Two times the X-Factor

Rating: Null/10 (5 November 2003)

There may be a new trend in Superhero sequels, and I have to admit, I like it. First seen in Blade II, where the bad and the good join forces to fight an even more menacing force, it is perfected in the new X-Men sequel X2. The movie picks up shortly after the conclusion of the first and we are quickly re-introduced to the mutant gang of Professor Xavier's school for the gifted. For those of you not up to date with the mutant cast of characters, Patrick Stewart (Star Trek) is back as Professor X, Halle Berry (Monsters Ball) is Storm, Anna Paquin (The Piano) is Rouge, Famke Janssen is Jean Grey, James Marsden as the laser eye shooting Cyclops, Shawn Ashmore as Iceman and everyone's favorite Canadian Superhero, Hugh Jackman (Swordfish) is back as the adamantium clawed Wolverine. Some of our favorite villains are back for an encore also as Ian McKellan (Lord of the Rings) returns as the metal manipulator Magneto, and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos is back as shape-shifting Mystique. And finally, what would a superhero sequel be without the marketing of new characters? Introduced in X2 are Pryo, Deathstrike and Alan Cummings who steals the show as the blue faced teleporter named Nightcralwer. With a cast of characters as strong and diluted as X-Men 2, you would think that no character would have time to establish themselves with the audience, however, director Brian Singer (The Usual Suspects) manages to string each of the mutants out in comic book fashion ensuring that no matter who your favorite, a satisfying dose of that character will be administered.
The story in X2 is thin, but lets face it, we throw down the $10 per ticket for a movie of this genre to be bedazzled by the special effects and blown away by the rumbling sounds. For what script there is, the President of the United States is convinced by the evil Mr. Stryker (played by Brian Cox), that the mutants are a threat to mankind and must be rounded up to for the safety of humans. Since all mutants are targets regardless of their good or bad nature, Magneto (once freed from his non-metallic cell) and Mystique join forces with the X-Men to rescue the Professor has been forced to locate and destroy all mutants through his unique ability to telepathically connect with those of unordinary powers. There are many subplots in X2: IceMan and Rogue continue their teenage foreplay, Wolverine continues to try and understand his past, there is the love triangle between Cyclops, Jean Grey and Wolverine that continues to sizzle and there is the wild card Pyro who seems to have problems with authority and requires anger management. But when you get right down to it, the story doesn't matter much. Brian Singer spends his $150 million dollar budget wisely, with top rate special effects and a body count (missing from the first movie) piling up fast. Wolverine again commands the biggest presence on screen and his battle with the intruders to the mutant school and later with Deathstrike, is better than anything filmed in this year's earlier release Daredevil. X-Men comic book readers will have an advantage over the average movie screener. I sat next to such a character that grinned with unprecedented glee with glimpses of Colosses and Kitty Pryde and the screen time given to the Blackbird jet, however, do not be dismayed, the movie is interesting and strong enough that a history of the characters and their origins before screening is not necessary. For the most part, Brian Singer does what Peter Jackson has done before him. He made a film that is a lot of fun, but is a tease for the third installment. Although no official announcement about X3 is evident, X-Men 2 ends with the death of major character (no worries, the Pheonix will rise) and with Pryo taking his place amongst Magneto and Mystique as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Both stories require a third segment to explain in whole. In today's real world, it is promising and refreshing to see both good and bad characters joining forces whenever evil threatens all. Now, don't expect Bullseye and Daredevil or Batman and Joker to team up, but that just keeps movies like X-Men 2 even more enjoyable.
In short, a good film. Better than the first and hopefully, just a launching board for the third