Arguably Bigger, Better & Stronger Than Its Predecessor.

Rating: Null/10 (9 May 2014)

Bigger, stronger & arguably better than its predecessor, X2 is a terrific follow-up to the first X- Men film which moves the story of X-Men universe forward while also expanding it in a controlled manner. The story here puts the X-Men & Brotherhood against a military scientist who's planning to annihilate the entire mutant species by manipulating Professor Charles Xavier & his mutant-tracking computer, Cerebro.
Opening with an explosive sequence set in the White House & accompanied by Mozart's Requiem music in the background, director Bryan Singer expertly sets the pace of this second instalment which never really slows down by much till the very end. The writing is also good with enough time devoted for the introduction of new characters as well as for its own story to uncover. VFX look dated today but that's expected yet the basic elements of the film work spectacularly well.
Coming to the performances, the recurring cast make a solid contribution to the film while the new characters are interesting, gradually developed & definitely not wasted away. The most impressive amongst all turned out to be Mystique once again plus it also reveals a little backstory of Wolverine character. Cinematography is sharp, editing is tight & music does a better job here than it did in the previous film.
On an overall scale, X2 (also promoted as X2: X-Men United or simply X-Men 2) is a rare sequel that meets the expectations raised by the success of the original. And even though its story may not have the same quality as its predecessor, the action & other elements still end up making a pretty satisfying, enjoyable & very entertaining cinematic experience. Recommendation? If you liked the first film, you'll most probably end up loving this sequel.