Review of X2 (2003) by Rees R — 15 May 2014

"THE MUTANTS STRIKE BACK".

- The second installment to the 'X-men' film franchise dates from 2003 and was directed by Bryan Singer (Valkyrie, Jack the Giant Slayer). Normally superhero sequels suck, but not this 'X2', it truly honored the comic book series and the effects and especially the characters are amazing. It makes you wonder what special powers you'd wanna have. With almost the entire cast from the first movie: Hugh Jackman (Van Helsing), Halle Berry (Cloud Atlas), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Next Generation), Ian McKellen (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), Famke Janssen (The Faculty), James Marsden (The Loft), Anna Paquin (True Blood) and Rebecca Romijn (Godsend).

When a mutant named Nightcrawler made his way to the oval office in the White House and tried to kill the president of the United States, professor Charles Xavier (Stewart) sends Jean Grey (Janssen) and Storm (Berry) to find him. While Xavier and Cyclops (Marsden) go and visit Magneto (McKellen) who is in a isolated plastic prison, Wolverine (Jackman) is responsible to keep an eye on the students of the School for the Gifted. During the night the building is attacked by a group of soldiers, lead by William Stryker, a ghost from Wolverine's past. Barley escaping the raid with the help from Rogue (Paquin), it's up to Wolverine and the other X-men to cooperate with their enemy Magneto and his helper Mistique (Romijn) to stop Strykers evil plan to track every mutant in the world. Will they succeed?