X-Men 2: X2 Review
by Bob Bloom (bobbloom AT iquest DOT net)May 1st, 2003
X-2: X-Men United (2003) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davison, Anna Paquin, Kelly Hu, Aaron Stanford and Shawn Ashmore. Screenplay by Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris. Story by Bryan Singer & David Hayter and Zak Penn. Directed by Bryan Singer. Rated PG-13. Running time: 134 minutes.
Heroic and not-so-benevolent mutants form an uneasy alliance to battle a common foe threatening their way of life in X2: X-Men United.
This slam-bang sequel continues the saga of the popular Marvel Comics characters as they battle a ruthless military scientist out to obliterate their kind.
For William Stryker (Brian Cox), it's personal. He wants revenge, and his plans to obliterate mutants from the planet rests on Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and his Cerebro device, with which he can telepathically keep tabs on anyone on Earth -- human or non.
Director Bryan Singer ups the ante in X2, introducing new characters and creating plot lines that will lead to future adventures. Meanwhile, he accelerates the action so the movie's 134 minutes speed by like an express train.
Among those returning from the first film are Hugh Jackman as the conflicted Wolverine, still searching for answers about his past; Ian McKellen as Magneto, who remains bent on battling the human race in order the preserve his species; Famke Janssen as the telepathic and telekinetic Jean Grey, continuing to battle between her infatuation with Wolverine and her love for Scott "Cyclops" Summers (James Marsden); and Oscar-winner Halle Berry as Storm, who displays more skills and toughness than in X-Men.
Another character whose role is enhanced for the better is the metamorph Mystique, again played by Rebecca Romijn-Stamos.
Also on display are a group who, for lack of a better term, can be labeled as X-Teens. These include Anna Paquin's Rogue, whose mere touch can cause havoc; her boyfriend, Bobby Drake (Shawn Ashmore), who calls himself Iceman; and the reckless John Allerdyce (Aaron Stanford), whose ability with fire earns him the moniker of Pyro.
The crowd-pleaser, though, will be Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner, known as Nightcrawler, a blue-skinned mutant who looks like a demon, but carries the heart and soul of angel. Nightcrawler has the ability to teleport himself.
A setpiece sure to draw appreciative responses is the climatic battle between Wolverine and Stryker's aide Yuriko Oyama, also known as Deathstrike, and portrayed by the beautiful and athletic Kelly Hu. The mayhem is a superb mixture of martial arts, stunt work and special effects.
As the title suggests, the theme of X2 is unity, as the various factions come together to thwart Stryker's plan for mutant genocide.
Singer, along with screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, working from a story by Singer, David Hayter and Zak Penn, are able to give the characters depth and complexities. The X-Men are not just one-dimensional super beings; they have conflicts, fears, phobias and foibles. They may be mutants, but the script also highlights their humanity.
Fans of X-Men will not be disappointed with this high-octane sequel. Like Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers or Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, X2 leaves you wanting to see what happens next.
And as long as Singer retains control, you can expect something bigger and better.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or at [email protected]. Other reviews by Bloom can be found at www.jconline.com by clicking on movies.
Bloom's reviews also appear on the Web at the Rottentomatoes Web site, www.rottentomatoes.com and at the Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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