The best comic book movie I've seen

Rating: 9/10 (16 July 2004)

X-2 is alongside the first batman movie in a class of its own compared to all the others comic book movies out there. It has smart script that doesn't make you groan because of the stupidity of the screenwriters half the time as most of the other superhero movies do. It's really entertaining, lots of humor, magnificent fighting scenes(the opening sequence will forever remain a classic in that department IMO - astonishing combination of creative special effects, fight choreography and totally fitting great classical music), actors who are really good and concentrated on their job(especially Ian McKellen, who is once again awesome as Magnetto) and even some actual message behind all the fights and superpowers, that really works. It also has what is always most important for a good movie and that's a smart director who knows his job. Bryan Singer is showing his talent here, getting good performances from all of his actors despite the CGI scenes being aplenty(but they are really well done, much better than Spiderman 2 for example) and also creating a visual feast and an unique feel to the movie. And I've never even read the comics before, but I really felt close to the characters and easily got engaged in the X-Men universe.
Lastly, but definitely not least important, is the fact that this movie has one of the greatest looking female cast ever assembled in a mainstream movie. Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, and the ultra-gorgeous Rebecca Romijn Stamos(who even has a short, but memorable appearance without the blue paint that goes with her Mystique part) - it doesn't get better than that. And all those lovely ladies can act pretty well too. Not that their parts were difficult, of course, but in comparison with the pathetic failures we so often see by the pretty actresses in the blockbuster movies it's really refreshing to watch a bunch of pretty women who can act decently enough.
I highly recommend this movie to pretty much everyone. It's even better than the excellent first part.