The greatest X-Men film we’ve ever gotten remains X2, an absolutely spectacular reminder of how well these characters translate to film when they’re given the right vehicle.

| Jul 22, 2024

At 135 minutes it never feels long, thanks to a driving pace, rapid crosscutting between parallel stories, and spectacular action scenes that never forget about the characters at the center.

| May 4, 2024

Inspiring hope for equality and further suggesting that governments are at the mercy of the populace, the franchise actionizes these themes to gratify both the mind and senses as few comic book movies have ever done to this point.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Dec 15, 2023

X2 is pretty much all that you’d ever want out of a comic book movie -- it’s smart, it’s breathlessly paced, the characters have at least 2 1/2 dimensions, and the action sequences are jaw-droppers, even on the small screen.

| Apr 5, 2022

It does more than any other live action superhero film to convey the sheer wonder of superpowers.

| Jul 23, 2021

Once again, there's plenty of action, though the overdependence on wirework and computer-augmented fight choreography grows ever more grating.

| Original Score: 5/10 | Nov 9, 2020

Superior to the 2000 original in every way and a classic within the comics/superhero film genre. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 21, 2020

X2: X-Men United is better than its predecessor in every way.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Jun 3, 2019

Spends way too much time reverently aggrandising its mutant/outsider theme, when in reality we're talking about people with non-pitiable superhuman skills.

| Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 18, 2018

Like the first movie, it wraps everything up in spectacular action scenes powered by special effects that are all the more impressive because director Bryan Singer does not let them overwhelm the other elements of the movie.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 31, 2018

A movie that seemed great in the theater in 2003 that has not held up thanks to social progress and the franchise's complete disregard for continuity.

| Aug 29, 2018

The truth is, the film is never again as good as its brilliant opening sequence.

| Jan 10, 2018

X-Men works because it isn't about the effects. It's really about being different (in this case, a mutant). That's why it resonates so with its adolescent fans.

| Original Score: B+ | Jan 4, 2018

X-Men 2 remains a decent enough sci-fi effort, which delivers on most of the levels fans could expect. Too bad it's hampered by a plot that wouldn't get green-lit for an average episode of Buffy.

| Jan 3, 2018

Director Bryan Singer skilfully keeps multiple subplots spinning while moving inexorably towards a climax that puts the first film's Liberty Island sequence in the shade.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 14, 2015

X2's excessively complicated and character-crammed plot, which only a teen boy could care about enough to follow closely, has a nasty human bigwig (Brian Cox) fomenting a war against the mutants.

| Jul 14, 2015

X2 is an interesting fantasy, always aware of its need to remain that way. Considering today's Hollywood, that may be its most amazing power of all.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Jul 14, 2015

X2 still feels like a prologue. No matter how much goes on, you feel like nothing has happened.

| Jul 14, 2015

The light tone and modest character development of X-Men have given way to an avalanche of digital effects and a bloated symphonic score.

| Jul 14, 2015

This satisfying new installment looks like just the thing to get the summer blockbuster season off to a supercharged start.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 14, 2015