In a world where humans and mutants must co-exist, a new war emerges. The X-Men are back in the sequel, X2: X-Men United. This time, the President’s life is in danger and the school is under attack as a new enemy emerges: William Stryker (Brian Cox).

This military general plots to rid the world of all mutants alike, so to save the mutant race, the X-Men unite with their mutant enemies, Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos). This unusual combination of forces must find a way to stop their mutual enemy. X2 carries on from where it left off the first time, as Wolverine continues to search for his past, which Stryker is speculated to be a part of. X2 is a sequel that holds up to its predecessor, with lots of action and special effects, an amazing cast, and a full storyline.

I’m not usually a big fan of action movies, although I do make an exception when it comes to comic book based films. Any comic fan would understand the awe in seeing their favorite superheroes come to life and fight the bad guys on the big screen. It’s like the characters are jumping right out of your comic book. When a movie like X2 has characters who have immeasurable powers like manipulating weather and fire, or who can teleport across the room, the special effects better not fall flat. Not to worry, this movie won’t let any fans down with its awesome special effects that bring the characters to life. The special effects, along with the entertaining action sequences, are very apparent right from the beginning of the film; it drew me in rather quickly.

The X-Men characters also drew me in rather easily. They’re all so dynamic and interesting with their distinct personalities and unique powers. One thing that let me down, though, is that the movie doesn’t explain much about the character’s personalities and backgrounds. There’s only enough time to focus on a few select characters throughout the film. In the first X-Men movie, I was disappointed that Storm (Halle Berry) barely had any screen time, but glad to see she got quite a bit more in X2. It was pretty cool to get to know her better and to see a lot of her amazing powers in action. Other characters, like Cyclops, are rarely seen. By the end of the movie you are left wondering and wanting to know more about them.

I thought the acting throughout this movie was very believable and lifelike. Patrick Stewart, who plays Professor X, fits this role like a glove. I think this is one of the most comfortable roles I’ve ever seen him in. Hugh Jackman doesn’t fall far behind. With his stunning good looks, bad boy image, and good heart, he portrays the perfect Wolverine. Alan Cumming’s performance is also quite amazing. He plays the role of Nightcrawler, which isn’t an easy role to play since his character is rather dynamic. Nightcrawler, along with Pyro and Iceman are among the new friends who are introduced in this film. Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) was in the last X-Men movie, but he was only seen briefly at the end. However, I was really glad to see him as a main character in X2.

What made the movie even more interesting for me was the tension and temptations between the characters. The love triangle between Cyclops (James Marsden), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), and Wolverine that was apparent in the first X-Men film, still holds strong in X2. Sexual tension, and even evil temptation lurks among other characters as well.

X2 has all the elements that make a great movie. Interesting characters, lots of action and suspense, a love triangle, and not to mention the incredible cast make this a must see. Within all the comic book movies ever made, I would have to say this is among the best. It seems that some comic based films just don’t work, or are poorly made, but I would say X2 sits closely among the best with Spider-Man and Batman. If you are an X-Men fan, you will absolutely love this movie. It was even better than the first one.

Even if you aren’t a fan, I think you’d like it too. It may be a little confusing for people who haven’t seen the first one or who don’t follow the comics, though. On the other hand, it’s probably not that hard to figure out. There are the good guys, there are the bad guys, and they are both fighting for something.

Jeanette was born and raised in Edmonton. She has finally found her place as a university student and is working towards a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a very dubious major in English. This movie buff enjoys creative writing and reading all kinds of books. She hopes to work towards being a predominant writer in the entertainment field.