After the wildly popular release of the first X-Men film back in 2000, there was no surprise when FOX and Marvel announced a sequel due in 2003. As with the previous X-Men film ‘X-Men United’ was met with wild praise from both audiences and critics alike.
The story starts off with a tour in the White House. Everything seems to be going fine…until a guard sees what he assumes to be a lost tourist (Alan Cumming). That is until the mutant attacks the guard in what is arguably one of the best opening sequences in Marvel comic book movie history. The attack on the White House and guards ends when a guard shoots at the mutant…who vanishes in a puff of purple smoke.
After the events of the first X-Men film, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) visits Alkali Lake- a former research facility- to learn about his past. However, when he gets there, he finds nothing; just a snowy place where a building used to be.
Meanwhile at a natural history museum where some of the X-Men are taking some of the mutant kids under their care, Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) is having problems trying to control her psychic abilities. Most notably her mind-reading powers. Scott Summers (James Marsden) asks Jean what is wrong with her. She admits that she’s starting to lose control over her mind-reading powers and had been for some time.
It isn’t before long that the X-Men eventually learn about the mutant attack on the White House and the President and eventually head back home.
Praised by both critics and fans alike, ‘X2’ is considered the best of the original X-Men film trilogy from the 2000’s. I also agree with that sentiment as it’s also my favourite from the original X-Men trilogy. Especially with that opening which is probably my favourite comic book film opening along with ‘Batman Vs Superman’ in 2016.
There is a lot to like in this including the action scenes and John Ottoman’s score. For once, it was good to see both the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants working together.
Because of how well this film was received, it was given a sequel ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’…and a spin-off film that eventually became ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’.
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