X2 picks up (story wise) directly where the first movie left off. While Logan/Wolverine (Jackman) is off hunting down his past in the wilderness, it's life as normal for the rest of the mutants. That is until there is an assassination attempt on the President in the White House itself by a mutant, an extremely impressive opening sequence. Following on from this incident, the President grants mutant specialist William Stryker (Cox) access to infiltrate Professor Xavier's school, not knowing of Stryker's real motives. While Storm (Berry) and Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) hunt for the assassin, a tailed, blue German mutant going by the name Nightcrawler (played by Britain's own Alan Cumming), Logan is left to babysit the school alone. Prof. X (Stewart) and Cyclops (James Marsden) have popped off to visit Magneto (McKellen) in his plastic prison by the way. This leads to the begining of a cascade of events, starting with an assault on the school by the military under Stykers command.
If you think that sounds a mouthful, that is literally only half the story! I could rattle on and on, including some major characters I have left out, just to set up the premise. But I think it best to see this movie for yourself. Why? Because it kicks ass that's why! Instead of going through the motions of a normal sequel (a word director Bryan Singer does not like to use), this movie just expands and flows directly from the first, without being too tied up in the detailed mish-mash of its events, and thus not confusing the first-time 'X-Movie-go-er'. Sure it picks up some of the trends of sequels, expanding the cast, scope and spectacle to keep the audience happy, but never loses sight of the story. A very good story at that, grounded a little with some interesting sub-plots and morals hidden here and there.
Hugh Jackman again steals the show as fan-fave Wolverine, disposing of enemies left and right with some pretty graphic violence for its certification! He really loves the character, bringing an unstable and unpredictable element to the mutant. He can be docile and joking one minute, then shredding bodies in a rampage of fury the next, that's why he's so entertaining to watch. That said, the rest of the cast (a bloody increasingly impressive one!) do more than hold their own. Particular notes to Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Mystique, and newcomer Aaron Stanford as Pyro, proving themselves alongside such thespians as McKellen, Stewart and Cox. Action and special effects are wonderful, along with a much more identifiable music score. Bryan Singer has clearly poured his heart into this movie, improving on the things lacking in the first, we can only hope that he improves again on the inevitable X-Men 3. Oh yeah, bad points being a slightly drawn out ending, making the pace sag a bit. Also a wonderfully hammy (and unintentionally funny) teary sequence between Cyclops and a mind-controlled Xavier, did ruin things slightly. |
