X2 (2003)

9/10

The saga continues! This time the X-men are faced with a new foe, a foe that hates mutants with  a hate fueled by a personal vendetta. A foe with all the resources of the government and a very unique insight into the mutant world at his disposal! Rarely does a sequel surpass the original for me, but this one totally does. The characters are more defined, the relationships between them more entangled and the action is way more intense!
Once again Hugh Jackman steals the show in this film, immortalizing the iconic character of Wolverine even further, with more ferocity and intensity than in the original X-men movie!
If you liked X-men, then you are going to love X2!

The Plot:


Several months had passed since The X-Men defeated Magneto and imprisoned him in a plastic chamber. One day, a mutant going by the name of "Nightcrawler" infiltrates The White House and attempts to assassinate The President. Meanwhile, Logan is trying to discover his past, and wonder why he became a mutant. However, the friction between the humans and mutants is grinding much harder. As a scientist named William Stryker is assigned to discover about Professor X's secret school and his chamber called "Cerebro". Meanwhile, Magneto's partner, Mystique, is planning to break her leader out of prison. Then, Professor X's school is attacked by Stryker's forces. Logan, Rougue, Iceman and others escaped. The rest of The X-Men meet in Boston along with Magneto, who escaped from prison. They must work together to stop Stryker and rescue Professor X.























Cast:

Patrick Stewart...Professor Charles Xavier

Hugh Jackman...Logan / Wolverine

Ian McKellen...Eric Lensherr / Magneto

Halle Berry...Storm / Ororo Munroe

Famke Janssen...Jean Grey

James Marsden...Scott Summers / Cyclops

Anna Paquin...Rogue / Marie D'Ancanto

Rebecca Romijn...Mystique / Grace (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 / Deathstrike

Katie Stuart...Kitty Pryde

Trailer

X-Men (2000)

8.5/10

This classic comic book adaptation for film exploded on the screen, with a league of fans whom emanated from both the comic book medium and the cartoon series. The film was met with both great expectation and great reserve as many hard-core fans expressed concern over how true the “Hollywood” adaptation would stay to the original vein of the X-MEN.
For those who are unfamiliar with the story, the X-men are a league of mutant humans, who believe that coexistence between mutants and humans is not only possible, but worth fighting for. Lead by Professor Xavier, founder of a school for gifted youngsters, aka Mutant adolescents, the X-men stand between Humankind and the ever present threat of war perpetuated by both humans who fear them and the mutants lead by Magneto, a very powerful mutant who believes that the only ay mutant kind will avoid persecution is to dominate the planet, at the cost of all human life.

Regardless of your age, the X-men has something to offer as a film, great action, great tongue in cheek comedy, a love story, a love triangle, pretty people, amazing special effects and of course Wolverine the iconic loner bad-boy, turned tame at the hand of a pretty woman.

On a deeper level the X-men is a look at racial equality, touching on the topic of genocide, fear of the unknown from both an aged angle and that of teen-agers struggling to find their place in the world while suffering racial persecution.
With that said, the X-men does not portray humankind as the bad guy, but rather tackles the close minded, ignorance and fear of that which is different which breeds racism.

The Plot:

Based off of the comic book. The time is the near future. There is a rift between normal humans and mutants. These mutants have gifts, these gifts can give them supernatural powers. Professor Charles Xavier has established a school where mutants can feel accepted and can learn to control their gifts. One day, a young girl calling herself "Rougue" runs away from home when she discovers her mutant gift. Then, she met a loner named Logan, then they were attacked by a group of mutants and were discovered by some of Proffessor X's students. They found out that the mutants that attacked them were a part of another mutant organization lead by "Magneto". Magneto believes that this dispute between humans and mutants will escalate into an all out war. He has also built a device that will unnaturally mutates humans. Now, Professor X's students must use their powers to stop Magneto, before it is too late.

Cast

Hugh Jackman ... Logan / Wolverine

Patrick Stewart ... Professor Charles Xavier

Ian McKellen ... Eric Lensherr / Magneto

Famke Janssen ... Jean Grey

James Marsden ... Scott Summers / Cyclops

Halle Berry ... Ororo Munroe / Storm

Anna Paquin ... Rogue / Marie D'Ancanto

Tyler Mane ... Sabretooth

Ray Park ... Toad

Rebecca Romijn ... Mystique (as Rebecca Romijn-Stamos)

Bruce Davison ... Senator Kelly

Matthew Sharp ... Henry Gyrich

Rhona Shekter ... Magneto's Mother

Kenneth McGregor ... Magneto's Father

Shawn Roberts ... Rogue's Boyfriend

Trailer