A BIG improvement over the first movie...

Rating: 7/10 (3 May 2003)

I just saw XÂ² and I must say it was quite good. It was much better than the first installment for a variety of reasons. First of all, it owns a much more deep and intelligent screenplay. Now, the X-Men face a real foe that actually has the power to destroy them. I thought the villains in the first movie were very weak and expectable, but this time there is a greater character development, and the figure of William Stryker assumes a very powerful role in the plot.
It also has better special effects and better acting (Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming and all the others were awesome). I still do not like Cyclops, however. I think he should be portrayed by someone older.
I thought Nightcrawler was AWESOME; not only he has bad-ass powers, he is also psychologically deep, being religious and all. The opening sequence was great; the tension between the SS agents in the white house while they hear their colleagues having their asses kicked in the room next to the oval room was pure cinematic glory. Magneto's escape was also tryumphant, my favorite sequence in the whole feature! Sir Ian rules!