X2: X-Men United (2003)

You'll all have to excuse my complete lack of objectivity about X2. I started beating the drums and praying to the free movie pass gods quite a while back, and low and behold, last week my X2 passes arrived in the mail. Wild rejoicing ensued.

A long-term X-Men fan, I enjoyed the first film, although there were some things I would've changed. I had high hopes X2 would be the X-Men movie I'd waited fifteen years for, and oh my stars and garters! I was not disappointed.

 

Smarts

100%

Some people may find this high of a rating in the Smarts department, for a summer action flick that's based on a comic book, a bit shocking. Well, you know what? I was shocked at how good this movie was!

The writing was excellent, and I'm talking plot, pacing, AND the ever elusive dialog. No stinky one-liners here. The special effects were top notch! The cinematography was excellent.

The acting deserves to be singled out. It's not easy to do high quality acting in a film of this genre, and they did it. Each and every actor did a great job, and Hugh Jackman brought Wolverine to life in way that gave me chills! James Marsden and Famke Janssen also did exemplary jobs, but it's perhaps Alan Cumming that deserves the most praise. He nailed it.

No plot holes! No rotten dialog! No bad wigs! X2 succeeds everywhere it's predecessor failed.

 

Popcorn

100%

This is the most fun I've had at a movie in years! Maybe even ever! The visuals are stunning, the costumes are even better than last time, the mutant powers are breathtaking.

The humor is wonderful in this movie as well. Wolverine always had some of the best humorous lines in the comics, and they translated that perfectly here.

But what'd I like to stress here is the balance. Everything here is done with perfect balance. The humor? Just the right amount, at just the right times. The cameo's? they felt natural and right, not forced at all. Comic fans will be geeking out at the seams, while non-fans will not be put off at all.

The theater audience was also more vocal than any I've heard before. They ooohed, they aaaaahed, they gasped, and they cheered and clapped at least six times! This is A+ entertainment!

 

Final

Are you still here? Go see this movie! Right now, this weekend. It's more than worth the time, the money, the lines.

And then rush home to pre-order your X2 dvd. It’s so good, you’ll want to watch it again and again.