What every comic book movie should be.

Rating: 10/10 (9 August 2004)

2000's "X-Men" was the first majorly successful comic book movie in many years, and it revived the entire genre. It's sequel "X2" arrived in theatres one year after "Spider-Man" broke box office records, and with adaptations of many other comics either delivered or on the way. Fans were legion in their anticipation, and the general public was waiting to see if the franchise would falter, or if it would soar. It was the latter, clearly. "X2" was truly glorious, perhaps the greatest comic book movie ever made. Director Bryan Singer returns to his creation (sadly, he will not finish the trilogy with "X3"), and brings with him crack screenwriters like David Hayter. The massive cast of the original film also returns, with some (Halle Berry) having significantly increased their star power since the original film. The villain this time around his Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox, the original Dr. Hannibal Lecter), and his mind-controled mutant assistant Yuriko Oyama (Kelly Hu, a menacing presence, but with little to do). Stryker schemes to rid the world of all mutants, with the unwilling help of both Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Professor X (Patrick Stewart). Stryker's plan involves using Professor X's mental powers to kill every mutant on the planet, and uses mind-control to get information from the imprisoned Magneto. With Professor X and Cyclops in his grasp, and the remaining X-Men reeling from Stryker's assault, Magneto executes his escape from his plastic prison; he, Mystique, and the X-Men head to Canada to stop Stryker. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) feels that Stryker was involved in his past in some capacity, and this ads an additional level of intrigue. Another addition to the X-Men is Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), a deeply religious mutant who was once controled by Stryker. Singer finds an excellent balance between action and character, and gives screentime to his entire cast (although some, like Professor X, are shortchanged). He crafts some truly brilliant action sequences, the best being Nightcrawler's assault on the Oval Office. The cast is as good as before, with Berry making some improvement (but remaining the weak link; I'm not sorry that "X3" will be without her). I give it a 9/10, and I hope that we can look forward to many more X-Men movies.