X2' has extra excitement

By Nicole Rodriguez

It is rare that a movie is worthy of its written source of inspiration, and even rarer still that a sequel can outdo the original, but "X2: X Men United" proves to accomplish both of these feats in one mesmerizing effort.

The newest installment of what will hopefully become a series opens where the original "X-Men" left off, with Wolverine (portrayed by charismatic Australian actor Hugh Jackman) up North somewhere searching for clues to reveal his mysterious path. Finding nothing, he returns to the mutants waiting for him back home.

Simultanouesly, a new mutant, whom we will later know as Nightcrawler, is attacking the U.S. president in the oval office. After narrowly escaping the frightful attack, the President gives permission for General Stryker ("The Ring's" Brian Cox) to invade Xavier's School for Gifted Children, the safe-haven Academy for mutants run by the wheelchair-bound lead of the mutants, Professor Xavier (Patrick Stuart).

Unfortunately, what the president doesn't know is that the attack was a set-up and that Stryker is the main culprit behind it. Finally blessed with the President's permission, Stryker now has free reign to do what he has wanted to do for his entire political career: rid the Earth of mutants.

Boasting an Academy Award winning cast including Halle Berry and Anna Paquin ("The Piano"), "X2" takes all of the outstanding qualities of the original film and multiplies them by two. There are twice as many characters in this film (including Cumming's delightful Nightcrawler as well as newcomer Sean Ashmore's sensitive Iceman) and more time is given to developing each character more fully.

And for those who are craving action-packed fight sequences and mind-boggling special effects, you will not be disappointed. "X2" is first and foremost an action film, and director Brian Singer ("The Usual Suspects") has made sure that there are plenty of those mixed in with the witty dialogue and obligatory love triangles.

Sure there are points when the lines are cheesy and things come together all too conveniently, but that's what action movies are for. The bottom line is that, although it runs for over two hours, "X2" never leaves you bored for a moment. In fact, the most disappointing part of this movie is that it has to end at all.