Xtraordinay

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2003)

Here we are again at the beginning of another summer season of blockbusters and, to start it all off, Hollywood has delivered unto us X2 (or X-Men 2 if you prefer). And a little blessing it is. Especially if you like your social rights movies with tight, leather costumes. Bryan Singer has taken to heart the ideals of this comic book world and has outdone the first X-Men. Sure there are some great action sequences, but the real beauty of the film is he allows us to get to know these characters with all their flaws thus we have a chance to care for them between the butt-kickings.
Basically the entire X-Men universe is a story about intolerance of people who are different. Those who collect the comics know that this gives the story real depth and believability in a world of spandex wearing crime fighters. There are several layers to the intolerance. Magneto (the role Ian McKellen's terrified is the one we'll all remember him by) is at one end of the intolerance by means of the extermination of the entire non-mutant population. He briefly joins the X-Men and has a little heart-to-heart with one of the new kids, Pyro. He tells Pryo in a character defining moment, "You are a god among insects. Never let anyone tell you different." The scene where Bobby Drake aka Iceman "comes out" to his parents as a mutant is played with some humor ("Have you tried to not be a mutant?"), but turns into the moral heart of the story as he is finally struck with the truth that not even his own brother accepts him.
Meanwhile, back in Washington, the fear of the mutants' powers is still building and there are several people who don't want to settle for registration and surveillance of all mutants. They want them completely destroyed. Enter one of the most despicable villains to grace the screen in a while. General William Stryker is a military experimentalist with a personal vendetta against all mutants. Brian Cox plays him beautifully. Just when you think he can sink no lower, he throws out something else that makes you love to hate him even more; however, he never plays it for camp. The character is a heartless, bitter man who will do anything to rid of the world this pestilence.
The opening sequence is an explosive introduction to Nightcrawler played with uncommon restraint by Alan Cumming. Hugh Jackman is back as Wolverine and this time really does get to break loose when a troop of military men breaks into Professor X's school. The violence in the scene was surprising since the first movie had very little death. In other words, let the summer movie body count begin.
After winning her Oscar, it seems that Halle Berry is trying very hard to remove the aftertaste of her performance in X-Men ("Hold on to something"). She portrays Storm with more vigor and it helps that they gave her a little more to do as well. There is confidence in her acting that wasn't there the first time around.
All in all, X2 is pretty extraordinary. Here is a well-made superhero movie about real, current problems in a world of mutant human beings and villains with Hitler-esque intentions: A fun, action film with a message. If this is an indication of this summer's blockbusters, then hooray for Hollywood.