My headline pokes gentle fun at "X2: X-Men Unite," the first big blockbuster event of the 2003 summer season. That's because the unwieldy title really isn't unveiled to the end of the film; rather it's the much more understated "X2."
The good news for Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan is that "X2" ensures a solid franchise for two excellent actors with franchises on the wane.
Stewart's "Star Trek" series is misfiring on all thrusters lately, and McKellan's "Lord of the Rings" turn is about over as well, unless some previously undiscovered Tolkien work pops up real soon.
The actors return to their roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, two mutants who are ideologically counter-balanced. One of the intriguing features of both "X Men" films has been the Magneto character. On the face of things, he's the villain as the "bad mutant."
But as both these films unspool, it becomes increasingly evident that the worst psycho-mutant in the world can't hold a candle to any power-hungry American general.
The madman in this installment is General William Stryker (Brian Cox), who has been using truth serum on Magneto to determine the location of Cerebro, the slick, new-age hair dryer that Xavier uses to track down wayward mutants hungry for the education of his institute. Stryker wants to use Xavier and Cerebro to eliminate the mutants once and for all.
To defend Xavier's institution, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) returns, complete with his "Play Misty For Me" vintage Clint Eastwood sideburns and Wally Cleaver jellyroll hairstyle. Not to mention his Cuisinart fingers. Storm (Halle Berry) is back as well, meaning that we can expect another rinse on Monica Kaufman's current do real soon. Also back for the sequel is James Marsden, with a meatier role for his Cyclops character in this installment, and Dr. Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) for the good guys, and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) for Magneto.
Added to the mix for this installment is Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, who is responsible for the opening, and arguably best, sequence in the film, as well as Pyro (Aaron Stanford) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), the latter as a love interest for Rogue (Anna Paquin).
Kelly Hu, the martial artist from the late CBS-TV series "Martial Law" is introduced as Stryker's sidekick.
The movie layers on action sequence on action sequence, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Just as the film began to feel mechanical to me, the latter third of the story focused on the aspects I enjoyed so much about the first film
Tuesday
August 5th, 2025
10:12PM
