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2000 saw the world's most popular comic come to life as The Usual Suspects director, Bryan Singer, bought his version of
X-Men
to the silver screen. Now, 3 years later, the cast and crew return to continue the
great genetic mutant movie story... |
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What's the Plot?
The world's "normal" population is still uncertain about the mutants that walk unchecked amongst them. So, when the President of the United States narrowly survives an incredible assassination attempt from a teleporting mutant - Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) - William Stryker (Brian Cox), a former Army commander and scientist, convinces the President to detain and question ALL possible mutants. His enquiries from a secret source, have led him to believe that the school run by Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is a front for the training of mutants of all ages. With permission to storm the building, his troops do so only to meet resistance from Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who has just returned from a journey to find out how he became a mutant. The other X Men however are on different assignments - Storm (Halle Berry) and Jean Gray (Famke Janssen) have been sent to find the Nightcrawler whilst Xavier accompanied by Cyclops (James Marsden) is visiting their nemesis, Magneto (Ian McKellen), to see if he is behind these events. The answers are far more dangerous than any of them could have imagined as both sets of mutants come to the conclusion that they may have to join forces to survive this new threat to them.. and the world.
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The Review The original X-Men left quite a few people wanting with the action and adventure elements somewhat lacking due to emphasis placed on the character's introductions and development. Second time round and everyone should be pleasantly surprised with what Director Bryan Singer has put upon the silver screen. As with the intention of every sequel - but rarely pulled off successfully - everything this time round is more: more action; more romance; more humour; more special effects; more intrigue and more characters. What is surprising though is that this increase has not affected the quality of the finished product but has helped to enhance it.
The new characters to the world of X-Men all get to have their fair share
of the limelight - Cumming's Nightcrawler being the stand-out performance
with a Matrix-esque "bullet-time" attack on the Whitehouse
which opens up the movie to a fantastic start - without encroaching on the established
leads screentime. X 2 even somehow manages to redress the balance
with Halle Berry's Storm and Famke Janssen's Jean receiving more of a storyline
this time instead of the emphasis resting solely on Jackman's Wolverine who
was the comic's most popular character. Of course, a lot still revolves
around him - the romance gets to awkward heights with an eternal triangle
between Cyclops, Jean and himself; Anna Paquin's Rouge who still has a
crush on him despite now having a boyfriend; the mystery of how he became
Wolverine that's somehow linked to Stryker - but this time round
it's not the Wolverine's Show.
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With the increased action also comes an
increase in the violence - the battle between Wolverine and his female counter-part,
Deathstrike (Kelly Hu) is eye-wateringly brutal as is the response to the
army men that raid the mutant school - but then that's what audiences wanted from the first film!
So, overall, X 2 is worthy of your
money and time and has set the standard for all the other summer blockbusters
that are set to follow. Roll on X 3 please !
STEVE'S SCORE
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Copyright © Steve Murphy 2003
