Rating: ****Remember when sequels used to suck. Well the makers of X-2: X-Men United don’t either. According to Director Bryan Singer, X-Men 2 is his “Empire Strikes Back” but I can think of a better comparison; Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan, both are superior sequels with better action, story and character development, over their originals which were criticized by some as being too slow, and the feeling that it was rushed to completion, which of course it was. But finally, with more time, and yes, more money, Singer has made his X-Men movie.
Singer as well as screenwriters Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, and David Hayter crafted the story based on the 1982 X-Men Graphic Novel entitled “God Loves, Man Kills”, in which a Reverand named Stryker leads a crusade against Mutants, and the X-Men in particular. In X-2, Stryker is an army colonel, who leads a military raid on Professor Xavier’s School of The Gifted, after a teleporting mutant called Nightcrawler attempts to assassinate the President. Stryker’s plans force the X-Men and Magneto to team-up before all the Mutants on Earth pay the price for Stryker’s revenge.
Along with the survivors of X-Men 1, X-2 introduces us to some new faces like Stryker, and Nightcrawler as well as the fire-controlling Pyro, the Wolverine-like Lady Deathstrike, and an expanded role for Iceman. In the raid scene we also get a few cameos of some future X-Men like the metallic Colossus; Shadowcat, who can pass through solid objects; and Syrin, she with the super-sonic scream. Cameos like these, as well as several otherr delightful little, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them, Easter Eggs will keep X-Men fans glued to their seats.
As with X-Men the first, an actor’s performance is just as important as the effects. Classically trained theatre actors Sir Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart play it straight as Magneto and Professor X respectively. McKellan plays Magneto like the Devil, someone who tells you the things you want to here, makes pretty promises to lure you to his cause. It’s beautifully illustrated in an exchange between him and the young Pyro, which has serious overtones if you are at all familiar with the comic. While Stewart adds depths of shade to Xavier, drawing him as man just as willing to take many of the same risks Magneto does, to achieve his own goals.
Like Wrath of Khan, X-2 leaves things open for an obvious sequel, with the death of a major character and a closing scene that suggests that character’s rising from the dead. And as with that past Trek, X-2 has proved already that it’s got the financial backing of the movie-going public to proceed with part 3. I’d already be anxious to see it, but there’s something else I got to do right now...go and see the Matrix Reloaded. overtones if you are at all familiar with the comic. While Stewart adds depths of shade to Xavier, drawing him as man
Singer as well as screenwriters Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, and David Hayter crafted the story based on the 1982 X-Men Graphic Novel entitled “God Loves, Man Kills”, in which a Reverand named Stryker leads a crusade against Mutants, and the X-Men in particular. In X-2, Stryker is an army colonel, who leads a military raid on Professor Xavier’s School of The Gifted, after a teleporting mutant called Nightcrawler attempts to assassinate the President. Stryker’s plans force the X-Men and Magneto to team-up before all the Mutants on Earth pay the price for Stryker’s revenge.
Along with the survivors of X-Men 1, X-2 introduces us to some new faces like Stryker, and Nightcrawler as well as the fire-controlling Pyro, the Wolverine-like Lady Deathstrike, and an expanded role for Iceman. In the raid scene we also get a few cameos of some future X-Men like the metallic Colossus; Shadowcat, who can pass through solid objects; and Syrin, she with the super-sonic scream. Cameos like these, as well as several otherr delightful little, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them, Easter Eggs will keep X-Men fans glued to their seats.
As with X-Men the first, an actor’s performance is just as important as the effects. Classically trained theatre actors Sir Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart play it straight as Magneto and Professor X respectively. McKellan plays Magneto like the Devil, someone who tells you the things you want to here, makes pretty promises to lure you to his cause. It’s beautifully illustrated in an exchange between him and the young Pyro, which has serious overtones if you are at all familiar with the comic. While Stewart adds depths of shade to Xavier, drawing him as man just as willing to take many of the same risks Magneto does, to achieve his own goals.
Like Wrath of Khan, X-2 leaves things open for an obvious sequel, with the death of a major character and a closing scene that suggests that character’s rising from the dead. And as with that past Trek, X-2 has proved already that it’s got the financial backing of the movie-going public to proceed with part 3. I’d already be anxious to see it, but there’s something else I got to do right now...go and see the Matrix Reloaded. overtones if you are at all familiar with the comic. While Stewart adds depths of shade to Xavier, drawing him as man
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