X2 (2003)
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Famke Jansen
Director: Bryan Singer
Synopsis: The Mutant's are back for a second outing – bigger, better and darker than before.
Reviewed by: Ali Khan

Bryan Singer did an admirable job in the first X-Men. It is always difficult dealing with superhero origins but when you have to deal with a team of superheroes the task is that much more problematic. As a result X-Men struggled with introducing its main characters but Singer still managed to deliver an entertaining first outing.

With much of the main introductory material now out of the way, Singer is able to concentrate more on building up his characters. Jackman’s Wolverine continues to lead the pack and the actor and the character’s charisma and intensity ensure that the screen is very much alive whenever he is present. Surprisingly though the weakest part of the film also involves Wolverine and the developing but unconvincing love triangle between him, Cyclops and Jean Gray.

Better is the start of the exploration of a younger group of mutants led by Rogue and Ice-Man. It’s more hesitant – more unsure a la Spider-Man but it adds variation. There is also a strong new character in Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler – a mutant with a strong ‘faith’ and an ability to ‘teleport’. Much of the emotion and wit in X2 comes via this welcome new entrant. Regulars from the last film cement their own characters as well – so we see more of Storm, the alluring shape shifting Mystique and the bland duo of Cyclops and Jean Gray. Fans will also be happy to catch glimpses of other X-Men that are bound to be introduced further down the line.

The pace of the film never slackens and the action sequences, though, less overt than in X-Men, are given an impressive scale while the effects remain suitably exciting though not overwhelming.

X-2 is also darker than its predecessor. There are clear references to a post September 11th world – Mutants are to be registered and there is a growing intolerance and paranoia of those that are not human. X2 may be a film about superheroes but it is set against weightier issues and Singer is not afraid of exploring this. The overall result is a richer storyline and a more rounded end product.

The performances are suitably polished – as can be expected from the likes of Stewart, Mckellan, Cox et al. Alan Cummings as Nightcrawler certainly catches the eye in between his teleporting.

A good start to the summer, X2 is a blockbuster with some bite and it sets up the X-Men franchise as a superhero series that brings excitement and thrills as well as a degree of gravity and intelligence.