Not bad, but doesn't live up to the hype

Rating: 6/10 (3 May 2003)

I don't have time to write a full-blown review, but here are a few points I'd like to make:
1) Visual effects are adequate for a movie of this genre, but are not at the same level of LOTR or to the level I suspect the Matrix Reloaded will be. Nothing groundbreaking here.
2) The movie notably lacked a consistent, smooth rhythm and seemed "choppy" throughout. Ideally, an action movie like this should pace itself and build up to a climactic ending. The problem with X2 is that each action scene during the movie is treated as if it were the climax itself, so that when the actual climax comes, it isn't that big of a deal. Ultimately there were several action scenes during the movie that were more exciting than the supposedly "big" ending.
3) Some of the ways that our heroes get out of trouble happen too coincidentally. It's always exciting to see a hero find an ingenius way to get out of a virtually certain-death situation. The problem with X2 is that the X-Men too often get out of trouble not by creative teamwork, but by sheer coincidence. Wow...a magical escape door appears out of nowhere just when there seems like not exit exists. That's not superpower, that's dumb luck. I'm not impressed.
4) Problem: at the end of the movie, not everyone in the audience is rooting for the X-men to prevail. Do you hate it when the good guy in a movie has a chance to finish off the bad guy, but decides not to because that would be the wrong thing to do? Or because the good guy doesn't want to stoop to that level? Then you'll know what I am talking about.
5) Instead of a movie about all the X-Men together, it felt as if the movie was filmed one character at a time and then edited together. The movie works best when we see the X-men working together as a team, but too much of the movie occurs with each of the characters in their own little storyline, which is much less effective.
6) Famke Janssen is gorgeous and is the best part of the movie. Even more so than Halle and Rebecca.
Bottomline: I'd give this movie a reluctant "thumbs up," despite its flaws simply because it is the "X-Men" and that even a mediocre sequel will attract millions of people based on the strength of the first movie. Just don't expect to be blown away. Personally, I was expecting much more based on all the hype surrounding the release of this movie.