X2

Released 2003
Stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romjin-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davision, Anna Paquin, Kelly Hu, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford
Directed by Bryan Singer

The story picks up where the first movie ended, preserving continuity. Wolverine is in the process of tracking down his roots, Magneto is trapped in his metal-deficient prison, and the mutant issue is being widely debated on a national political level. Then, when the mysterious Nightcrawler sneaks into the White House and nearly assassinates the U.S. President, General William Stryker (Brian Cox), a man with a vendetta against mutants, is given special powers to raid Professor X's school and detain everyone there. Suddenly, the mutants are scattered and under siege, Professor X is captured and brainwashed to be used as a weapon of genocide against his people, Magneto is free and working with the X-Men, and Jean Grey has discovered the terrifying depths of her mental powers. As the war begins, the casualties mount on both sides.

Summary by James Berardinelli

This is a good popcorn flick, but I didn't like it as much as the first one because it lacked the first one's exuberance. The X-Men is a parable about racism, and it likes to scratch the surface of what it's like to be different, so I think it's unfortunate that the movies concentrate on the negatives and pretty much ignore the positives of having these powers. Their abilities are very exciting, and I wish they'd have more scenes where the kids revel in them. The movies have fantastic special effects and action sequences, but they desperately need some character development. Jean Grey sacrificed herself, and it was an anti-climactic moment. I don't remember anyone dying in the first movie, but they were quite willing to kill in this one. I can only imagine how many will die in X3. --Bill Alward, December 30, 2003