Review of X2 (2003) by Stephen Z — 05 Aug 2014

The only thing better than good guys versus bad guys is when these two team up together. "X2: X-Men United" brings together the heroic X-Men and the villainous Brotherhood, and the result is one magnificent movie. "X-Men United" is one of my favorite comic-book movies, though I can't quite single out what it is I like best about this film. Perhaps, that is because this movie fires on all cylinders.

Much like its predecessor, "X2" has a dark tone, though even darker this time because the stakes have been raised for our merry mutants. I truly love the plot of this film because of how closely it examines discrimination, and because it has so many great, unexpected twists. Along with the great storytelling, "X2" also has great action. There is so much action, yet it is not overdone, and it seems like every character gets their moment to shine. Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Pyro, and Mystique all get adrenalizing action sequences, and they are some of the best action sequences of any comic-book movie. Plus, some of the action is really graphic and edgy, and this shows just how much the franchise has matured.

The ensemble cast of this film is once again, incredible. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen shine, as Stewart brings back the wisdom and McKellen brings back the clever and cunning. Hugh Jackman truly comes into his role as he brings all of the rage you would expect from Wolverine. I give a lot of credit to Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, because his German accent is spot-on, and you would never guess he's not a native speaker. Brian Cox as Col. William Stryker expertly proves through his heartless character, that not all villains need superpowers. And finally, I'd like to say that Famke Janssen gives her best performance of the trilogy in her expanded role.

The first "X-Men" raised the bar for comic-book movies, and "X2" raised that bar further. It proves that an action film can have both great action and a cohesive plot, without any compromises. Bryan Singer has truly created a masterpiece. "X2: X-Men United" is - in my opinion - the best X-Men film to date, and I definitely recommend it.