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X2 (2003)

★★★½ — X2 (2003)

Bryan Singer followed his breakthrough one-two of The Usual Suspects (1995) and Apt Pupil (1998) with X-Men (2000), a modest but commercially significant film that helped revive the superhero genre at a point when it had largely stalled after the Batman franchise collapsed in the late 1990s. X2 arrived three years later as a proper big-budget sequel, produced again through Singer's Bad Hat Harry shingle alongside Lauren Shuler Donner's company and distributed by Fox, with a budget of around $110 million. The screenplay draws loosely from the 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills by Chris Claremont, long considered one of the definitive X-Men stories for its direct engagement with religious extremism and persecution. Shot largely in Vancouver and the Vancouver area standing in for various American locations, it came out in the early years of what would become a decades-long dominance of superhero cinema, when the template for how these films could work, with genuine theme and ensemble weight, was still being established.

X2 (2003) is not just a great superhero sequel, it’s arguably the best film in the entire X-Men series, and one of the strongest comic book movies ever made. It takes everything that worked in the original (the themes of prejudice, identity, and belonging) and cranks it up with higher stakes, deeper character arcs, and a darker, more urgent tone. The story kicks off with a home invasion by Colonel William Stryker, a military fanatic hellbent on eradicating mutants, and spirals into a tense, emotional thriller that balances action, drama, and genuine heart. The film expands its scope without losing focus. We get more time with fan favourites: Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine gets a compelling arc tied to his forgotten past, Ian McKellen’s Magneto remains a tragic antihero, and Halle Berry’s Storm steps up as a true leader. Even characters like Nightcrawler and Pyro are given meaningful moments that add depth. And Alan Cumming’s portrayal of Nightcrawler (misunderstood, devout, hunted) is both haunting and sympathetic in ways few superhero films even attempt. The action is top-notch. Bryan Singer directs with confidence, blending suspense and soul, while John Ottman’s score gives the whole thing a soaring, operatic weight. Is it perfect? Maybe not. A few plot points stretch believability, and some CGI hasn’t aged perfectly. But as a whole this is superhero storytelling done right. Moral complexity, real consequences, and a message that still resonates: fear turns people into monsters long before mutation ever does. Not just the best X-Men film, but a benchmark for what the genre can be when it dares to care.

Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 2003 | Watched: 2025-09-23

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Where to watch (UK)

Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK

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