And, I'm back for more Marvel May. Yesterday, I discussed the first movie in the original X-Men Trilogy, so it's only logical that I talk about the second in that series: X2: X-Men United!
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| Sadly not pictured: the best X-Man ever... |
Yeah, I know the movie's like 10 years old, but I'd hate to give it away for someone who hasn't seen it. You know the drill...
In The White House, the president is attacked by a certain teleporting mutant. Naturally, Xavier and Cyclops go to see if Magneto is somehow behind this. But they are captured by Col. William Stryker. Stryker has been controlling mutants using his son Jason's (a mutant with the power to create illusions, not unlike the comics' Mastermind) brain fluid, and plans to eliminate the mutant population once and for all using his son, Professor Xavier, and a version of Cerebro he made himself. He also kidnaps some students from the school. Now the X-Men (including a newly-returned Wolverine), Iceman, Rogue, and Nightcrawler must team up with Mystique and Magneto (who escaped prison in the coolest way EVER!) to save mutantkind. Cool fight scenes, some flaws in logic, and the ultimate sacrifice that anyone who reads the comics knew the outcome of ensues.
I'm going to get my biggest source of fangirling out of the way: OHMYGOSH NIGHTCRAWLER IS AWESOME!
I mean, from the minute he appears on screen, he is brilliant! The costume is awesome! The teleporting effect is fantastic! The actor did a good job! And they kept his faith, which is good, since I like that about the character (that and his being the most genuinely good guy on the team. Why did freakin' Marvel have to replace him in-comics with his chaotic AoA counterpart? (sorry I keep complaining, but it still ticks me off...)). Though I thought the whole "Self-mutilation for every sin/angel symbol "cutter-ish scar-toos"" were a little weird. I don't know what the deal was with those. But they looked cool, too. (Maybe I've answered my own question...) It was worth it to see this movie just for him alone. He was so awesome, they never used him again in the movies for fear he'd overshadow the others! (At least, that's what I think... ;) )
Okay, that's out now...
Once again, the cast is really good. I loved Magneto and Wolverine, as usual. And, again, Mystique was cool. It's now apparent to me that that is where Nightcrawler got his awesome. (At least, in-comics, where Mystique's his mother. I'm not sure as far as the movies go yet. I mean, they had his dad in-comics in First Class, so maybe...) Stryker was a good villain. Also, I liked this version of Lady Deathstrike. (Mutants are cooler than cyborgs. Just sayin'...) And they worked in a lot of characters as cameos. Especially during the part where Mystique hacks into Stryker's files. I paused the movie to look at the names, and I was pleased to know all but three. Here were the names and who they were:
- Guthrie (2) (Cannonball and Husk)
- Keniucho Harade (Silver Samurai)
- Remy LeBeau (Gambit)
- Garrison Kane (didn't know this guy, had to look him up)
- Artie Maddiks (again, no idea. Looked him up.)
- Jaime Mardrox (Multiple Man)
- Xi'an Coy Mahn (Karma, but I didn't recognize the name...)
- Maximoff (2) (Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch)
- Kevin McTaggart (Proteus)
- Danielle Moonstar
The story is really awesome. I enjoyed it. Though, I did find some things I had problems with, logic-wise.
First, there was the whole, "leaving the kids with Colossus" thing for Wolverine. Seriously, he leaves the kids to fend for themselves with only one guy to protect them from trained military officers (who, evidently, can only capture six mostly sleeping kids)? And he eventually takes the three teenagers who could, in theory, fend for themselves better on their own or help the kids? Obviously, Wolverine is only capable of taking care of small groups of teenagers, especially teenage girls. :P
But the biggest one was probably Jean's sacrifice in the end. Why did she necessarily have to leave the plane to hold back the water long enough for the plane and give the plane the boost it needed? Seriously! It would have been easier to do that in the plane! And she wouldn't have to waste energy saying goodbye through Xavier and keeping Nightcrawler from teleporting her back. Clearly, if she could do all that, I'm sure she could do it from INSIDE THE PLANE! And another thing, how was she keeping Nightcrawler from teleporting? I know The Phoenix is all-powerful, but I don't think she could screw up powers! Seriously, I know it's Jean's lot in life to die and become the Flame Bird of Psycho, but still, that's ridiculous! They never explain it properly!
But, despite these flaws, it's still a good movie. And they balance it out with clever things like Magneto's escape. That was cool.
Alright, final thoughts:
- Favorite scenes were Nightcrawler's opening scene, Magneto's escape, Mystique getting into Stryker's base, and various assorted things.
- Mutantism is totally not used for a metaphor for anything, here.../sarcasm
- Did anyone else get a creepy vibe from the Mystique/Nightcrawler conversation? At least Nightcrawler's reaction afterwards? Or was it just me? Seriously, that's his mom in the comics!
- Cyclops still cannot be discreet. Seriously, couldn't they make him some more casual-looking visor/glasses for sneaky stuff? You can't do that cosplaying as the guy from Star Trek: The Next Generation... And listening to Backstreet Boys proves he can't own a motorcycle...
- The Drakes' Cat is the best cat ever. He don't give a crap about any of the weirdness...
Well, next time I do Marvel May reviews, I'll get to the more... infamous of the X-Men movies. X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. And boy, do I have a controversial opinion on the latter...
