A well-done motion picture epic

Rating: 7/10 (8 May 2003)

I had the opportunity to see X2 at the theater in which I work prior to its national release on May 2, 2003. When I enter a theater to see a film such as X2, I suspend my beliefs, not expecting to see a film that will be artsy and/or Oscar-worthy. X2 is, in fact, a very well-produced and entertaining motion picture. The characters appear as if they have been plucked straight from the pages of any of the hottest X-Men comic books in the series. The fighting and action scenes are very energetic, lively, and fast-paced, helping to boost the stamina of the film. I did, however, see some problems with the film. For one, I would have loved to have seen more battles between the villainous X-men and those fighting for the betterment of mankind. No such battles exist, however. The central villain in the film is Colonel William Stryker, a man who does not possess extraordinary mutant powers. He is, essentially, a human who desires a planet rid of the troubles that mutants produce. All in all, the film was very entertaining although I was a little bit disappointed. It is definitely worth a viewing on the big screen. X2 is one of those films that requires a viewing in the theater; otherwise, one will surely feel that he or she is missing out on something if he or she views it at home on video or DVD for the first time. My Rating: ***/**** B