. It compares extremely favourably to the first film and manages to be better than it. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The budget is bigger, the cast is larger, the story is deeper, the film is better...

[MovieAddict2016 · 10/10 · 4 May 2003]

The film begins. We are shown a tour guide leading students and adults through the White House in Washington, DC. It seems normal enough. A security guard notices someone straying off the path and asks if he is lost. The man raises his head, and a tail flicks out from behind him. Before the security guard can do anything he is down on the ground, alerting all security in the area of a mutant attack.

The blue creature, known later as Nightcrawler, teleports past dozens of guards and kicks and whips them with his tail and fists. Finally the action dies down with the creature being shot (not killed), and we are left to catch our breaths. Reader, I'll tell you, it took me a few moments to catch mine.

It sure looks as if "X2" is on the right track for a sequel, and if anything, it seems better. The budget is obviously bigger as we see the truly amazing special effects in the beginning of the film, and though the action never quite again reaches its high-point as in the beginning, it sets the film up for other non-stop action sequences, just like the James Bond movies are known for doing.

But that's not all "X-Men 2," or "X2" as the posters abbreviate, is all about. It has an important human element that adds to the pure, non-stop, full-blooded action-spectaculars throughout the film. The cast is bigger, the budget is bigger, the story is bigger, and the action is plentiful. Teenagers will enjoy the action side, and adults will probably enjoy the human side to the story. It seamlessly combines both these two elements/techniques even more than the original film did. I didn't expect to enjoy this film more than the first, but I must say I did.

It reunites the old cast for a continuation of the struggle for mutants and humans to live together in the same world.

The film begins with an assassination attempt on the president's life, carried out by a teleporting mutant. This act upsets the entire world, and the president is about to begin the mutant-human war predicted by Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) in the first film. In an effort to get to the bottom of the attack on the president's life, and prevent world-wide war, Xavier sends out Storm (Halle Berry) and Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) to search for the teleporting mutant and discover the truth behind the assassination attempt.

Meanwhile, Logan "Wolverine" (Hugh Jackman) has returned to Xavier's mansion after searching for any signs of his past. He has found none. He is greeted by Rogue (Anna Paquin) and her new boyfriend Bobby "Iceman," who was briefly seen in the first film and is given a deeper character backdrop in this film.

But soon things start to turn for the worst as an attack on Xavier's mansion is led by Stryker (Brian Cox), the man behind the assassination attempt, who wants all mutants to be killed off. He kidnaps Charles Xavier, and reveals that he wishes for Charles to kill all mutants.

How? By focusing Xavier's psychic powers/telepathy on a particular group of people, Xavier can actually kill them. So Stryker plans to use his disowned mutant son (who also has psychic powers) to control Xavier's mind (sort of) and focus on all the mutants in the world, automatically killing them.

With this plot in motion, Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) has little time to free Eric "Magneto," which results in a truly amazing escape sequence which I will not spoil for you.

Now, in an ironic moment, old enemies must fight together to bring down Stryker before his plan follows through. But the band of X-Men are far from solving their problems, as a new mutant, Lady Deathstrike (Kelly Hu) may stand in their way of defeating Stryker. And Wolverine may also find the key to his past in this mess.

"X-Men 2," unlike other sequels, improves upon itself. Tragic sequels go to the dogs when the filmmakers are either too proud to try and surpass the original, or are too arrogant to even attempt it. "X-Men" was an excellent comic-book adaptation, in more ways than one, and "X-Men 2" is only better. It contains more action than "Spider-Man" and its human factor is even more active than it was in the original, which is ironic, since the original was praised for having both action and human attributes.

The cast is first-class, but the real scene-stealer, just like in the original, is Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The Aussie actor disguises his accent with a rough American one, just like British chap Bob Hoskins did in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?". If the filmmakers want a new James Bond after Pierce Brosnan, they need look no farther, because though he may not look the part in this film, Jackman can look very suave and proper (see "Kate and Leopold"), and is my top choice for the next Bond.

Comic book films are usually hit-or-miss. They're never in between. "X-Men" was an unexpected hit, but more than that, a good unexpected hit. It wasn't all hype. It was smart, action-packed and hat a great character side to it. Like I said before, "X-Men 2" improves upon all this and is the rare sequel that is better than its predecessor.

I expect "X-Men 2" to break some box office records, and unlike other films, I can honestly say that it deserves it.

4.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer

Entertaining but a little chaotic

[rosscinema · 6/10 · 11 May 2003]

I did enjoy this sequel I admit, but I think I'm the minority when I say that its not quite as good as the first film. The first X-men introduced us to a handful (Or two) of mutant characters and we learned about each one of them. The focus of the story was aimed at one thing but here in the sequel they have added so many more mutant characters that the main story is almost forgotten in a windstorm of action scenes. Anna Paquin as Rogue has hardly anything to do here except be frustrated at not being able to be intimate with her boyfriend. This film is definitely geared at a young audience with a lot of the characters being of the teen variety. Halle Berry as Storm is another casualty where her big mission in this film is to get children out of a tunnel. She is absolutely wasted and didn't director Bryan Singer have a better written character for this Oscar winner? The things that I think help the film for me is the mutant Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) who is so sexy and strong that even when she's just standing there doing nothing you can't take your eyes off her. If they ever do a film with just her, I'm sold! Their is two performances that stood out for me and the first one is by Famke Janssen who plays Dr. Jean Grey. Its the best written role in the film and she shows real human complexities, she's not just a comic book figure. She's having problems with her telekinetic abilities because of the dreams she's been having and she's also torn between her relationship to two others. The other performance is by Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier who runs the school. He doesn't just posture and allow special effects to run his character, Stewart is too well trained an actor to allow that. In a scene at the end of the film his character is staring out a window reflecting on what has happened and what the future may hold. Even with all the impressive special effects in this film, that scene of Stewart leaves the most indelible image for me. I hope if or when they make another sequel that they try and keep just the main characters as the focus so the overall point of the film doesn't get lost like it seemed to in this film. Of all the new characters introduced here the one I liked the most was Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler played by Alan Cumming. Entertaining film but has way to much going on in such a short amount of time. Lets hope they tone everything down the next time.

"X2" ("X-Men 2")- Arguably the best of the series. Thoughfull, exciting and exceedingly well-constructed.

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 10/10 · 11 January 2017]

With nine films thus far and at least two more on the horizon, all released over a near-twenty year window, 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" film franchise is something of a wonder in today's world of near- constant reboots and remakes. While it has by no means been a smooth ride, the fact remains that the long-running series has been a widely beloved and infinitely important one, especially when placed into historical perspective. Director Bryan Singer's original entry was one of the first major comic-to-film adaptations that convinced studios and audiences alike that comic-book movies could not only be mature and enthralling, but could be certified hits once again after the genre seemed to die-out in the 90's. And thus, a franchise was born and has stuck around ever since, through thick and thin.

It's almost a surprise, however, that one of the best entries in the entire saga came so early- 2003's follow-up "X2." With Singer once again at the helm, the film is in every conceivable way an improvement over his excellent first film- it's more thoughtful, more daring, more exciting... I think one could even reasonably say that not only is it arguably the greatest film in the franchise- it just might be one of the best comic-to-film adaptations of all time. Yes, it's that good.

Some time after the original film, a brainwashed mutant called Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) is sent on a mission to try and assassinate the President of the United States under the guise of being a martyr for Mutant Freedom. Despite the mutant being stopped, the troubling event gives Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox) the political edge and backing needed to get approval for an "investigation" on Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters- but his investigation is actually an invasion, as he storms the school, taking many students hostage and forcing the remaining X-Men to flee. At the same time, Storm (Halle Berry) and Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) are sent on a mission to collect Nightcrawler and learn his motivation for the attack, Cyclops (James Marsden) and Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) are captured by Stryker's mysterious bodyguard (Kelly Hu) and the shape-shifting Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) helps her former leader Magneto (Ian McKellan) escape from his high-tech prison. Soon, the remaining mutants (including Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Anna Paquin as Rogue and Shawn Ashmore as Iceman) are forced to team up with their former adversary to try and stop Stryker's scheme to use Charles and his powers to wipe out all of the mutants on Earth.

Given the film's nature as an ensemble piece, it's near-impossible to discuss the performances of each actor individually. But to keep it brief, everyone returning from the original is great in their respective roles. Special commendation goes to Hugh Jackman and his continued excellence in the role that helped to define him as a superstar and to Famke Jannsen, who gets a lot more attention this time around. They are by far the stand-outs of the returning cast. I also highly enjoyed Stewart and McKellen, who bring a sense of class and elegance to their roles and are incredible as always. The newest additions are also outstanding. Brian Cox is one of the greatest actors of our time, and his turn as Stryker is quite remarkable. He gives the character both an easily- "despiseable" sense of threat and dread, yet also a nice and subtle sense of pain and pathos. He's a cruel man, yet he has a past that might explain why he is the way he is. Alan Cumming is just magical as the frightened yet also amusing Nightcrawler, and there's a lot of great moments in his performance. And Kelly Hu makes for a fun and furious adversary as Styker's second-in-command "Lady Deathstrike."

Singer returns to direct from a script by "X-Men" scribe David Hayter and the writing duo of Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris. Singer got his start with hard-hitting thrillers like "The Usual Suspects" and "Apt Pupil", and I think that's part of what gives him an edge with the storytelling. He plays the stories straight and gives them a sense of real and honest threat, while also maintaining an emotional core that feels realistic despite the outlandish nature of the story and heavy Science-Fiction leanings of the material. He's also a very gifted visual artist with a slick and savage sense of composition and flow that lends itself well to the needs of high- concept action. His work on the series has always been nothing less than stunning. The script is very tightly written and juggles the plethora of characters well- everyone has their moment to shine, every major player has a clearly defined role and arc and the pacing is superb. Some wonderful work is done with the writing, and it's an honest shame that neither Hayter nor the writing partners of Dougherty and Harris were involved in the third entry.

The rest of the production is just marvelous. (Pardon the bad joke) Composer/co-editor John Ottman shapes some wonderful and memorable musical themes that compliment the tone and style perfectly, and he weaves together shots and sequences with a masterful touch. Cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel's visual palette is cool and visually arresting, and his work is just stunningly gorgeous. Some wonderful visual flair is given thanks to his talent. And production and costume design courtesy Guy Hendrix Dyas and Louise Mingenbach respectively is just fantastic. The film is made with nothing but top-notch work from top-notch artists.

As it stands, "X2" is easily one of the best if not the single best entry in the long-running series. Its phenomenal direction, sharp and thoughtful writing, beautiful production and outstanding cast weave an enthralling and thrilling cinematic experience that still stands tall well over a decade later. It's up there with the best of the best in terms of comic-book movies.

There's no other way to look at it- "X2" easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10.

DULL

[filmbuff1970 · 7/10 · 8 July 2003]

After a good opening sequence,the movie follows the route of a big budget remake of the first. Only i found this less than exciting infact i found it boring. A film should never cost this much and be dull. But i have to say the movie is tedious. The dam scenes look poor compared to ones in Force Ten From Naverone. The action is lukewarm at best. Patrick Stewart might as well be playing Picard,spot the difference. Only Hugh Jackman and Alan Cummings deserve any credit. All talk and no action. One Boring Movie.

" Something`s Wrong " - Yeah The Script

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 14 December 2003]

***** SPOILERS *****

I wasn`t all that taken with the original X-MEN movie but since it was the introduction of a franchise I forgave the flaws like the underdeveloped themes of antagonism between the humans and mutants . X-2 has no such excuses however since the plot revolves around Magneto and a rogue human general trying to start a war between the humans and mutants . Well I used the word " Plot " but just like in a Roger Moore Bond film or a typical Hollywood summer blockbuster the plot gets drowned out by explosions , stunts and special effects

It`s here I wish to absolve the screenwriters for most of the blame of a muddled underdeveloped story because I can imagine the screenplay being repeatedly returned to the writers with a note saying " Okay Jean and Wolverine are in love but there`s not enough teen romance so introduce a couple of teen characters " and " The boys at special effects have come up with a new morphing effect so write a few scenes where we can show it off " Note to Hollywood studios - If you think writing a screenplay is so easy try writing one . Then after you`ve done that write another one and another

Regardless of the pressure they were under there is a couple of things the writers are guilty of and that`s the mutants using their special powers to escape from a tight spot . F-16s on the tail of the escaping X-Men , I bet Storm can conjure up a few twisters . Yup thought so and this type of cheating takes place far too often but the fundamental error lies in a way a character is killed . If Jean dies at the end of the film it`s logical that Jean should be the focus of the story but for some reason it`s Wolverine who`s the focus for much of the story which is a blunder on the part of the screenwriters

So I wasn`t too keen on this sequel at all and as recent blockbusters like LORD OF THE RINGS and THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL show a good memorable fantasy adventure is down to a script that allows good actors to act and have special effects that arise naturally from the story . Cramming a film with special effects just isn`t enough any more

why all the underrating?

[suicidea · 8 January 2004]

A lot has been said about this movie, as is the case with many recent Hollywood comics adaptations. While I truly respect everyone's opinion, I really don't see the point in some criticisms brought up against this movie.

(Definitely NO spoilers ahead.)

First of all, we must realize that X-men comics have been around for decades. They existed before many of you were born. Still, the producers had to assume that the average audience had little or no idea about the mutant phenomenon, but Bryan singer did a very good job (as always) in the first film, and introduced the audience. Besides, adapting such a story with so many characters to the screen is no easy job, and is also risky, considering it's Hollywood and it must return all those millions. So the mutant phenomenon was well explained, the characters and their abilities introduced, and the plot (which actually had a story, unlike many action flicks) was carried out smoothly. All in the running time of one film. good job.

The second film, however, had to concentrate (naturally) on more characters and a more thorough story. This is why I object (in the title) to people criticising this film for "lack of character development" etc. Many of the characters WERE developed in the first film. If you never read x-men comics, and did not even see the first movie, and see this one right away and still expect the director/writer to spell things out for you, well, you'll be disappointed. "Where did Colossus take the kids during the attack?" someone asked. To hide them somewhere, THAT'S where he took them. I don't think people would like to see the director spell out everything, such as Colossus' inner voice saying, "Well, let me take these kids somewhere beneath this multimillion dollar facility, to hide them from the bad guys."

And the newly-introduced characters were introduced well enough. You see their abilities, you see whose side they're on, you even learn more about their personalities as the movie progresses. What else do you need to learn? Which team he supports?

The highlight of the film was definitely Mystique's transformation scenes, very well done.

The movie had many shortcomings, of course, the pace slowed down more than once, some main characters, especially Cyclops, were almost lost, but the plusses were way more than minuses. Especially Nightcrawler, who almost stole the lead from Wolverine. I must also add that Wolverine is much more violent in this film than the first, much more like the original comic character.

As for the people who complain about the abundance of characters. Well, bad news for you. X-men is not a story of a couple of guys and their girlfriends. There are much more characters, hopefully to be seen in the next sequel(s). Jubilee, Pyro and Colossus were all hinted in this one. Though I'm eager to see Gambit also, I can't wait to see how they will do the Beast. Of course, I can see the "no character development" people asking each other, "Who is Beast?"

In short, this movie does what it's supposed to do: Gives us entertainment, and shows us our favorite characters on screen.

One of the best sequels to date!

[LebowskiT1000 · 10/10 · 3 May 2003]

The X-Men has always been my favorite comic book, without a doubt. Spider-man is probably in second place, but The X-Men take the cake. Ever since I heard a sequel was going into the works and Bryan Singer was still on board as director, I had faith that he would do the sequel justice...of course I couldn't help but have that looming fear that something would go wrong. In the end, the film was released and of course, I wasted no time in getting to the theater to see it on opening day.

After seeing the film, I can definitely say it's been a long time since I've come out of a movie theater as happy as I did for this film. The story was absolutely brilliant and was told in the perfect manner to keep you interested. ...And of course, there are plenty of new characters and action to keep the audience in awe as well.

Nightcrawler was a truly brilliant character to bring into the sequel of the film. Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner) has always been one of favorite X-Men characters, perhaps even more than Wolverine...but that's up for debate. Teleportation has GOT to be one of the coolest and most interesting ideas for a mutant ability! I was incredibly stoked to see him brought to life on the big screen, Bryan Singer and Alan Cumming did a FANTASTIC job! Next to Wolverine, Colossus has also got to be one of my favorite characters. I can't even begin to express how happy I was to see him in the film...although not NEARLY enough was done with him when there was so much potential for his abilities in the film. Oh well, there's always X-Men 3 right? The other two new characters, Pyro (John Allerdyce) and Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama) were very well done as well, although not much of their character histories were explained...which is ok, there is only so much time in a film. The rest of the characters already had a firm basis from the previous film and were all executed extremely well in this sequel, my hat is off to Mr. Bryan Singer, "Keep up the good work!"

The entire cast was absolutely perfect for the film. Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davison, Anna Paquin, Kelly Hu, Aaron Stanford, Shawn Ashmore, and Daniel Cudmore all did incredible jobs with their roles and should be proud of their work, truly fantastic.

The story in this sequel is great. I love the idea of the good and the bad having an equal threat and being forced to work together in order to save them all. The chemistry and the relationship between Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) and Professor Charles Xavier is so bizarre and interesting...and very thought provoking. There are so many interesting and well done relationships between characters in the film: Logan (Wolverine) - Scott Summers (Cyclops), Rogue - Bobby Drake (Iceman), Jean Grey - Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Jean Grey - Logan (Wolverine) to name a few. I love just watching them all interact with each other.

What it all boils down to is this, if you liked the first film, then you should definitely like this film. I'm not sure I could say I liked X2 better than the original, but I'd definitely feel comfortable saying it was just as good...and better in certain aspects (but not as a whole).

I would definitely recommend seeing this film in the theater or at least rent it when it's released, it's well worth your time. This film isn't all about super-heroes, action and fantasy, there is a lot more to it than just that and I hope you can see and appreciate that. I do hope that you enjoy the film as much as I do and thank you for reading my review, be sure to read my review for the first "X-Men".

-Chris

P.S. They better start crackin' on a X3 right away!

Also..here's some interesting trivia for ya. In the scene where Mystique is finding out where Magneto is being held she is scrolling through a bunch of names, the name above Lensherr, Erik (Magneto) is LeBeau, Remy...aka "Gambit"...nice little touch there, I didn't get a look at the other names there, but there might be more allusions there. Another cool thing is in the scene where the security guard is in the bar, there is a TV on in the background with a guy named Hank McCoy talking...Hank McCoy later becomes known as "Beast". Pretty cool huh...

X2: Mutation Moves On

[MaxBorg89 · 10/10 · 21 December 2005]

After the success of the first movie, Bryan Singer brings the X-Men back to the screen. He has stated X2 is the X-version of The Empire Strikes Back. He's not totally wrong: like Empire, X2 is darker than its predecessor, characters are developed and dealt with in a more mature way, and the foreboding climax is quite shocking indeed (there's even a "I am your father"-style revelation concerning Wolverine's past, which is given more space here than in the first chapter). In fact, the movie could have been named X2: Humanity Strikes Back.

That's right, this time it's the "ordinary" people who are raising hell, in particular William Stryker (Brian Cox), a military scientist who takes advantage of the increasing paranoia surrounding mutants and has the POTUS himself approve his plan to take down the "monsters" once and for all. The war is about to begin, and with Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Cyclops (James Marsden) gone, the only X-Men left to face Stryker are Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), Storm (Halle Berry) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), with some help from Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore). They are eventually joined by a former employee of Stryker's, the blue-skinned teleporter Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), as well as the most unlikely ally around: Magneto (Ian McKellen), who has managed to escape from the plastic prison he was locked up in (the break-out plays like the Marvel version of Hannibal Lecter's escape in The Silence of the Lambs, and yes, that is a compliment).

The plot is loosely based on the famous graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills by X-guru Chris Calremont (the villain and the alliance with Magneto are explicitly taken from that story), but Singer makes it all much more apocalyptic (Stryker was simply a preacher in the comic-book), while also having the time to take a look at some of the first film's subplots: the Wolverine-Jean-Cyclops love triangle is taken to a new, unexpected level and the Canadian mutant's forgotten "origin" starts getting slowly unveiled (Wolverine: "Who are you?"; Stryker: "Don't you remember?"). Jackman is the standout in this movie, as we finally get to see everybody's favorite X-fella lose it and make the bad guys regret they showed up in the first place. Those sequences are a treat for those who have grown up loving Wolverine and his dual, conflicted nature. Another actor who leaves a memorable impression is Cumming with his portrayal of Nightcrawler, one of the mutants people fear the most (he looks like a demon), but also the one who's most willing to forgive mankind for its mistakes.

So, with all the great acting, good writing and clever direction, no wonder X2 was voted the greatest comic-book movie ever before Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins were released. This is one superhero opus you won't want to miss.

9,5/10

A Little Better Than The First One.

[jerekra · 6/10 · 25 February 2009]

FOr the most part I thought the first X Men film was OK. I thought there could have been more action and a little more character development. I think that "X 2" did a little better at character development and had a little more action.

Wolverine is in this film about as much as the first film. I guess he is the most popular X Men member so he gets the most screen time. Wolverine does get in some more solid action in this film but I wonder with how much he is in these X Men films how much more they can show in the upcoming Wolverine film.

Mystique is in this film a lot. She really is pretty important to the film. It is kind of cool how she is completely naked other than having some sharp patches on her and being blue. Magneto is kind of on both sides in this film as far as being both a good guy and a bad guy.

I was hoping to see a lot of my two favorite X Men, Colossus and Ice Man. Colossus was awesome as he gets a brief scene where he attacks some guys who break into the X Mansion but that is it. He does not show up really at all after that scene. Ice Man is in this film a marginal amount and he got to show some dramatic scenes where he expresses his love for Rogue as well as how he tells his family that he is a mutant. But I was disappointed with how little he used his abilities. Could have been "cooler" but at least he was a developed character.

Jean Gray is pretty cool in this film also. Storm was OK, but I do not know something seems to be missing with her character. I also liked Nightcrawler and he is very important to the film and is developed correctly. Cyclops once again did not seem as cool as he was in the comics and does not get to do that much.

I think the film does a good job of picking up where the last one left off. It has pretty good flow and there is a lot happening. But there is a lot of good action about a half hour into the film in the X Mansion scene but that is the best action part of the film. THere are other action scenes but nothing as good as that part so after the X Mansion scene there is nothing as good as that. I expected a better final showdown at the end of this film against Magneto, better than the one in the first film but there was NO SHOWDOWN with Magneto in this film. The ending I thought was kind of boring.

THere could have been more action but what they had was pretty good, not great. THey do a good job with certain characters portrayal though and that is a big improvement from the first film. A little better than the first one but still has some flaws. I recommend it over the first one.

The Best X-Men in the franchise!

[ivo-cobra8 · 10/10 · 25 October 2015]

X2 (2003) is the best sequel superhero of MARVEL comic book films! In my opinion X2 is the best superhero in the X-Men film franchise. This film is the bomb and it is my second favorite film alongside with X-Men, X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: First Class. The effects are a lot of better than in other X-Men movies. The movie itself is great. I liked all of the X-Man trilogy a whole lot, but this one is by far my favorite!

This was the only movie that I watch the last one of the X-Men trilogy, it is really awesome movie. I would say by far the best one of the X-Men movies far way better than First Class, Origins Wolverine, The Wolerine, X-Men and X-Men: The Last Stand, the third X-men movie. My favorite fight scenes were fight between Scott Summers Cylops and Lady Deathstrike the Asian chick. She way played by Kelly Hu, she was really hot. William Stryker played by Brian Cox was fantastic he wanted to find and kill all the mutants by using Professor X. This time Magneto escapes from jail he and Mystique join forces and team together with the X-Men to bring and stop common enemy together. This time battle begins in Canada. After Wolverine left for Canada at the end of the first movie to find answers about his past. Here he did not find anything about his past, in stead of that he found an underground that was Stryker's secret lab for torturing Mutants.

In the first movie the final battle took place on Liberty Island in New York. In the second movie takes place the finale battle in Canada Alkali Lake. The third movie takes place the finale battle in San Francisco Alcatraz. The attack on Xavier school mutants academy was fantastic and how Wolverine killed most of Stryker 's men. Fight between Wolverine and Lady Deathstrike was fantastic. This movie was really the best one. Wolverine did defeat Deathstrike at the end. I love this movie. Patrick Stewart is the best Professor Xavier.

One of the best X-Men films ever made and my favorite team one, sorry Avengers but you got nothing on X2. The themes here are so awesome and are perfectly in line with X-Men, the character stuff is fantastic and the action was bad ass. The scene where Wolverines cutting through dudes in the X-Mansion was classic Wolverine. I loved the Nightcrawler in the White House so cool! I wish that I would go in the theater watching this film in 2003, by that time I just wasn't interested watching an X-Men movie, because I didn't understand the first movie, but I do now and It is my favorite superhero film now! I love Wolverine! he is a bad ass! Hugh Jackman is a great actor.

X-Men set the standards far as how a great comic supposed to be. This movie is the best out of the 3. Entertaining, fast paced, great storyline. Even if you're not an X-Men fan you will enjoy this. X2 is the movie X1 should've been. The action, storyline and CGI were all improved. Just an overall better, more complete movie.

I love this film and it is a bad ass film forever!!!

The plot about this film is: The evolution continues in the next thrilling adventure in the X-Men saga. In the wake of a shocking attack on the President, the X-Men face their most dangerous mission ever. They must stand united with their deadliest enemies to combat a menace that threatens mankind... and mutantkind.

X2 (often promoted as X2: X-Men United, or internationally as X-Men 2 is a 2003 American superhero film, based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics, distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the sequel to 2000's X-Men and the second installment in the X-Men film series.

10/10 Score: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: 20TH Century Fox, Marvel Studios Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen Halle Berry, Famke Janssen James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos Brian Cox, Alan Cumming Bruce Davison, Anna Paquin Director/Story: Bryan Singer Producers: Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter Screenplay: Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, David Hayter Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 2 Hrs. 13 Mins. Budget: $110.000.000 Box Office: $214.948.780

Fun, but very overrated.

[freddyjoyce · 6/10 · 18 September 2008]

I'll keep this short and to-the-point. I am a life long reader of comic books. I love them and passionately anticipate and enjoy most of the recent motion pictures based on them. DC and Dark Horse comics have always been my favorites, and aside from The Punisher and Ghost Rider, I do not care too much for Marvel. However, despite that, I enjoyed the original X-Men very much. I think Bryan Singer is one of the most talented directors of his generation (see The Usual Suspects.) Yet, I was really disappointed by this sequel. Don't get me wrong, X2 is a very well done comic book adaption when compared to shameful misfires such as Hulk and Elektra, yet I do not believe it to be nearly as wonderful as everyone says. The whole film just feels so muddled and pointless to me. The ending drags on forever, and doesn't really have much of anything new to offer. Perhaps I missed something, but other than the addition of the awesome Nightcrawler character, this felt very routine and meaningless. I can't say I have very high hopes for X3 either. I do highly recommend the original X-Men, but I don't feel either of these films come close to the real masterpieces in the genre, such as Batman Begins, Hellboy, V For Vendetta, or Sin City.

A model of what the X-Men movies should've been

[acostanadielle · 8/10 · 5 June 2019]

Currently rewatching all X-Men films and this definitely takes a top spot on my list. It builds upon what X1 introduced us to and goes deeper with some characters, specially Wolverine. Nightcrawler's introduction was great and very helpful for later sequences. Also, Magneto had more meaningful action, same with Mystique. Stryker was a decent villain.

I'll leave a list of some things I liked about the movie and some thing it fixed from X1.

What X2 did well:

• Charles being used and manipulated, exposing his weaknesses
• Gave depth to characters stories, specially Wolverine
• Nightcrawler's addition and action sequence at the start
• Stryker controlling mutants plot
• Storm's power being used more
• Pyro

What X2 fixed from X1:

• Less Rogue screen time and dialogue (tho still one too many screams)
• Choreography* in fighting scenes (X1 ones were baaaaaad)
• No Sabretooth (YAY)
• Longer movie time
• No more bad CGI
• Jean Grey's flirting, kinda seemed staged in the X1, feels more fluent in X2

So overall, it did a great job on being the stronghold for the franchise establishment. It deserves an 8.5/10

Better than the First

[Shadow007 · 7/10 · 10 May 2003]

X-Men was a good movie, but not a great one. It had a number of deficiencies. The most crucial of these IMO was the story itself. It never really engaged the viewer all that much. X2 OTOH has a much better story line. It is perhaps a little too obvious for the viewer but it is nonetheless more interesting.

X2 contains many action sequences laden with special effects. The movie hasn't been bogged down too much by all this and most of them are fairly original and well done.

The movie also continues the attempts at characterisation, especially of Wolverine, and for the most part seems to try too hard. The "chemistry" between Wolverine and Dr Jean Gray seems too forced. It would also be nice to see Rogue given more of a job than simply being an ornament, but a rather nice one at that :) Perhaps if there is an X-Men 3 she'll get to do more.

The comedic elements of the movie are once again well done with Jackman delivering some great dead-pan one-liners.

Overall, X2 is a fun and enjoyable movie but it must be remembered that it really isn't trying to be anything other than an action movie. It's perhaps a little long also.

7/10

Excellent 2nd Film!

[kyle-medina · 9/10 · 30 March 2012]

This is one of the better films in the Xmen series.

The first film was a bit muddled with so many new characters, to the non-fanboy populace, and in plot details. Although the film was a massive success, it was difficult for many moviegoers uninitiated in the X-Men saga. But in "X2: X-Men United," there's a greater degree of cohesiveness. We have a clear and present evil, a solid storyline, and loads of characters to gawk at. There's also a better pace to this film. It's more organized and the action sequences are evenly placed in the movie. I kept waiting and waiting for Deathstrike to unsheathe her claws, and when she finally did, it was thoroughly satisfying. Her and Wolverine's fight scene was incredible! Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is more complicated, feral, and downright vicious in this film and I like it. When he begins his berserker rage in the school, I couldn't help say, "Wow." Without his performance, the movie goes nowhere. He is such a hinge for the film. Alan Cumming was awesome as my favorite X-Man growing up, Nightcrawler. He has always been so complicated and enigmatic, and this movie gave us just enough to understand him, but not enough to discard him with boredom. The attack on the president scene was better than I could have ever imagined. Much like Spider-Man, I always had an idea about how Kurt would move, teleporting from here to there, the acrobatics, the "bamf" and the cloud of brimstone: one word- amazing!

A step up from the first one

[bretttaylor-04022 · 7/10 · 5 September 2022]

This is not bad but it is not great either

The plot is better than the first one

From what I can work out the basics of X Men are Charles Xavier wants Humans and Mutants to live in harmony even though Humans fear Mutants and want to destroy them, whereas Magneto wants to destroy all Humans because they can't be trusted

There is still too much happening and the characters all lack development

Some of the characters are good but some are very lame

It feels like a 24 part TV Show crammed into 2 hrs 15 minutes

There is never any breathing space and your head starts to hurt

Some of the plot makes no sense

Ian McKellen is good as Magneto

I do like the plot where the good X Men need to team up with Magneto and Mystique

There are too many twists at the end

It is still quite a solid watch but it is nothing special.

Of X2 and Reloaded, Matrix is clearly the better comic book film

[bimetale · 4/10 · 10 July 2003]

So many rave reviews that I just have to add my bit, cause frankly : I *didn't* like it.

Okay, so Matrix was not adapted from a comic book. Still, it is clearly a comic-book film : exact same style, approach, feel and substance. It *could have been a comic*, and a good one at that! Another thing : I never was a fan of the original X-Men comic. Then again, ol' Supes or Batman never gave me shivers either, and still I loved the first Superman and Batman movies, so that don't mean a thing.

So : what's so wrong with this movie? Well, basically, I think it's just... DUMB. Yeah, that's the word : dumb! The scenario, and everybody in it is just so dumb it makes you cry. Hell, with prof. X's supapowers and Cerebro, I'd have fixed the Magneto problem in no time! Being Magneto and having co-designed the thing, I would have killed all those pesky norms in a sec too (which it is clearly able to do according to the film)! And then the army guy... with an asset like Mastermind, couldn't he really think of a more, well, intelligent way of fighting the mutants? Well of course, he *is* an army dude so maybe that's asking too much. And then the regular guys, like in the scene where Pyro blows up a load of cop cars, "You heard about those big bad mutants guys?"-style : being one of the soldiers, I would go like, "**BANG** - Yeah, I heard. I also heard most of you guys aren't BULLET PROOF!!!".

That's one more thing : haven't they invented the gun yet in the X-Men universe? Most of the mutants are not power-protected in any way from bullets (except when Magneto's around of course), still none of them ever seems to think of wearing some Kevlar, let alone a *gun*. So, okay, I know it might have been a problem in the comic because of CCA regulations, but still, couldn't they have changed that for the movie just to make it less dumb? It would change the whole dynamic of the thing.

So, are there qualities redeeming the lack of basic intelligence throughout the movie? Not many... most of Wolverine's dry humor is gone, and Wolverine as a character seems less interesting than in the first X (though this does not seem to be a problem with the acting - see below). The fight scenes are just boring, sometimes even offensively so (Deathstryke could have killed Wolverine a thousand times in that fight, and still she lost it in the lamest manner imaginable - what a bummer). The other action scenes don't get a lot better (that plane chase for instance - there were a thousand ways they could have made that one tons more exciting than by just using YASP, Yet Another SuperPower).

The acting is very good for some, awful for others. Ian McKellen shines, as always : I bet he could even make a Coca Cola ad look exciting. Patrick Stewart also does a very good job at it - he really CAN do something more than Trek, and I really look forward to seeing him in better fares than this. And Hugh Jackman is still a good Wolverine, though he didn't get half the chances to show it that he got in the first movie. Even Romijn-Stamos did a pretty good job, a lot better than in the previous film. The rest of the acting though ranged from the simply lame to the excruciatingly bad. Nightcrawler made me crawl up the walls, but not in the funny way it was clearly intended.

And finally, there is the whole soap-factor : who isn't having an affair with whom in this movie? I remember this being one of the things that hit my crap-o-meter in the comics too - but just because it's crap that's in the comic, that don't mean you have to keep that crap for the movie!

All in all, I feel like this movie could have been a lot better, which is a pity. I had a negative feeling about the first X movie as well, but the more I thought about it and the more I saw it, the better it became. In the end, it finished about side-by-side with the original Matrix movie. X2 started out as just boring in my book, however : it only got worse each time I thought back about it, and the second sitting of it was just torture.

This movie will be a must for lovers of the X-Men comic as it quite faithfully reproduces its feel, all of the crap in the original books included. For those who do not fall into that category however, go see Reloaded, or if you have already, go see it a second time : you will be the better for it.

A meaningful film and brilliant sequel **SPOILERS AHEAD**

[LondonOnMyMind · 9/10 · 28 January 2006]

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

X2: X-Men United is one of those sequels that not only continue the narrative of the original film, but also further develop the ties between the characters, making the audience empathize with them. Like the first film, it is a metaphor for society's prejudice. Simply put, this is a film that would be enjoyed by fans of excellent cinema and X-Men comic book fans alike.

The direction, cinematography, choreography of action sequences and the overall style of the film are exquisite. The Nightcrawler's (Alan Cumming) teleportation stunts and Pyro's (Aaron Stanford) fire domination left me breathless. The fight sequences and special effects are a sight to behold, without the overdose of CGI that many new films drown in, showing yet again that a good director and creative vision are essential to the action/adventure and sci-fi genres. The cinematography is rich and colorful, painting a warm picture of safety with interior and exterior shots of Xavier's School for the Gifted and, at the same time, hinting at an ominous mystery with the cold shots of Alkani Lake.

The emotional depth of the piece is exceptional, particularly today, when frequent gratuitous violence in action and sci-fi movies often detracts from any involvement that the audience might have with the characters. The X-Men films draw on universal themes of individualism and isolation, themes that the second film emphasizes even more than the first one. This time around, the Brotherhood and the X-Men must join forces against General Stryker (Brian Cox), who gives nepotism a whole new meaning and is surely one of the most vile characters in recent sci-fi. As with Rogue (Anna Paquin) in the first film, we again have an outsider, Nightcrawler, who finds kindred spirits in Xavier's group of mutants. From internal conflicts to romantic relationships, the world of mutants is parallel to our own world, making the film relatable on many levels.

The acting is again solid. Standouts among the cast are Cumming, whose Nightcrawler is kindness and compassion come to life; Stanford, whose Pyro is a tough, vulnerable and pained human being; and Famke Janssen, whose Jean Grey makes the unimaginable, but inevitable, choice.

I would recommend X2: X-Men United to all film fans. However, it is our world today that needs the lesson this film can teach. No one is all that different from the person next to them. Always look beyond the surface.

9/10