x2

2003, 20th Century Fox. Directed by Bryan Singer. Starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Jenssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, and Alan Cumming.
Rated PG-13 for action and violence, some sensuality and language.

Grade: B+

Review by Anthony

      The sequel to the 2000 hit X-Men, based on the famous comic-book series, lives up to its predecessor wonderfully. The first X-Men movie introduced new-comers such as myself to the supernaturally gifted people know as mutants. This sequel continues the story of these beings and their fight for acceptance and expands in particular on the story of much beloved fan-favorite Wolverine and his shadowed background.
       The movie opens with a mysterious invader in the White House who leaves a warning to grant mutants freedom. Mutants are still looked on as a menace to society by many. A man called Stryker finds out about Professor Xavier's school for mutants and storms it, forcing Wolverine and the students to flee. Meanwhile, Professor Xavier is unknowingly forced into playing a part in a plan to destroy all mutants. Along the way, Wolverine comes closer and closer to finding out his identity (linked somehow to this Stryker).
       X2 is full of action-packed excitement; the best moments inevitably attributed to Wolverine. He has a lot more to do in this one, fighting off man after man during the school's invasion. But the real standout (although a ruthlessly violent and somewhat disturbing one) is his duel with a character with fighting abilities surprisingly akin to his own.
       Some have criticized X2, saying that the characters and story are lost to the fight sequences. But this is not a fair criticism. There is much to the character of Wolverine, who has no memory of his true self and is trying to find out who he really is. The movie deepens this element, adding some light to the mystery but not too much. Also, the triangle between Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey is handled tastefully without resorting to trite Titanic or Pearl Harbor-esque methods. The motives for Stryker's sinister plot and for Professor Xavier's desire to help Wolverine also add interesting insight into the movie's characters.
       The violence in the movie is often pretty strong but is usually defendable (exceptions to this are mentioned below). It also has a couple sensuous scenes, but there's no outright sex.
       One moral setback to the movie is the fact that two of the antagonists are left to die when one of the protagonists could have helped them. The second time this happens is also particularly vengeful.
       But on the other hand, there is also the addition of a new mutant, Nightcrawler, who is a sincere Catholic who carries a pair of rosary beads and is frequently shown praying throughout the movie. He also has a brief discourse with Storm during which he says that he pities those who mock him rather than feeling anger towards them and that faith can help you survive. (Not bad for a comic-book movie.)