X2 (2003)

The X-Men band together to find a mutant assassin who has made an attempt on the President's life, while the Mutant Academy is attacked by military forces.

Director:

Bryan Singer

Writers:

Zak Penn (story), David Hayter (story),

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen

5 wins & 32 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patrick Stewart	...	Professor Charles Xavier
Hugh Jackman	...	Logan / Wolverine
Ian McKellen	...	Eric Lensherr / Magneto
Halle Berry	...	Ororo Munroe / Storm
Famke Janssen	...	Jean Grey
James Marsden	...	Scott Summers / Cyclops
Anna Paquin	...	Marie / Rogue
Rebecca Romijn	...	Raven Darkholme / Mystique (as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)
Brian Cox	...	William Stryker
Alan Cumming	...	Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler
Bruce Davison	...	Senator Kelly
Aaron Stanford	...	John Allerdyce / Pyro
Shawn Ashmore	...	Bobby Drake / Iceman
Kelly Hu	...	Yuriko Oyama / Lady Deathstrike
Katie Stuart	...	Kitty Pryde / Shadowcat

Storyline

Several months have passed since The X-Men defeated Magneto and imprisoned him in a seemingly impregnable plastic chamber. One day, a mutant by the name of Nightcrawler infiltrates the White House and attempts to assassinate the president, setting off a chain reaction of anti-mutant measures by the government. Meanwhile, Logan is trying to discover his past. As scientist named William Stryker discovers Professor X's secret school and Cerebro, Magneto's partner, Mystique, is planning to break her leader out of prison. But when Professor X's school is attacked by Stryker's forces, Logan, Rogue, Iceman and a few are lucky to escape. Those who remain meet in Boston, where they form an uneasy alliance with Magneto to stop Stryker and rescue Professor X.

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Plot Keywords:

mutant | school | professor | wolverine | prison | 

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Taglines:

In this world wide conspiracy the only thing you can count on... Is the X factor.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action/violence, some sexuality and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Marvel [us]

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English German Italian

Release Date:

2 May 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

X-2

Filming Locations:

Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$110,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,581,045 (Spain) (9 May 2003)

Gross:

$214,948,780 (USA) (19 September 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Marvel Enterprises, Donners' Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On Yuriko's computer, the following files are listed: Guthrie (2) (Paige (Husk), and Samuel (Cannonball)); Harada, Keniucho (Silver Samurai); Kane, Garrison (Weapon X); LeBeau, Remy (Gambit); Lensherr, Eric (sic) (Magneto); Maddicks, Artie; Madrox, Jamie (Multiple Man); Xi'an Coy Mahn(Karma);Maximoff (2) (Wanda (Scarlet Witch), and Pietro (Quicksilver)); McTaggart, Kevin (Proteus); Moonstar, Danielle (Moonstar); Munroe, Ororo (Storm); McCoy, Hank (Beast); Callasantos, Maria (Feral); Cassidy (2) (Sean (Banshee), and Tom (Black Tom); Cheney, Lila; Creed, Victor (Sabretooth); DaCosta, Roberto (Sunspot); Dane, Lorna (Polaris); Drake, Bobby (Iceman); Dukes, Fred (Blob); Espinosa, Angelo (Skin), and; Gibney, kyle (Wild Child). On another screen there were a series of folders on the computer's desktop. These folders listed some well-known individuals or places from the X-Men universe, including: Omega Red (Russian mutant super soldier), Muir Island (Scottish mutant research facility), Project Wideawake (Codename for Sentinel project), Franklin Richards (son of Fantastic Four's Reed Richards and Sue Storm; born a mutant), and Cerebro (mutant tracking device created by Professor Xavier and Magneto). Closer inspection reveals that Stryker is keeping files on Pyro, Sabra, Dr Ceclia Reyes, Synch, Penance, Nightcrawler, his own Mystique and Lady Deathstrike, Copycat, Deadpool, Cyclops, Dazzler, the von Struckers, Jamie Braddock, David North, Sunfire, Boom Boom, Mimic, Dr Nathaniel Essex, Toad, Wolfsbane, Strong Guy, Kitty Pryde, Sauron, Forge... Curiously, there seem to be no files for Jean Grey or Wolverine, among others. There are also files on Alpha, Beta and Gamma Flights, Weapon X, Project Wide Awake (sic), Dept H, the Brotherhood, Graymalkin, Zero Tolerance, Massachussets Academy, Blackbird, the Danger Room, Legacy, Morlocks, Xavier's School, Omega Red, Cerebro, the Salem Centre, Franklin Richards, Kevin McTaggart, and Trask.

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Goofs

Wolverine takes the soda from the cabinet and pops the top off. Before taking a drink, he hands it to Bobby (Iceman) to cool it off for him. In the next shot of Iceman, Wolverine's arm, and the soda bottle, the amount of soda has noticeably decreased. In the third shot, we see Wolverine and the now icy bottle with the soda level returned to the same level as the first shot.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Professor X: [voiceover] Mutants. Since the discovery of their existence they have been regarded with fear, suspicion, often hatred. Across the planet, debate rages. Are mutants the next link in the evolutionary chain or simply a new species of humanity fighting for their share of the world? Either way it is a historical fact: Sharing the world has never been humanity's defining attribute.

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Crazy Credits

When the 20th Century Fox logo fades away, the X in the logo stays for a second longer before it also fades away.

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Connections

Edited into Evolution in the Details: The Design of 'X2' (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Evolution Exhibit"
Written and Performed by Christopher Tin

User Reviews

One Of Those Few Sequels That Surpass The First By Leaps And Bounds

X-Men 2: X-Men United

X2 gets to join that small list of sequels that exceed the originals. The first was deeply flawed, and this installment not only fixes those flaws, but goes beyond them.

The largest flaw of X-Men, was that it lacked character development. Well not only does the sequel develop the original stellar cast, but it adds more characters...who are ALSO developed!!! Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) haunting past is laid out. He has choices to make, discoveries to find, memories to rediscover...Rogue (Anna Paquin) has a boyfriend Bobby/Iceman (series newcomer Shawn Ashmore) and they are both trying to get close to each other, while overcoming Rogue's devastatingly unique talent (for those who don't know she sucks the life from people who make physical contact with her). Jean Grey's powers are growing out of control, and she has to try and contain them, while also finding out why. Not to mention she's tangled in a love triangle with Wolverine and Cyclops (James Marsden). And Mystique (Rebbecca Romijn) is trying to interject herself into that as well. Even professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) seems to be in a rut, the thought of a former student (Michael Reid MacKay) on mind.

Among the newcomers are Pyro (Aaron Standford), a temperamental teen with a flare (HA!) for playing with fire. And maybe joining the brotherhood (Magneto's band of mutant terrorists)...? And Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), a teleporter, who has deep catholic faith, and nearly (though he doesn't know why) killed the president. And a silent assailant/bodyguard, Deathstrike (Kellly Hu). With some future mutants hinted at (such as Colossus).

The story is also much better this time around, finding a far more radical villain (William Striker, played with uncanny ability by Brian Cox) trying to permanently exterminate mutants. The stakes are high, and it plays out awesomely, featuring truly amazing action sequences along the way (a breath-taking opening assault on the white house; and an intense raid on the mutant school).

There's light humor spread here and there (Wolverine hears a noise, and unleashes his claws on...a cat, who proceeds to lick them), and the atmosphere of the first (a perfect capturing of mutant segregation) is still intact (notable most, when Bobby Drake/Iceman goes to his parents to tell them what he is). Bryan Singer has done an amazing and commendable job. 10/10.

"Have you ever tried...not being a mutant?"-X2: X-Men United