Sunday, August 16, 2015

X2: X-men United


The 2003 sequel to X-men (reviewed here), X2: X-men United focuses on the same topic: mutant-human relations.  Things seem to be going better after Magneto was arrested for his crimes at the end of X-men . . . but some humans still want the mutants gone.  Colonel Stryker is one such, and he has a plan to kill every mutant on the planet.  To do so, however, he needs the powers of Professor X . . . which he might just be able to obtain through devious methods.  X-men and the Brotherhood (the bad guys from the first film) must unite to combat this new menace . . . or face extinction.

Most say this film is better than the original.  I'm one of them- the plot felt 'tighter,' though the movie still had the "rushed-yet-slow" feeling of the first (perhaps due in part to the somewhat uncompelling musical score).  Most characters return, with a few additions- Nightcrawler being my favorite.*  The graphics and effects are decent- though they don't hold a candle to today.  The dialogue is better; the message and outcome are the same- you're either in the 'fight' or 'unite' camp when it comes to mutant-human relations, and so far, the 'unite' crowd seems to be winning.**   In the end, this is a good film with a 'first-generation superhero flick' feel to it.

Rating: B+

*A German, Christian, and former circus entertainer . . . what's not to like?
**Will that hold true for X-men 3??  

No comments:

Post a Comment