Plot Problems

Rating: 7/10 (5 May 2003)

WARNING: SPOILER!

My review of X Men 2 is that it was OK. 7 stars out of 10. I was anxious to see the film, even waited in line for it, but as the credits began to roll, I was filled with more questions than with a satisfied feeling. There are lots of holes in the plot, too many questions left unanswered. If this were intentional because XMen fans would "know", it's unfair and sloppy to the rest of us who are not pros.
Though the film does pick up where it left off, and highlights from the first film, like Logan's sense of humor (though it is not as apparent in X2 because he doesn't have Cyclops to play off of) are present,there are too many problems with the flow of the film in regardso logic.
Here are the findings I could list; I'm only allowed 1,000 words:
1) early on, we are introduced to a cool, silvery fellow whose body richoets bullets. We see him briefly, he offers to help Wolverine, then he disappea rs into a chamber in the school with the other students. And that's it. We never see him again. X3?
2)the secret serum Stiker uses is not explained at all. Where did it come from? How does it work? Why does it work? Singer may have given the rest of us who are not XMen pros too much credit to figure it out on our own.
3) Night Crawler opens the film. Great action sequence, but if he is such a noble and humble and spirtual creature, why would he antagonize the President? Was he given Striker's serum? We assume so. In the church scene, Storm finds the tell-tale sign Striker's serum leaves on the nape of his victim's neck: a mark like that of a burn. But this is never reaized on film.
4)It does not make sense for the XMen to trust Magneto and Mystique so quickly.
5) Jason 134's presence should be more clear; his relationship to Striker and to the movie's central plot to those of us who are not XMen2 pro's. This shadiness skews the film somewhat if you do not follow the film closely because it is the film's pivotal angle. You have to understand Jason's role clearly, otherwise, the film loses clarity.
6)Cyclops' being under the influence of Striker's serum should also be explained. We hardly see him at all in the film, then when we do in the middle, he attacks Jean. We don't see him being given the serum, but apparently he is.
7) Jean Gray dying in the flood is not necessary and avoidable. After she can't hold the water anymore, Night Crawler could have transported to her, retrieved her, then she could have been revived. But they leave her there! The explanation? "She made a choice".
8)Singer teases the audience with the truth about Logan's past. Logan has a few flashbacks in the tank chamber, but maybe there could be more to appease us?
9)I wanted to see more of the other XMen; Wolverine, Storm, Mystique, Magento, Jean Gray, and Striker were the majority of the film.
10) And for those of you who like flubs............When they are at Bobby's house (Iceman), Logan goes outside on the backyard patio, look for about 1/4 of a camera, and a wire, in the upper right hand side of the screen. It's reflected in the sliding glass door behind him.
11)Pyro's desire to team up with Magento is simplistically realized. His roguish nature and refusal to follow the rules are obligatory and obviously leading up to a departure from the "those who follow the rules" (ie the Xmen).
12) Why don't the Xmen show more emotion when they realize Magento turns on them after they foolishly trust him in the first place?
All in all, it is a okay movie, but problems with logic prevent it from being any better