X2 - X-Men United DVD: Review By The First Avenger: JohnnyBlaze

Do you know what happens to a toad when it's struck by lightning? What storm should have asked was can lightning strike twice for a mutant movie success? The answer is with a whopping 215 million gross, the answer is an undeniable yes.

While the first movie broke new ground in comic movie standards, in the form a melodramatic view of villain Magneto's childhood growing up in the true horror of "real life villains" Nazi Germany.

This time we are introduced to the blue skinned acrobat (and fan favorite)Nightcrawler as he makes his way thru the White house using his ability of teleportation to kick the crap out of the secret service in an attempt to assassinate the President. This scene alone is only a piece of what fans have been clamoring for from there favorite mutants and director Singer delivers with both style and beauty. Causing the instinct reaction of saying "Holy S***!"

After the failed attempt on the President's life panic ensues as the President gives the ok for William Stryker a mutant hating man of power with an alterative motive to investigate the Xavier mansion.

Later we meet the rest of the X men as some time has past between the two movies but not much has changed as Wolverine is still struggling to find his past, Magneto is still locked away in prison, And

Cyclops is still a tool.

Nothing stays the same for long though as we learn that Magneto under no fault of his own, has been giving Stryker valuable information about his longtime friend and adversary Charles Xavier and his X men causing the team to split up, form unlikely alliances, and "unite" to fight a common threat.(I shoulda been in advertising)

The sequel for the most part seems to move at a slower pace, as most of the characters and there relationships with one another have been established leaving plenty of room for storytelling and character development.

Rogue and bobby are now officially "together" although in a somewhat museum look but don’t touch relationship.

Nightcrawler one of the most uniquely designed x man of the group shines as the devil on the outside but saint on the inside played beautifully by Allan C*mming.

Speaking of beautiful Rebecca Rojmain's Mystique is still just as deadly (and naked) as ever and seems to have grown a strange fondness for Wolverine after there last encounter where he nearly killed her.

Hugh Jackman naturally plays the series main attraction Wolverine who's just as badass as ever if not bulkier then in the first movie. This time however Singer takes the ol canucle head a few pegs by getting punked by not only magneto and Cyclops but Xavier as well. Of course that's not to say Wolverine's lost his edge, not to be outdone by nightcrawlers opening white house scene, Wolverine explodes in one of the most intensely gratifying action scenes as he decimates soldiers one by one proving ounce again why he's the best there is at what he does.

Overall, this is one of the best comic movie adaptations out there; but it’s not without its faults. While some characters shine some are still on the back burner (poor Storm). Some characters are off the mark (Deathstrike a mutant Wha?!) and there is one scene that is cringe worthy of Wolverine fans everywhere as he takes a shot to the head and is knocked out for ten minutes! While this may seem subtle to non comic readers, fans know that two things should happen when Wolverine is shot by a handgun. First: nothing. Second: he should turn the guy who shot him into a carved jack o lantern.

Fan boy gripes aside this is a great sequel that if you took my advice on seeing the first movie go hand in hand together as some may argue that the sequel surpasses the original. Check it out, now if you’ll excuse me I gotta disappear; bamph! Nuff said.

THE GOOD: Singer shows us again that you don’t have to be a longtime fan to realize the potential of these characters. Also our first taste of Wolvies "berserker Rage" as he tears thru soldiers in the mansion.

THE BAD: Ounce again Wolverine gets beat up by a girl. I wonder who hands him his ass in the next movie? Kitty pryde? Jubilee? How about Dora the explorer? Ugh.

THE UGLY: another favorite character Colossus is pushed off to the side so that we can focus more on horny teenagers Rogue and Bobby.