Taglines: Evolution continues.
Several months have passed since The X-Men defeated Magneto and imprisoned him in a seemingly impregnable plastic chamber. One day, a mutant by the name of Nightcrawler infiltrates the White House and attempts to assassinate the president, setting off a chain reaction of anti-mutant measures by the government. Meanwhile, Logan is trying to discover his past.
As scientist named William Stryker discovers Professor X’s secret school and Cerebro, Magneto’s partner, Mystique, is planning to break her leader out of prison. But when Professor X’s school is attacked by Stryker’s forces, Logan, Rogue, Iceman and a few are lucky to escape. Those who remain meet in Boston, where they form an uneasy alliance with Magneto to stop Stryker and rescue Professor X.
X2 (often promoted as X2: X-Men United, or internationally as X-Men 2[3][4]) is a 2003 American superhero film, based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics, distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the sequel to 2000’s X-Men and the second installment in the X-Men film series.
The film was directed by Bryan Singer, written by Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, and David Hayter, and features an ensemble cast including Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davison, and Anna Paquin.
The plot, inspired by the graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills, pits the X-Men and their enemies, the Brotherhood, against the genocidal Colonel William Stryker (Brian Cox). He leads an assault on Professor Xavier’s school to build his own version of Xavier’s mutant-tracking computer Cerebro, in order to destroy every mutant on Earth.
At the White House, brainwashed teleporting mutant Nightcrawler tries to assassinate the President of the United States but fails and escapes, leaving a note demanding “mutant freedom now.” At Alkali Lake, X-Men member Wolverine finds nothing left of the military base from the previous movie. He returns to Professor Xavier’s school for mutants, while fellow X-Men Storm and Jean Grey find Nightcrawler with the help of Xavier and the mutant-tracking machine Cerebro.
Xavier and Cyclops visit Magneto in his prison cell, inquiring about the assassination attempt. Xavier discovers that a covert government operative, William Stryker, has been extracting information from a brainwashed Magneto using an injectable drug. Stryker and his assistant Yuriko Oyama capture Cyclops and Xavier and raid Xavier’s school. Wolverine kills many of Stryker’s men, while Colossus, Rogue, Iceman, Pyro, and most of the students escape through hidden tunnels. Wolverine confronts Stryker, who fails to shed light on Wolverine’s past. Iceman helps Wolverine escape, but Stryker’s soldiers succeed in sedating six students and breaking into Cerebro.
Impersonating Senator Robert Kelly and Yuriko, the shape-shifting Mystique gains information about Magneto’s prison and aids his escape, and learns plans of another Cerebro. Wolverine, Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro visit Iceman’s parents in Boston. Responding to a 9-1-1 call from Bobby’s brother Ronny, the Boston Police Department arrives just as the group is leaving. Pyro uses his fire-projection power to fend off the police, and Rogue stops him when he starts attacking savagely.
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Brian Cox
Screenplay by: Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris, David Hayter
Production Design by: Guy Hendrix Dyas
Cinematography by: Newton Thomas Sigel
Film Editing by: Elliot Graham, John Ottman
Costume Design by: Louise Mingenbach
Set Decoration by: Elizabeth Wilcox
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sci-fi action / violence, some sexuality and brief language.
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: May 2, 2003
