Superior to the first film!

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2003)

When we left the X-Men in the first movie, Magneto was caught and placed in a plastic prison and Wolverine was leaving Professor Xavier's school for mutant children in a search for answers to his past. We are now re-united with the X-Men in the second film of what looks to become a series in `X2: X-Men United.'	This is the first of many sequels due out during the 2003 summer box-office season. One thing may make this film stand out among every other sequel this summer-the fact that it's very good. In fact, `X2: X-Men United' is the rare case in which a sequel didn't follow the conventional clichéd patterns that so many sequels do by rehashing everything the first film; thus, the reason why sequels are generally inferior movies when compared to their predecessors.	The story centers on Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) seeking clues to his past-an experiment that left his skeleton covered in a very strong metal. And of course, this metal makes his character more deadly considering the fact that he has blades that protrude from his knuckles whenever he senses danger. But things change for all mutants when a mutant assassin named Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), tries to kill the president in protest of a Mutant Registration Act.' This attempt only increases the fear that many have for the mutants and leads a military leader named William Stryker (Brian Cox) to lead a campaign against the mutants, beginning with Professor Xavier's school. It's now up to all mutants, be they friend or foe, to unite against an enemy that could eliminate all mutants.	It's clear that director Bryan Singer (`Apt Pupil,' `The Usual Suspects') had more freedom in the production. The film is longer than the first film by about 30 minutes. What's more, it isn't as flashy as the original film. Point in fact; it is a far darker tale that leaves its central characters in the worst possible situation, a rule that is often ignored in sequels or trilogies.	I did like the fact that this film united all mutants, putting aside their differences in an attempt to save their race. After seeing the first `X-Men,' I felt that there were some gaps in the dialogue, and the film quickly moved from one scene to the next. But that complaint was minor, as the first film was rather impressive. Nonetheless, `X2' is more than a worthy sequel; filled with great action sequences along with impressive visual effects that it doesn't rely on to tell the story, it's arguably better than the first film. Patrick Stewart (`Conspiracy Theory') returns as Charles Xavier, as does Ian McKellen (`Gods And Monsters') as Magneto. Anna Paquin (`25th Hour') returns as Rogue who takes Iceman's breath away, played by Shawn Ashmore. Aaron Stanford (`Tadpole') ignites the screen as Pyro. Dr. Jean Grey, played by Famke Janssen (`Goldeneye') tries to avoid temptation with Wolverine, while Scott Summers, played by James Marsden (`Gossip') tries to control his temper with Wolverine. And of course, the X-Men wouldn't be complete without Storm, played by Halle Berry (`Monster's Ball'), around to wreak havoc.
Released on what has become the typical starter weekend of the summer box-office, `X2' looks to become a huge smash hit with early weekend estimates predicting the film to make nearly $86 million in nationwide ticket sales. It's not as large as last year's magnanimous opening weekend for `Spider-Man,' which made $114 million, but it is doubtful that Twentieth Century Fox will be complaining much about the success of the film.
`X2: X-Men United' is a true blockbuster that is a real crowd-pleaser in which it is difficult to find something to criticize. ***