TNMC

This site’s design is only visible in a graphical browser that supports web standards, but its content is accessible to any browser or Internet device.

X2: X-Men United (2003)

From the numerous television spots and trailers, no doubt you have seen snippets of Nightcrawler attacking the White House, but let me guarantee you that they are only a small glimpse of what can only be called a pure adrenaline rush. Well choreographed and seamlessly combined with some nifty special effects, the action in the first five minutes is enough to get anyone's blood pumping and excited. If there were any doubts whether the rest of the movie will be as good as the opening sequence, rest assured that they were alleviated very quickly.

Thus begins the second installment to the somewhat successful but relatively unspectacular X-Men from three years ago. With Magneto safely lock away behind a plastic prison, our heroes are able to enjoy a brief period of uneasy peace between mutants and humans, that is until an assassination attempt on the president renews people's fear and distrust in those that are different from them. As a response to the attack, the president calls in William Stryker, an ex-army commander known for his staunch opposition towards the mutants in general, and gives him permission to carry out an operation that will end the mutant problem once and for all. Unaware of the latest threat to him and his kind, Professor Xavier must again lead the X-Men in a battle that will determine the fate of all mutants.

It is obvious that director Singer, not to mention the cast, seem more comfortable and confident in their respective roles this time around. Gone are the roughness and the superficiality that were present in the original movie, instead they are replaced with a sense of camaraderie and a clear direction of where the franchise is heading. Since introductions are already taken care of and no longer necessary, the large chunk of screen time that was devoted to that purpose can now be utilized to give more depth to the story and the characters. Continuity is observed as some of the loose ends are tied up in the sequel, albeit a little too neatly in a few instances. The visual effects are definitely bigger and look a lot better here, but the hand-to-hand combat, with the exception of Nightcrawler, pales in comparison to X-Men.

With a cast of characters as large as the one featured in X-Men 2, it is pretty much a given that their development would suffer as a result, a major problem faced by the first film. While Wolverine and Rogue stole the spotlight in the original, I believe the sequel belonged to Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier, as well as Jean Grey to a lesser extent. Of the three new roles introduced in X2, only Stryker (Cox) and Nightcrawler (Cumming) were presented with background information, just enough so the audiences have an idea where these men come from and how they end up where they are right now. Brian Cox and Alan Cumming were very convincing in their respective parts, I really enjoyed watching them perform and bringing these characters to live. Although Kelly Hu had almost no lines as Lady Deathstrike, her presence alone emanated an impression of danger and beauty, she was the perfect example of action speaking louder than words.

Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) continues to demonstrate the extent of his power in X2. It is not hard to see why someone as powerful as Magneto (Ian McKellan) respects and fears him. I am happy that Rebecca Romijn-Stamos was given more dialogue as Mystique, and newcomer Shawn Ashmore does a great job as Iceman, I like his chemistry with Anna Paquin's Rogue. Hugh Jackman continues to entertain as Wolverine, I appreciate the energy he brings to the character, as well as the sexual tension between him and Famke Janssen's Jean Grey. I always wanted to see those two end up together. Halle Berry shared a nice intimate scene with Cumming as Storm, and the least memorable performance goes to Cyclops (James Marsden), Was he even in the movie?

There is plenty to like in X-Men 2, and it succeeded in passing its predecessor in almost all areas when many others have failed. However, nothing is perfect, and some of my complaints include an ending that felt a bit too heavy-handed foreshadowing of things to come in the future, in addition to many important plot elements that went unexplained and were taken for granted. Even so, I can say without a doubt that I loved every minute of X2, and I simply cannot wait to see what Singer and crew has in store for us for the follow up in a franchise that has finally found its footing in a genre that is quickly becoming overcrowded.

- Zalasta

What do you think?  Talk about it on the Forums