X2 (2003)
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The X-Men must unite with their former enemies to stop a military scientist's plot to destroy the mutant race.
The story
The plot concerns the genocidal Colonel William Stryker leading an assault on Professor Xavier's school to build his own version of Xavier's mutant-tracking computer, Cerebro, to destroy every mutant on Earth and to save the human race from them, forcing the X-Men to team up with the Brotherhood of Mutants to stop Stryker and save the mutant race.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a mutant attack on the White House, Colonel William Stryker gains permission to investigate Professor Xavier's school. Stryker's forces invade the school, and the X-Men are forced to team up with the Brotherhood of Mutants to stop him. While the X-Men fight to protect their students, Magneto reveals that Stryker is using a second Cerebro to target mutants. The team eventually discovers Stryker's base at Alkali Lake. In a final confrontation, the X-Men and the Brotherhood work together to disable the device. During the climax, Jean Grey sacrifices herself to hold back floodwaters, and the X-Men ultimately deliver Stryker's files to the President, declaring that humans and mutants must unite for peace.
- First release year
- 2003
- Runtime (minutes)
- 133
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Bryan Singer
- Cast and characters
- Patrick Stewart · Professor Charles Xavier; Hugh Jackman · Logan / Wolverine; Ian McKellen · Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto; Halle Berry · Ororo Munroe / Storm; Famke Janssen · Jean Grey; James Marsden · Scott Summers / Cyclops; Rebecca Romijn-Stamos · Mystique; Brian Cox · Colonel William Stryker; Alan Cumming · Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler; Anna Paquin · Marie / Rogue; Shawn Ashmore · Bobby Drake / Iceman; Aaron Stanford · John Allerdyce / Pyro
- Genres
- superhero; adventure; science fiction; action
- Themes
- unity; prejudice; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- superhero; sequel; mutant; team-up
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- X-Men
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews for its storyline, musical score, action sequences, and performances.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 37; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A to F
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Science Fiction Film · win
- Production trivia
- The film's premise was influenced by comic storyline 'Return to Weapon X' and the graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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