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X2: X-Men United
- Review Date: November 23, 2003
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2003
Common Sense Media says
Bigger and badder than #1, but still a blast.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the movie has violence that's pretty intense and graphic, even if it is "comic book style." Characters are injured, and some die. There are some mild sexual situations and references.
What's the story?
The ubiquitous Brian Cox (of Adaptation, The 25th Hour, The Ring, and The Rookie) as Colonel Stryker wants to wipe out the mutants. Stryker and his soldiers invade the school run by wise and benevolent mutant Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart). They capture Xavier and some of the students. Stryker plans to use Xavier's brain and the machine he developed to track down and destroy every mutant. Meanwhile, Magneto (Ian McKellan) is in an enormous plastic prison, unable to use his powers because they require metal. He is able to get out after metal is smuggled in to him, and must work with Xavier's mutants (the X-Men), his former enemies, to defeat Stryker.
Is it any good?
X2: X-MEN UNITED is bigger, badder, and better than the first one, but in essence, what we said the first time about special effects, attractive stars, fun action sequences, and the perfect popcorn-movie tone applies to this one, too.
That said, while this movie is all about the action, there are so many characters that it's hard to include them all in anything meaningful, giving parts of the movie the feel of a prolongued introduction. The comic fans want to see every character up on the screen, and the movie tries to make it happen. But the result is that it is hard for people who are not familiar with the stories to keep everyone straight or develop much of a commitment to any of them. Halle Berry and Anna Paquin in particular are still criminally underused. The most memorable character is Mystique, played by Rebecca Romjin-Stamos, who is so good that she can even act under all that blue paint and those sequin-like scales. Alan Cummings is a welcome addition as Nightcrawler, but his German accent and Biblical references seem out of place and attracted some laughter from the audience. This is handled with more sensitivity in the comic books, where he is portrayed as a devout Catholic.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the way the story uses the fights over the mutants as a metaphor for struggles over racism and other forms of bigotry. Or, they could simply ask which movie their kids liked better and why.
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AGE
GREAT better than the film, some distrubing images and iffy stuff
Better than the first movie-better story (though more characters to juggle), way better effects, and just overall a lot of fun.
It does have some pretty iffy violence (such as the fight between Deathstrike and Wolverine), but the only other concern is 2 brief sexual scenes, both involving Mystique. In the first, she seduces a security guard in order to help her boss Magneto escape (the scene is mostly suggestive). She also impersonates Jean, so she and Logan have a passionate make-out scene until he finds the scar he gave her.
Other than those concerns, it's ok for kids 12 and over-the sequence with Logan stabbing guards left and right is non-bloody but a little disturbing since it's dark. I only heard the use of the s-word and 2 4-letter words , so language is mild.
But the film has really good role models since one character sacrifices herself for others, and the other mutants are portrayed as putting others lives before their own wellfare. The villians in the film are clearly bad, though with the exception of Deathstrike, we don't actually see them get any punishment for their deeds (magneto and his cohorts get away and take one rebel mutant with them).
Overall though a great film, though over 11 is recommended.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 30, 2009
AGE
X2 x-men united review by critic07
It was a freakin' awesome movie. I'm a big comic fan so i loved it. When you see it you will love it.
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AGE
not for kids 1-10
It is a pretty decent movie, although it is not for young'uns. there is a part where it show's part of Wolverines past and it is not pretty, for 1-10.
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AGE
okay for tweens
I loved this movie but the common sense review was not good. Parents need to know that there kids are watching people stab each other for like half the movie. there isn't much blood but there's a LOT of violence. characters kiss but other than that no sexy stuff. A character sticks up their middle finger. there's d--k, d--m, and h--l. One character kind of scared me. he made these illusions where he was a freaky little girl that's pretty scary. over all a great movie.
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AGE
Quite more violent (and racy) than the first
The sexual content is quite graphic for the PG-13. It includes heavy kissing. The violence is also disturbing. But a very good film, btw.
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AGE
A comic book movie classic!
X2 is the best of the X-Men films.
This one is more intense than it is violent. Also, there is a scene with implied oral sex in a bathroom stall between a woman and a man.
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AGE
A comicbook movie that will leave everyone happy
I am a big fan of Marvel comics and am very familiar with the X-men characters. I liked the original for how well it fit in with the comics, but I didn't recommend it to people who were not comic fans, as that is who it was really designed for. The same is not true of X2 It stays true to the comics and also serves as a fine action move for the non comic fan, although it might not make too much sense to some one who missed the original.
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AGE
X-men 2 was better than the first one, but mainly because the second movie allowed for more character development and in the first one they had to take the time to introduce the characters. I highly enjoyed this movie, there is some sexual content(nothing graphic), some violoence(it is an action flick), and a little bit of strong language, but still a movie I think the kids could handle seeing. I did say that I thought that this flick is better than the first, but that does not mean that the first one isn't good. And, I do recommend seeing the first one before watching this one or else you might be lost.
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AGE
one of the best sci-fi/superhero movies i've seen. 8+
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AGE
X2 X-Men United is an exciting and fun movie that is a great adaptation of the X-Men franchise, and is a great way to spend two hours. However violence is a constant in this film including stabbing, drugging someone against there will, and punching/kicking others. Another large part of the movie is the sexuality which is a little scary. This includes Mystique and a men kissing each other passionately while stumbling around a bathroom, then going into a stall (still kissing) and Mystique starts taking off clothing. Then Mystique lays on a bed with Wolverine and kisses. The official review was not very accurate.
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| Topics: | superheroes |
| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Bryan Singer |
| Cast: | Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 135 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 2, 2003 |
| DVD release date: | November 25, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sci-fi action/violence, some sexuality and brief language |
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