Rating: 
Summary: entertainment-x style
Review: I am not a fan of the comix or cartoons. so I am not the best at knowing all the characters and their connections. but for entertainment,? the movie itself was ok. I thought the movie had some very nice characters and one knows that what is important in movies is characters and story. In this regard to this movie---we do care about them and their plight. I also thought the movie's pace was too long---they could have done more with the editing of it. too many minor characters were thrown in with no real reason for them to be there---they could have saved many of them for future sequels. the other minor quibble is, although all danger threatened at the x-people---there was always a x-men there to save the day---they should have had more peril with more thrilling outcomes. however, I was pleased with wolverines--intended lust --that that character made a choice in her life and lived by her decision--movies can't and should not be all good and simple. this decision was thrilling to watch. I however, thought the ending was weak but overall its a movie worth seeing for the main characters in the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: "X2: X-Men United" Review
Review: Having been more than a little disappointed with the lack of action in the first installment this movie did not let me down. The sequel improves on the original maybe three times over. The original X-Men have all returned, with Iceman having a more significant part, but the Brotherhood is missing Toad and Sabertooth (if anyone knows why please email me). The new additions to the roster are the fire-totting, hot tempered Pyro and the teleporting Nightcrawler. There is not a dull moment. From the assault on the White House in the opening scene to the Climax at the Weapon X facility in Canada. The basic plot is that Stryker has begun a campaign to destroy mutant kind and the mutants must unite to fight for their lives. One thing people who have seen the first one will notice is that this movie is much more brutal. X-Men and Brotherhood alike tally up a high body count. If your like me you were expecting cameos from Gambit and Beast, but unfortunately neither are anywhere in sight, but the movie does feature a short, but memorable, scene with Colossus. Expect larger roles for Colossus and Jubilee, who made a brief, non-active appearance. Comic Book fans will have a basic idea of what will happen in the next movie. Basically, go see it.
Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining, but inconsistent with comic
Review: I very much enjoyed this movie. The action and character development was well done, but there were a number of incidents that were not consistent with the comic book characters. But to see your favorite X-men characters come to life, it is terrific. There are some other well-placed, if not hidden, references to characters that may be to come (hopefully Gambit)
Rating:
Summary: Even better than the first.
Review: Wow! This movie rocks. What else can I say--I liked it even better than the first one which I've seen several times. The first action sequence is spectacular, and there are several more paced well throughout the film. The only time it gets a little slow is toward the end, but that's not enough to detract from the overall experience significantly, at least for me.It's also well-acted, and like the first one has the underlying theme of the need for tolerance of those who are different, and also shows how if you give in to hatred and aggression you will become the very thing you despise (stay away from the dark side).By the way, Highlander fans, there's a regular from that series featured in the film, but I won't give away who it is.
Rating:
Summary: Is it worth it?
Review: I'm really not into comic book stuff, and I never did see X-men I. The trailers for X men 2, as well as my friends, induced me into watching it. Although I'm still not into comic book characters, this movie was quiet exceptional. The best part of this movie are the camera techniques that have been used. The underscoring of the movie wasn't so good at first, but it turned out to be ok towards the end. The lighting, parallel editing, and various shots such as high angle, medium, and long were some of the various techniques that helped to emphasize the fights really well. There was this once scene, where a shot of Wolverine's face dissolved into a wolf's, and then back again. I don't remember the exact word for that. There were times during the movie where I got bored, because some of the dialogue just seems monotonous. Some of the fights scenes, besides the angles being great, were sort of bizarre because the people were just twisting and turning in slow motion. If the music, along with the quick body movements are used to accentuate a fight scene, what's the point of showing the bodies flying around slowly?
I also didn't like how the trailers shows Deathstrike's power. It wouldn've been much better and more drastic if people just saw it for the first time in the movie. And what was up with tha guy without the shirt? Apparently he plays a big role in the comic book, but he's just shown two or three times in the entire movie.
I would definately recommend this movie to those who are really into fiction, but for those who are not, it'd be better to just wait for the video/dvd.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasing effort, but many small and not so small flaws.
Review: I thought the first X-Men movie was a mess. I liked bits of it, particularly Hugh Jackman's performance as Wolverine, and some of scenes were electrifying, including the "cage" match and the train sequence where Magneto lifts Wolverine into the air and gives him a stretch. What was wrong with it? Tone deaf story-telling, for one. I'd come to expect that from Bryan Singer. After watching Apt Pupil, I had low expectations about his ability to know a plot hole if it smacked him in the head. I was right. The dialogue was mainly lame, as well. Add to that a rather stupid story with inexplicable inconsistencies.But enough of X-Men the first. What of this effort? It's a better movie. Significantly so. It still has big problems, and small ones (like Wolverine standing in the frozen tundra and exhaling with no "breath" to be seen). But the dialogue is at various times snappy, funny, and energetic. There must have been a new screenwriter involved, because X-2 has no lines that make you want to burst out laughing. (Remember in X-Men when Storm and Toad have a dreadful exchange about the effects of lightning?) The lightness of some of the lines provides a terrific counterpoint to dramatic and intense evil that the film depicts. I, frankly, never expected a menace as dark and deep as Stryker and company, nor did I expect the fascinating twist at the end. Frankly, one of the things that was missing from X-Men was a depiction of the vainglorious side of Magneto, in which his pride and arrogance go hand in hand with almost god-like powers. This is a truly "magnetic" persona, one who can call and army of followers with his grand ideas and charisma. McKellan does a star turn in this one (even though he still can't help but mumble some lines). Jackman, as expected, is terrific (although his hair looks just plain stupid in some of the scenes--in what appears to be an effort to mimic the comic books; it isn't the hair so much as the silly appearance that detracts from the scenes). Anna Paquin is as insufferable and whiny as in the first film. Rebecca Romijn does a really great, nuanced performance as Mystique (not to mention a drop dead gorgeous scene where she appears as herself, without the blue skin). Alan Cumming is wonderful as Nightcrawler, who comes across as closest to the selfless superhero mold. And Aaron Stanford gets an honorable mention as a terrific Pyro. Brian Cox makes a formidable villain. I could run through the story problems--there are a few--and the fact that this movie could have been so much better. But, I'm content to leave those points unmentioned. Go in for a roller coaster ride with interesting plot twists, fun lines, and some great performances. And then, for me, say a prayer that Halle Berry and Anna Paquin don't make it into X-3. That, alone, would improve the franchise immeasurably.
Rating:
Summary: Truly thrilling blockbuster sequel--a rarity!
Review: My expectations for summer blockbuster sequels have been virtually destroyed by recent summers which gave us watered down mush like "MIB II" and the feeble Star Wars sequels. Besides, the original X-Men was just a good, if not fully realized, superhero movie. I probably would have been happy if the sequel merely lived up to the original. Within the first 20 minutes "X2" establishes itself as that rarest of beasts: the sequel that surpasses its predecessor on virtually every point of comparison. If anything it's even truer to the comic, as a cigar-chomping Wolverine comes into his own with the kind of brief responses and one-liners his animated counterpart has spat out for years. The newcomers are engaging, especially Nightcrawler, who opens the film with an action sequence that is made truly breathtaking with rocket-fast camera work, imaginative editing and cutting-edge special effects. Everything I've read so far makes reference to this sequence and with good reason. There is nothing like an action movie that grabs you by the throat from frame one. We learn more about the returning characters from the first film and we get to see them interact in new ways, some not by choice but by necessity. We understand more about what makes them who they are in a way that is universal to anyone who's ever felt excluded or outside looking in. This is due mainly to absolutely top-notch acting from almost everyone. It's like nobody has told Brian Cox, Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellan that they're in a comic book movie and their line readings run the gamut from earnest to grave to brutally funny. I was starting to think Magneto was going to be sidelined for the film but when his moment in the sun arrives, McKellan is so good I actually was cheering for him. On that point, I'll just say that my audience was cheering, laughing, and applauding throughout the film. Seattle audiences are desperately snooty and we're quick to show our displeasure for cheese or lazy filmmaking (a la Star Wars 1999-present) and all I can tell you is this film is a true crowd pleaser. Go stand in line! Every moment is worth it!
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes, you have to have faith...
Review: I just saw X2 at the theater, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. That being said, there are spoilers ahead, so if you don't want to know, stop reading now. So what does X2 offer us? A look into the world of the X-Men that's even more in depth than the first one. Opening shortly where the first film left off, Wolverine returns to the mansion (with Cyclop's bike) with mutant hatred at an all time high after an attempt on the President's life by Nightcrawler.
With Jean and Storm tracing the renegade mutant, and Cyclops and Xavier heading out to find out what connection, if any, Magneto had, Logan finds himself babysitting the kids in the mansion.
Little do they know the whole event was orchestrated by William Stryker, a man who hates mutants. And with the Mansion unguarded, Stryker takes Xavier prisoner and launches an all out war on the Xavier Institute.
We finally get to see Wolverine cut loose, and he leaves bodies all over the place this time out.
Mystique, in the meanwhile, aids Magneto in his escape from the plastic prison we last saw him in, in a scene that highlights the use of his powers in a beautifully composed scene.
Recognizing a common threat, Magneto and the X-Men join forces to stop Stryker, in the meanwhile, learning more about the origins of Wolverine, and witnessing Jean Grey's powers rising in scope and effect (a prelude of things to come, if you've read the books).
Jean sacrifices herself to save the others, and the movie ends with a scene reminiscent of another sci-fi which I will not name, but I will say that it was also the second in its series. All in all, a perfect comic book film, faithful not only to the source material, but also to the details from the first film in the series, with no continuity errors that I could find.
Rating:
Summary: Five Stars Ain't Enough
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect with this movie as I felt that the first X-Men movie. This sequel out-did this first! All your favorites are back. This movie did a good job of expanding the X-Men universe without being sloppy. The story was tight, without a ridiculous cliffhanger. The story ended well, yet you can see that there is much more to do with this franchise. The special effect are superb. The acting is great. From the outset your attention is grabbed and not released until the end. My advice to you is don't drink too much soda, because you really do not want to miss anything by having to go to the restroom. Judging by the crowd, you might even want to catch a matinee.
Rating:
Summary: 10 STARS!!!
Review: This is the best sequel EVER made! This makes X-Men 1 look like Pee Wee's Playhouse. This is everything every comic book movie wasn't. This movie is PERFECT! Let me start off with the Nighcrawler scene at the beginning of the movie. That alone was the most incredible action scene EVER in a movie! The Matrix? What's the Matrix? Just about all of the characters in this movie have a balanced time on screen and they all get to show off their powers. The only one who was left out was Cyclops. But he does have more to do this time than last time. Storm gets a lot more to say and plays an important role in the outcome of the story. She still doesn't get to fly but what she does do makes up for it. Wolverine is COOL! Magneto kicks BUTT! But who is the coolest mutant in X2? MYSTIQUE!!! She went from a nobody in the first film to the most incredibly cool character in this one! When you go to see this movie be on the look out for Gambit's name on a computer screen (Remy LeBeau) and Beast on a TV screen (Hank McCoy.) This movie sets up X3's story line which should include a major role from Jean Grey. She is one of the most powerful and important characters in this movie and in the next she will probably be the most dangerous. Go see the movie. If you don't like it there's really no hope for you.
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