X2 (****):
Yes, this movie earned four stars from me. Why? Because it's BADASS. If you compare this one to the first one, you realize how much better this one is, because of several things. 1) They had more time to make it. 2) They had a bigger budget. 3) They knew what they were doing. There. Because of those three things, this movie's a lot better than the first. The actors are noticeably getting used to these roles, and it shows. The acting is much better this time, and several characters get a lot more screen time.
Another thing that's been improved is the direction. There are several cool shots, and the camera moves around a lot more, which is pretty slick, especially for this type of movie. Also, I was glad the special effects didn't overpower the plot; they helped tell the story. Some movies let the special effects do the telling, while the plot is paper-thin...it doesn't usually work. That wasn't the case this time. The action sequences are extremely well-done, and fun to watch. Nightcrawler's attempt to assassinate is easily one of the best scenes in the movie, but Wolverine's fight with Lady Deathstrike (or so I'm told) comes pretty damn close. Magneto's escape from his plastic/glass prison was great, and it was very well done...
The characters are pretty amusing, and several of them have quite a bit to do. Pyro was a nice addition the cast, as was Iceman, who had much more to do in this one. Rogue didn't have a lot to do, however. Wolverine is still as badass as he was in the first one, and Jean Grey has a lot more on her hands this time, especially with what she's becoming...Storm also was better this time, and Nightcrawler stood out the most, to me at least. Mystique had much more screen time, and seeing her change so much was pretty awesome. I really am looking forward to another one, and hopefully it will be made. This one really improved over the first one, and it was much more interesting. I've heard that they could make as many as 6 X-Men movies, but it was just a rumor. I wouldn't doubt that though, especially with the way the franchise is going.
Anyway, this movie was badass. If you haven't seen it, you might be able to catch it before it leaves theaters, and trust me, it's worth seeing. Let's hope that they make another X-Men, because things are looking good. I'm out...
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