X2: X-Men United (Marvel Comics Movie Review)

Plot
Professor Charles Xavier and his team of genetically gifted superheroes face a rising tide of anti-mutant sentiment led by Col. William Stryker in this sequel to the Marvel Comics-based blockbuster X-Men. Storm, Wolverine and Jean Grey  must join their usual nemeses Magneto and Mystique to unhinge Stryker's scheme to exterminate all mutants.

Jason's Thoughts
Much like Blade 2, X2: X-Men United surpasses the original movie in all aspects.  X2 picks up almost immediately where the original X-Men leaves off and doesn't look back.  The story continues what was laid out in the first film, however, this time around the X-Men join forces with their adversary, Magneto, to fight against mutant extinction.

After a mutant attack on the White House, Col. William Stryker gets the go ahead on exterminating the mutants.  Using his methods, he is able to extract information from Magneto about Professor Xavier's mutant tracking device, Cerebro.  With this knowledge, Stryker devices a plan to rid the world of mutants.  Seeing the bigger picture, Magneto and the X-Men group together for the good of all mutants.

The story is very strong in this movie, with a lot of time being able to be dedicated to it as most of the characters have been introduced in the previous film.  There are a few new characters, most notably being Nightcrawler, who has a sizable role in the movie.  A couple of the younger X-Men in the first movie have bigger roles as well, such as Iceman and Pyro.  Also, just like the first movie, a few other mutants can be picked out in the background such as Colossus and Siryn.

X2 features a returning cast of characters as all of the big names reprised their roles for this film.  Like Professor Xavier and Wolverine before him, I have to say that Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler was another perfectly cast character.  I have to give Bryan Singer and his crew credit for not only making a great movie, but for finding actors who perfectly fit the role of these mutants.

Special effects have also been ramped up in X2.  A couple that immediately come to mind is the opening scene in the White House where Nightcrawler is teleporting from place to place to escape security.  Another memorable scene has Mystique continually changing her appearance as she tries to seduce Wolverine.  These are just two examples of the great special effects that take place during this film.

For everything that is great in X2: X-Men United, it still has a few problems that were present in the first film.  Again, Cyclops gets the shaft and isn't featured prominently enough in the movie, especially considering that he is supposed to be the leader of the X-Men.  Nightcrawler has more of a role that Cyclops does, and to me that isn't right.  

Also, character names are looked over once again.  Deathstrike is featured in X2, however, I don't recall her name ever being used.  It wasn't until after I watched the movie that I realized who it was.  This probably isn't a big issue for fans of the comic book, and although I have read X-Men comics in the past, I wasn't aware of that character.  If I was at a loss as to who it was, I can't imagine how that could sit with someone who isn't familiar with the X-Men comics.

Those two problems, though, are small and doesn't do much to bring down the overall film as X2 is a stellar sequel that builds off the first movie.  In an age where the second movie in a trilogy is usually just a sandwich filler, X2: X-Men United stays out of that cycle and surpasses the first movie in all aspects.

There is a reason why this movie is part of my DVD collection.  I'm not going to crown X2: X-Men United as the king of comic book movies just yet, but it ranks fairly high.  

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