X2: X-Men United

Name: X2: X-Men United
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Released: May 2, 2003
Duration: 133 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen

2003

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 831 Ratings

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8.7

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8.7	User Score Universal acclaim based on 831 Ratings

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X2: X-Men United

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: May 2, 2003 | PG-13

Starring: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart

Summary: Mutants continue to struggle against a society that fears and distrusts them. Their cause becomes even more desperate following an incredible attack by an as yet undetermined assailant possessing extraordinary abilities. With the fates of mankind - and mutantkind - in their hands, the X-Men Face their most dangerous mission ever. [20th Century Fox]

Director: Bryan Singer

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 133 min

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Awards & Rankings

14	#14 Most Discussed Movie of 2003
10	#10 Most Shared Movie of 2003

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Michael O'Sullivan

The fantastic and at times deliciously nihilistic world of X2 is fully, believably three-dimensional. Read full review

Premiere Glenn Kenny

One of the things that makes this movie such a great rush is that while you’re watching it, it seems a good deal more subversive than it really is. Read full review

David Edelstein

My chief complaint is that these mutants are a little--well, vanilla. I wish the X-Men had a touch of kinkiness to go with their weird abilities. Read full review

Steven Rea

As it is, most of X2's action is restricted to the Northeast Corridor, with a climactic face-off in the western Rockies, where, in typical blockbuster fashion, everything goes kablooey and ka-bam. Read full review

Stephanie Zacharek

In some ways, X2 is an obvious improvement on its predecessor: It looks more expensive, and its special effects seem to swoop out of nowhere...But "X-Men" was undoubtedly the most elegiac comic-book adaptation of the past few years. Read full review

Wesley Morris

It's scenic, confidently directed and performed, dutiful, faithful, revelatory, informative, and largely involving. Rarely, however, is it any fun. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

The movie is overplotted, a soulless maze of special effects and relentless action. Read full review

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User Reviews

Thegodfatherson

Jul 29, 2013

Tightly scripted, solidly acted, and impressively ambitious, X2: X-Men United is bigger and better than its predecessor and a benchmark for comic sequels in general.

10 of 10 users found this helpful100

MrMovieBuff

May 26, 2016

'X2: X-Men United' is a deeper, darker, more violent and horrifying movie, and the best of the "X-Men" legacy. Bryan Singer directs a more solid, and intense chapter for our mutant heroes, and it's an enormous improvement of the first movie, which I thought was absolutely fantastic.

The'X2: X-Men United' is a deeper, darker, more violent and horrifying movie, and the best of the "X-Men" legacy. Bryan Singer directs a more solid, and intense chapter for our mutant heroes, and it's an enormous improvement of the first movie, which I thought was absolutely fantastic.

The movie opens with what could be the best opening for any movie, and that involves the White House and a mutant named Kurt Wagner aka "Nightcrawler" (Alan Cumming) attempting to assassinate the U.S. President in a fast-paced, intense, and sometimes scary scene which we see Nightcrawler teleport away from the guards. This is a difficult scene to do well, and Singer manages to keep everything in focus.

We see Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) appear at the lake where he became metal and where his memory of his origins may have been erased, but he cannot seem to find any answers. The group of mutants at Charles Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) school return, and it seems that Jean (Famke Janssen) is having trouble controlling her telepathic powers. This is a tease to her "Phoenix saga", and Cyclops (James Marsden) is concerned and tries not to make her worry.

Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Rogue (Anna Paquin) also return, and it seems that Rogue's powers of uncontrollably harming an individual seem to stall their relationship as they cannot express physical love for one another.

Magneto (Ian McKellen) is still in prison since the events of 'X-Men' (2000) and he is visited by a Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox), who wants him to give information where Charles' Cerebro is, and plots to use it against all the mutants and wipe them out. Colonel Stryker also plans to kidnap Xavier in order for him to use Cerebro and convince him to do so, but he runs into Wolverine along his journey, and Wolverine thinks that Stryker is a link to his forgotten past.

The action scenes in this movie are better than ever, particularly the Nightcrawler scene at the White House, the raid scene in the X-Mansion with Wolverine maniacally killing Stryker's guards left, right and center. There is also a scene in which Wolverine fights another mutant with very similar powers to his.

Just like stated above, this is a darker sequel, and more character driven as we get some time developed to Iceman, in a very well done scene where he explains about his mutant abilities that he was born with. The movie is also half an hour longer than its predecessor, and it still moves at a fast pace, with more characters, more violence, more action and a darker tone...'X2: X-Men United' is one of the best comic book sequels out there.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SonicHD7

Jun 1, 2017

Stryker (Brian Cox), a villianous former Army commander, holds the key to Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) past and the future of the X-Men. This threat re-ignites the call for a mutant registration act. Stryker starts a full-out assault on Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) mansion and school.Stryker (Brian Cox), a villianous former Army commander, holds the key to Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) past and the future of the X-Men. This threat re-ignites the call for a mutant registration act. Stryker starts a full-out assault on Professor Xavier's (Patrick Stewart) mansion and school. After escaping his plastic cell, Magneto (Ian McKellen) proposes a partnership with Xavier and the X-Men to combat this new formidable enemy they both have in common.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MamaTLF

Nov 2, 2013

I was stunned by the action combined with special effects in this movie the same way now as the first time i watched it when i was younger, it is amazing. The movie features some funny moments and scenes that make you feel great when you experience them and clichés are hardly even noticeableI was stunned by the action combined with special effects in this movie the same way now as the first time i watched it when i was younger, it is amazing. The movie features some funny moments and scenes that make you feel great when you experience them and clichés are hardly even noticeable but they are here and there. I recommend this movie to everyone to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

aadityamudhar

Apr 18, 2016

Like the first Tim Burton-directed Batman movie, the original X-Men was the rare comic-book adaptation that satisfied the needs of both summer-movie audiences and all but the most Mylar-addled comic-book fans. Directed with depth, efficiency, and wit by Bryan Singer, the film suffered onlyLike the first Tim Burton-directed Batman movie, the original X-Men was the rare comic-book adaptation that satisfied the needs of both summer-movie audiences and all but the most Mylar-addled comic-book fans. Directed with depth, efficiency, and wit by Bryan Singer, the film suffered only from a tendency to seem like a setup for an even bigger movie. And here it is. Significantly longer and stuffed with new mutants, unresolved old business, new subplots, and many more fights, X2: X-Men United suggests that Singer's gaggle of screenwriters received script notes reading "More, more, more." Fortunately, bigger usually equals better here, and when it doesn't, it equals just as good. The film opens with the kind of breathless setpiece most action movies would save for a climax: an assassination attempt on the U.S. president by teleporting mutant Nightcrawler (a well-cast Alan Cumming, who finds the right balance of scariness and helplessness). What looks like a terrorist act is eventually revealed as a broader conspiracy to crack down on mutant freedoms, a plot spearheaded by hateful general Brian Cox, who uses the attack as an excuse to go after the residents of the school run by Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). With their expansive casts, tangled plotlines, and overheated passions, the X-Men comic books have always been as much about soap operatics as laser beams. So far, the film series has not just understood that notion, but run with it. Singer sandwiches melodrama within eye-catching, comics-inspired compositions, allows time for characters to interact with (and often annoy) one another, and, whenever the situation gets too grim, lets Hugh Jackman's anti-heroic Wolverine or some other witty business deflate any pretensions. Aside from a couple of duds in the ensemble, the film also benefits from its gifted cast, with Ian McKellen once again standing out as Magneto, the pitiless, radical mutant whose escape from prison leads to the uneasy alliance suggested by the film's subtitle. With all the talk of government crackdowns in the name of national security–the president even shares George W. Bush's habit of wearing an American-flag pin, lest anyone question his patriotism–the story also boasts a muted contemporary resonance. Only in the finale do the special effects start to overwhelm the plot and characters, but by that point, the film has long since begun to coast on its own momentum toward the inevitable, and welcome, setup for the presumably even bigger X3.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LivingTribunal

Apr 24, 2018

In most of the super hero trilogies, second film has the most possibility. There are some similarities of first films that are the best. They have good setting, or basic idea. That's the cases of The Matrix, and Maze Runner. When they finish the trilogy well, last one is the best. That's theIn most of the super hero trilogies, second film has the most possibility. There are some similarities of first films that are the best. They have good setting, or basic idea. That's the cases of The Matrix, and Maze Runner. When they finish the trilogy well, last one is the best. That's the best example of Lord of the Rings. When the possibility of story is good, second film is the best. That includes most of the super hero films because the producer doesn't have to spend time on the start of the hero or the ending of the trilogy. That's the cases of Spider Man, The Dark Knight, and the Winter Soldier. Of course in X-Men Series, that was the case. This film will give you amazing experience with many thoughts as well as good actions. Professor X and Magneto still has the force that they had before, and Wolverine is still cool. This movie is quite amazing, and I can say that Brian Singer fits in X-Men series.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JerkGuy

Oct 1, 2007

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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