X-2

Calis · 05-02-2003, 04:59 PM

So anyone else see this today or planning on it? I watched it this morning, great movie I thought, very cool special effects, and overall a good action flick, and once again proves that a comic book movie that doesn't suck ass can be made.

After the debacle that was Daredevil, I needed this to keep hope alive.

This could possibly be construed as a small hint at a spoiler, so if you're easily offended stop now......

I was pretty excited at the pretty blatant hints of the character making an appearance in the next one, I had a pretty strong feeling they'd pull that out soon, and I'm excited to see how it turns out. Now I can't wait to see the next one.

Craptacular · 05-02-2003, 05:01 PM

But they've already made XXX.

Jets80 · 05-02-2003, 05:05 PM

I'll wait till it comes HBO. That first one sucked ass and Im not paying 10 bucks to see it at the movies.

Pyser · 05-02-2003, 06:05 PM

this is where a dvd addiction and a free movie ticket comes in handy.

(free ticket in the x-men 1.5 dvd)....

dawgfan · 05-02-2003, 06:20 PM

Just got back from seeing it. Very, very cool. A definite improvement over the first one, and they've set-up the next one nicely. Fans of the comic book should be very happy with how Bryan Singer has handled things so far.

The opening sequence with Nightcrawler is amazing...

JHandley · 05-02-2003, 06:37 PM

You're killing me, dawgfan, just killing me. Nightcrawler was always my favorite, but I just don't wanna deal with the hassle of an opening night crowd.

Calis · 05-02-2003, 07:21 PM

Honestly if Nightcrawler is your favorite(I'm in the same boat), I'd say it's worth fighting the crowds. He's a pretty big badass in this flick.

Granted I say that and I saw it at 11 a.m. this morning.

CHEMICAL SOLDIER · 05-02-2003, 07:44 PM

I'd like to see Jean Grey again .....Huba Huba .....but its gonna have to wait a week though cuz I've been busy with work and OOTP 5.

GrantDawg · 05-02-2003, 08:18 PM

It was fantastic. Much better than the first (just got through re-watching the first by the way. It wasn't as good, but saying it sucked is a stretch). And I also loved the hint of what is to come.

About the only criticism is the total void of humorous "quips" that were abundant in the comics and first movie. It is a part of this team that they are constantly insulting/getting on each other's nerves. Just a minor quibble though. If you loved the comic, you will love the movie.

tucker342 · 05-02-2003, 08:31 PM

I have to wait till next week to see it

mrskippy · 05-03-2003, 06:11 PM

Great flick. Never saw the first one, but now I'm going to go back and check it out on DVD.

JeeberD · 05-03-2003, 06:24 PM

Went and saw it this afternoon. Great action flick. I loved the scene with Magneto and the guard who had "too much iron", the opening sequence was great, and Rebecca Romjin sure didn't disappoint.

I'll probably go see it again with my girlfriend (who I'm sure will love Wolverine's scenes)...

Barkeep49 · 05-03-2003, 07:13 PM

A huge improvement over the first.

Only quibble: Both my friend and I nearly burst out laughing when towards the end of the movie it seemed like Scott was going to make out with Xavier in the craft.

Other than that, a great movie.

dawgfan · 05-03-2003, 07:31 PM

BTW, anyone else notice how Halle Berry dropped the faux African accent in this one? I don't recall them ever mentioning Storm was from Africa in the first one, so her accent may have confused some people. Of course, there was no explanation in this one why she wasn't speaking with an accent...I wonder if Halle just got tired of talking that way or if it was a decision by Bryan Singer to just drop it.

cincyreds · 05-03-2003, 09:27 PM

I saw it today!!

It is much better than the first one.

I am going to go and see it again....

I really liked it!!

CamEdwards · 05-03-2003, 09:40 PM

yep, this one is much better than the first one. I took the boys to see it today and they were both on the edge of their seats. Well, Andrew was until the last ten minutes, when he fell asleep in my lap.

It was nice to see James Marsden get less screen time. I don't have a problem with him per se... I went to school with his strange little brother and I'm jealous of his success.

Calis · 05-03-2003, 10:49 PM

I had heard a while back that Marsden was cast as Jesse Custer in the upcoming(Man I hope so) Preacher movie, but that was pretty tentative.

I think that'd be amazing if done right, Preacher being my favorite all time series, some great stuff. Not sure I picture Marsden in that role, but I guess we'll see, maybe...been a while since I've heard anything about it, it might already be canned.

bamcgee · 05-04-2003, 12:37 AM

I saw it and liked it a lot, but I don't think I understood the last shot of the movie very well. Without providing too much of a spoiler to the others, anyone wanna tell me exactly what they saw under the water there? What was that supposed to be? bubbles?

GrantDawg · 05-04-2003, 03:54 AM

A Pheonix.

Calis · 05-04-2003, 10:04 AM

That wasn't too much of a spoiler.

It looked a little dark to me also.

Swaggs · 05-04-2003, 10:17 AM

If you thought Jean Grey was hot before....

sachmo71 · 05-05-2003, 11:25 AM

I'm glad she used her powers more in this movie. They sort of wimped her out in the first one, I thought.

Celeval · 05-05-2003, 12:31 PM

Movie rocked.

Trailer for Matrix Reloaded Rocked.

Mmm... Mystique.

Kevin

Fidatelo · 05-05-2003, 01:34 PM

I saw it, and it was pretty wicked. I like how they are starting weave future plots into the story, and that they have done a good job of showing Magneto as not just a straight up villain. It would be really cool if 10 years from now we could look back at the sum of all the movies parts and see it almost as a cohesive whole, with all the characters evolving, people leaving and joining the team, etc.

It would be really cool too if when actors decide to leave they could at least agree to act in a small role in the next film so that the writers could write them out without having to just tell the viewers that so-and-so is off on some solo mission or something. Even if it's just a quick scene of the character leaving the mansion with an explanation.

Franklinnoble · 05-05-2003, 01:49 PM

FranklinNoble's Review of X-2
(Roger Ebert can keep his day job... although I think I can do a better job than Gene Siskel right now...

)

Spoilers may be included... but you wanna read it anyway...

First of all, let me tell you a little bit about myself. When I was somewhere between the ages of 10 and 15, comic books were my life. My parents hated it. They'd have preferred I read something more substantial. Obviously, they'd never read Chris Claremont's work on the Uncanny X-Men back in the day... I increased my vocabulary exponentially every time Hank McCoy had something to say. I lived and breathed X-Men. During the late 80's, there was no better comic... maybe not ever. I'd hide back issues inside my drum set, just to keep my folks from throwing them out. And I would have given my left nut to have a good movie made about my favorite comic book characters back then.

Fortunately, this morning, I still have both testicles, and that movie has finally arrived. I am now living in the era of movies I could have only dreamed of as a kid, with all the comics I read as a youngster coming to life in movies I'm not embarassed to watch (anyone who saw previous live-action attempts at Spider-Man, The Punisher, or Captain America knows exactly what I'm talking about).

Most comic fanboys point to the original Superman movies as the gold standard of comic book film adaptations. I don't get this. I think they pretty much sucked. Christopher Reeve wasn't built like Superman. Margot Kidder didn't look or act at all like Lois Lane. Jimmy Olson and Perry White? Wasted.

Then there was Batman. The first one was pretty good - maybe I liked it because in 1988 (I believe that's when it came out... ) there were no other comic book movies. This was the best we had, for a long, long time.... and the sequels only got progressively worse.

The 90's were filled with garbage. Blade was pretty good, but I never read the comic, so it didn't do much for me. But CGI was getting more and more sophisticated. Marvel was getting it's intellectual property legality issues sorted out. The golden age was coming - it was only a matter of time.

Thank God they didn't screw the poodle. When X-Men came out, I was amazed - they cast the movie perfectly (with the exception of Halle Barry, in my opinion at the time). Hugh Jackman (an unknown) WAS Wolverine. Patrick Stewart moved flawlessly from being typecast as a Star Trek actor to now being typecast as Professor X.... worse things can happen to your career (see: Shatner, William). But the movie was a little empty... like they held something back... maybe it was money - I always felt as if they could have done more without overdoing it.

Marvel's next attempt was Spider-Man. Arguably, the cornerstone of their comic empire, and a tall order to fill for a movie franchise. Basically, it was almost impossible to do this one right, but they very nearly pulled it off. Willem Dafoe's plastic Green Goblin aside, it was a pretty decent film, and the CGI webslinging made it worth the price of admission. I have a feeling the sequel will do better.

Then came Daredevil... and I was SURE this would flop. Ben Affleck (whom I affectionately call "B. Lo") as Matt Murdock?!? Egads... spare me. This is where Marvel was gonna lay an egg. Except Affleck didn't suck. In fact, he was pretty damned good. He pulled it off, and Daredevil was a good film - again, leaving room for improvement with the sequel.

Ahh, but now there is X-2. With comic book films raking in the cash, Director Brian Singer had lots of money to play with, and lots of time to do it right. And, as a lifelong comic book fanatic who was weaned on the Uncanny X-Men during his formative years, I can testify that I just about creamed my pants during this film, from the very opening scene right to the finish. I'll probably see it half a dozen times in the theater, and I'd pre-order the DVD on Amazon.com right now if they'd let me.

Everything I ever hoped for in a comic book film was in this movie, and my only regret was that it left me wanting more. I could have had 9 hours of it, and not wanted to leave... I would have pissed my pants in the movie theater before walking out to empty my bladder.

First, there's the introduction of Nightcrawler. He is brilliantly and perfectly depicted in the opening scene... and the movie shows off the awesome power of his teleporting abilities in a way that the comics could never truly illustrate. Oh, and the blue smoke and *BAMF* is dead-on-balls accurate. I had a hardon within 45 seconds of the movie's beginning.

Then there's the raid on the school. Wolverine goes into his famous berserker rage - and he kicks ass. No holds barred. He's opened a can of whup-ass and unleashed the f*cking fury. If this movie were a woman, I'd already be on my second orgasm, and ready for round three... because then there's Colossus... my all-time favorite X-Man... and... my God... there should have been more of him. The special effects of him transitioning to his living steel form were PERFECT... and the fearless confidence he has while he's about to be gunned down is right-on... he kicks ass for like five seconds... and I really hope he gets more screen time in X-3. Kitty Pride makes an appearance... as well as Siryn (sp?)... and a few other X-kids (Artie Lang... looks nothing like the comic book... but, fuck it... at least they're throwing us fanboy geeks all kinds of bones in this one).

Then there's Magneto's jailbreak... This, my friends, is quite simply the epitome of everything that a comic book film adaptation can be when done right. Magneto establishes himself as a true bad-ass right here. Do not f*ck with this man if you have so much as a paperclip nearby. This scene I'm not going to spoil - because it's so damned good you must pay your $8 to go watch it. Repeatedly. It's awesome. Everything I've ever wanted to see in a comic book movie has been done. It's all gravy now.

Cut to Boston... Bobby Drake's parents house... you've seen the scene in the trailers, for the most part... Wolverine takes a bullet to the forehead (clang! I love it!)... Pyro goes ballistic... and he LIKES it... another perfect casting job... he totally nails the character. Rogue uses her powers for pretty much the only time in the film... not much for her to do, really... they need to find a way to beef her up like they did in the comics... but that's another story, I suppose...

Now the X-Jet (or whatever the hell they call it) picks up Wolverine and the gang, and heads for home. Storm's best part is here - she knocks out a few F-16's tornado-style. Jean Grey begins showing flashes of her Dark Phoenix manifestation... a direction I didn't expect this film to go in, but a welcome one indeed. Magneto saves the day. All good stuff.

The raid on Alkili Lake follows - and it doesn't disappoint. On the ride over, you see Pyro get seduced by the dark side (Ian McKellen delivers another of many, many great lines - I can't over-stress how well he nails Magneto - "You are a god among insects. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.") Mystique kicks more ass... I admit, when I first found out Rebecca Romijn was going to be doing the first movie basically bare-assed, I groaned at what I thought was an attempt to put a piece of bad-acting eye candy in the film... but she's really one of the best parts of X-2, and not just because she runs around in body paint. Lady Deathstrike has here one good scene, and, admittedly, her quick demise is a bit disappointing. Then again, she was never one of my favorite villains, so, what the hell.

The movie ends with the bad guy making a clean getaway (Magneto, that is...) and the good guys escaping, but at a great cost... and, when a team member buys the farm, the reaction of the survivors is convincingly good... not nearly as cheap as, say, when Data bites it in 'Nemesis.' More like Spock dying in 'Wrath of Khan.' It's that good. The final hint at the potential for a Dark Phoenix saga was the icing on the cake.

I walked out of this movie feeling as if every childhood fantasy for the live-action depiction of my favorite comic book had been totally fulfilled, and, better yet, it left me wanting more. I'm immensely glad that the film has had such an enormously successful opening weekend - that bodes well for the likelihood that they'll be able to sign the major actors for a third installment, and that they won't cut any corners this time around, either. Right now, Marvel can do no wrong. They've masterfully worked their way up to comic book film nirvana, and I hope they stay on top of their game. With "The Hulk" up next, and Amazing Spider-Man filming now, all I can say is that my comic-reading 13 year old son has no idea how good he has it right now...

cincyreds · 05-05-2003, 02:11 PM

So do you guys think that Jean Grey actually died?

Or will she comeback as something else?

She is signed on to be in X-3, so maybe there is a little surprise waiting for us all.

I have to go see it again.

At the end when Patrick Stewart was sitting with those children, he paused and glanced over his shoulder outside and then smiled as if someone spoke to him telepathically.

What was up with that?

KWhit · 05-05-2003, 02:13 PM

I know! I know!

Franklinnoble · 05-05-2003, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cincyreds
So do you guys think that Jean Grey actually died?

Or will she comeback as something else?

She is signed on to be in X-3, so maybe there is a little surprise waiting for us all.

I have to go see it again.

At the end when Patrick Stewart was sitting with those children, he paused and glanced over his shoulder outside and then smiled as if someone spoke to him telepathically.

What was up with that?

Jean Grey WILL be back... whether it's in the next movie, or a later installment, remains to be seen.

cincyreds · 05-05-2003, 02:34 PM

Well put Franklinoble, well put.

I am happy that your comic book fantasies have been fulfilled. Honestly.

I must go see it again. It is one of those movies that you have see again to really understand.

Calis · 05-05-2003, 02:37 PM

Anybody else notice when Mystique was going through the computer files, the name on the screen was Remy Lebeau? I thought that was kinda interesting. Maybe they'll toss Gambit into the next one, one can dream.

And yeah, Jean Grey will be back and better than ever. Can't wait to see how she looks as her uber self now.

RendeR · 05-05-2003, 02:53 PM

I have to say that with all the dissapointing movies that were made in the past. X-Men has far and away been the best portrayed comic book thus far. I can only hope they keep the actors aigned and keep them in characters for years to come. I'm 15 again playing Champions with my friends blasting hte bad guys with pencils and dice.

I LOVED this movie. I don't think I've seen actors put into roles that fit so perfectly before....

And yes, jean will be back...one way or another =)

What a lead in!

Pyser · 05-05-2003, 02:58 PM

um, did anyone else laugh at the....well, laughably bad Hulk trailer?

Franklinnoble · 05-05-2003, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pyser
um, did anyone else laugh at the....well, laughably bad Hulk trailer?

Yeah... I've got a bad feeling the Marvel streak might come to a grinding halt with this one.

They've hired the same director that did "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Personally, I thought that movie SUCKED. The effects were laughably bad... all the flying kung-fu crap really turned me off, and I'm deathly afraid he'll bring the same brand of "special defects" to The Hulk.

Calis · 05-05-2003, 03:11 PM

Marvel streak come to an end? Didn't the streak end with Daredevil and start anew with X-Men? In case it hasn't been noticed yet, I'm very bitter about DD.

JeeberD · 05-05-2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pyser
um, did anyone else laugh at the....well, laughably bad Hulk trailer?

Well, I thought the trailer looked a whole hell of a lot better than the Super Bowl commercial.

Not that that's saying a lot...

Bee · 05-05-2003, 03:15 PM

I think the Hulk movie will make Daredevil look like pure genius.

dawgfan · 05-05-2003, 03:20 PM

Hmmm. My issue with the Hulk trailer is just that the CGI Hulk isn't convincing enough for me - he looks too cartoony in a Shrek kind of way. I'm still expecting a well-done story, strong direction and good acting - all things that I've been told were lacking in Daredevil.

Bee · 05-05-2003, 03:28 PM

I don't know...to me Shrek looked more convincing than the Hulk.

Franklinnoble · 05-05-2003, 03:40 PM

A lot of people were P-O'ed at Daredevil. Admittedly, I was never a big fan of the comic, so I don't know what sort of let-down there was along those lines.

That, and he looked a bit too much like "The Gimp" in that red leather costume...

All that aside, it really wasn't a bad movie. Probably not very close to the original comic story, but not bad, otherwise.

Calis · 05-05-2003, 03:50 PM

Really? I guess maybe I'm more biased than I thought because I'm a big Daredevil fan, but I thought the acting, story, dialogue, hell...everything was horrible in that movie. I didn't really see a redeeming quality in it. For God's sake, Ben Affleck was Daredevil!

I think the movie basically further went to show what X-Men did right, and what the comic book movies of old always did wrong.

Franklinnoble · 05-05-2003, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Calis
Really? I guess maybe I'm more biased than I thought because I'm a big Daredevil fan, but I thought the acting, story, dialogue, hell...everything was horrible in that movie. I didn't really see a redeeming quality in it. For God's sake, Ben Affleck was Daredevil!

I think the movie basically further went to show what X-Men did right, and what the comic book movies of old always did wrong.

Well, I thought the special effects illustrating Daredevil's "radar" were pretty cool. I don't think there were too many moments in the movie where I was really rolling my eyes over it... but, if I were to look at it more critically, here's what I'd have wrong with it:
[list=1][*]The "I'm going after the bad guy that killed my father as a masked crimefighter" storyline has sort of been done before.

[*]Less-than-ideal casting. IMO, Affleck wasn't that bad as Murdock. They could have probably done better. Kingpin was mis-cast (although I can't think of anyone else that could have pulled it off, either). Bullseye was a little too over the top. Foggy was good. So was Urich. [*]The Elektra storyline was a tad contrived. Hot chicks don't really go for blind lawyers, at least not right off the bat like that. The playground fight scene was a bit gay. And the fact that some girl with no super-human ability could keep up with a supposed super-hero like Daredevil was somewhat unbelievable.[/list=1]

Swaggs · 05-05-2003, 10:24 PM

That trailor for the Hulk knocked it off my Summer radar.

The CGI looks horrendous. And seeing him jump/fly over huge spans of ground just doesn't fit in with his character at all. I think I would rather see Lou Ferrigno in green paint again.

Honolulu_Blue · 05-06-2003, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Swaggs
That trailor for the Hulk knocked it off my Summer radar.

The CGI looks horrendous. And seeing him jump/fly over huge spans of ground just doesn't fit in with his character at all. I think I would rather see Lou Ferrigno in green paint again.

This is exactly what he does in the comics. He's always been a big jumper. Hopping around and such. Always. From everything I've seen the Hulk, as the Hulk, seems to follow the comic very closely.

I think this film will be excellent.

As for X-2. A good movie, not great. Certainly an improvement over the first. Wolverine was amazing. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. They need to give him his own movie. They really do. Magneto was great too. Mystique a very pleasant surprise, as was Iceman.

Frankin's recount of Nightcrawler's assault on the White House and the attack on this school are quite right. Certainly the cinematic equivalent of an orgasm for any long-standing X-fan. Simply great.

I felt the movie sort of died out a bit after that. Too much going on. Too many characters. The actors were solid, just too much. Like butter spread across too much bread. Delicious butter, just too thin.

Looking forward to the whole Dark Phoenix saga. It was certainly one of the, if not THE, Highlight of the entire Chris Claremont era. Hellfire Club, Wolvie hanging from the ceiling, dripping with raw sewage. Ahh... Good times!

GrantDawg · 05-06-2003, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Swaggs
That trailor for the Hulk knocked it off my Summer radar.

The CGI looks horrendous. And seeing him jump/fly over huge spans of ground just doesn't fit in with his character at all. I think I would rather see Lou Ferrigno in green paint again.

Jennifer makes this a must see film. Plus my daughter wants to see "The Hulnk" really bad.

Franklinnoble · 05-06-2003, 11:21 AM

Anybody seen the "Hulk Hands" they sell now? I gotta tell you... for a kid's toy, they're pretty bad-ass.

Airhog · 05-06-2003, 12:01 PM

I never really read comics as a kid, of course since im young, comics were never really that big when I was a kid. But I enjoyed the preview of the Hulk and it looks like a good movie.

Franklinnoble · 05-06-2003, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Airhog
I never really read comics as a kid,

It's not too late to start. Head down to your local comic book shop and give a few titles a read... Try on Ultimate X-Men, Ultimate Spider-Man, and, umm.. The Ultimates for starters (seriously... all three are relatively new series by Marvel, and they're all pretty good).

Just don't go on Friday afternoons (or whenever they host their "Magic:The Gathering" tournaments)... man... that place turns into dork central station... even by my standards.

Calis · 05-06-2003, 01:58 PM

I'll second this, I just actually picked up the first trade paperback of Ultimate X-Men from B&N after watching the movie this weekend, and I'm really impressed with it so far.

I'd been out of the comic loop for a while, but it seems like there's still some high quality stuff floating around.

Fidatelo · 05-06-2003, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Calis
I'll second this, I just actually picked up the first trade paperback of Ultimate X-Men from B&N after watching the movie this weekend, and I'm really impressed with it so far.

I'd been out of the comic loop for a while, but it seems like there's still some high quality stuff floating around.

The first Ultimate X-Men TBP rocked, but don't waste your cash on the next two. I was majorly disappointed.

As for good comics, TPB's are the way to go. You can more easily avoid wasting money on crappy storylines or throwaway "guest writer" issues, and nowadays all the good stories are in TPB shortly after the arc is finished.

GrantDawg · 05-06-2003, 03:28 PM

I'm going to pick up some of the Xmen reprints for my wife. After seeing X2 she really wants to read the origins of everbody.

You know, this might just get me back into comics.

05-02-2003, 07:44 PM	#8
CHEMICAL SOLDIER College Starter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Henderson, Nevada	I'd like to see Jean Grey again .....Huba Huba .....but its gonna have to wait a week though cuz I've been busy with work and OOTP 5. __________________ Toujour Pret

05-03-2003, 06:24 PM	#12
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	Went and saw it this afternoon. Great action flick. I loved the scene with Magneto and the guard who had "too much iron", the opening sequence was great, and Rebecca Romjin sure didn't disappoint. I'll probably go see it again with my girlfriend (who I'm sure will love Wolverine's scenes)... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

05-03-2003, 09:27 PM	#15
cincyreds High School Varsity Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mississippi	I saw it today!! It is much better than the first one. I am going to go and see it again.... I really liked it!! __________________ The Dallas Cowboys!! America's Team will rise again.

05-03-2003, 09:40 PM	#16
CamEdwards Stadium Announcer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burke, VA	yep, this one is much better than the first one. I took the boys to see it today and they were both on the edge of their seats. Well, Andrew was until the last ten minutes, when he fell asleep in my lap. It was nice to see James Marsden get less screen time. I don't have a problem with him per se... I went to school with his strange little brother and I'm jealous of his success. __________________ I don't want the world. I just want your half.

05-04-2003, 10:17 AM	#21
Swaggs Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000	If you thought Jean Grey was hot before.... __________________ DOWN WITH HATTRICK!!! The RWBL Are you reading In The Bleachers?

05-02-2003, 05:01 PM	#2
Craptacular College Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: The Mad City, WI	But they've already made XXX.

05-02-2003, 05:05 PM	#3
Jets80 High School Varsity Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Charlotte, NC	I'll wait till it comes HBO. That first one sucked ass and Im not paying 10 bucks to see it at the movies.

05-02-2003, 06:05 PM	#4
Pyser Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Los Angeles	this is where a dvd addiction and a free movie ticket comes in handy. (free ticket in the x-men 1.5 dvd)....

05-02-2003, 06:20 PM	#5
dawgfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Seattle	Just got back from seeing it. Very, very cool. A definite improvement over the first one, and they've set-up the next one nicely. Fans of the comic book should be very happy with how Bryan Singer has handled things so far. The opening sequence with Nightcrawler is amazing...

05-02-2003, 06:37 PM	#6
JHandley High School Varsity Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Seattle	You're killing me, dawgfan, just killing me. Nightcrawler was always my favorite, but I just don't wanna deal with the hassle of an opening night crowd.

05-02-2003, 07:21 PM	#7
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	Honestly if Nightcrawler is your favorite(I'm in the same boat), I'd say it's worth fighting the crowds. He's a pretty big badass in this flick. Granted I say that and I saw it at 11 a.m. this morning.

05-02-2003, 08:18 PM	#9
GrantDawg World Champion Mis-speller Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Covington, Ga.	It was fantastic. Much better than the first (just got through re-watching the first by the way. It wasn't as good, but saying it sucked is a stretch). And I also loved the hint of what is to come. About the only criticism is the total void of humorous "quips" that were abundant in the comics and first movie. It is a part of this team that they are constantly insulting/getting on each other's nerves. Just a minor quibble though. If you loved the comic, you will love the movie.

05-02-2003, 08:31 PM	#10
tucker342 Pro Starter Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Iowa City, IA	I have to wait till next week to see it

05-03-2003, 06:11 PM	#11
mrskippy Banned Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: California	Great flick. Never saw the first one, but now I'm going to go back and check it out on DVD.

05-03-2003, 07:13 PM	#13
Barkeep49 Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Not too far away	A huge improvement over the first. Only quibble: Both my friend and I nearly burst out laughing when towards the end of the movie it seemed like Scott was going to make out with Xavier in the craft. Other than that, a great movie.

05-03-2003, 07:31 PM	#14
dawgfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Seattle	BTW, anyone else notice how Halle Berry dropped the faux African accent in this one? I don't recall them ever mentioning Storm was from Africa in the first one, so her accent may have confused some people. Of course, there was no explanation in this one why she wasn't speaking with an accent...I wonder if Halle just got tired of talking that way or if it was a decision by Bryan Singer to just drop it.

05-03-2003, 10:49 PM	#17
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	I had heard a while back that Marsden was cast as Jesse Custer in the upcoming(Man I hope so) Preacher movie, but that was pretty tentative. I think that'd be amazing if done right, Preacher being my favorite all time series, some great stuff. Not sure I picture Marsden in that role, but I guess we'll see, maybe...been a while since I've heard anything about it, it might already be canned.

05-04-2003, 12:37 AM	#18
bamcgee High School JV Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: San Francisco, CA	I saw it and liked it a lot, but I don't think I understood the last shot of the movie very well. Without providing too much of a spoiler to the others, anyone wanna tell me exactly what they saw under the water there? What was that supposed to be? bubbles?

05-04-2003, 03:54 AM	#19
GrantDawg World Champion Mis-speller Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Covington, Ga.	A Pheonix.

05-04-2003, 10:04 AM	#20
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	That wasn't too much of a spoiler. It looked a little dark to me also.

05-05-2003, 11:25 AM	#22
sachmo71 The boy who cried Trout Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: TX	I'm glad she used her powers more in this movie. They sort of wimped her out in the first one, I thought. Last edited by sachmo71 : 05-05-2003 at 11:26 AM.

05-05-2003, 12:31 PM	#23
Celeval Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Cary, NC, USA	Movie rocked. Trailer for Matrix Reloaded Rocked. Mmm... Mystique. Kevin

05-05-2003, 01:34 PM	#24
Fidatelo Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Winnipeg, MB	I saw it, and it was pretty wicked. I like how they are starting weave future plots into the story, and that they have done a good job of showing Magneto as not just a straight up villain. It would be really cool if 10 years from now we could look back at the sum of all the movies parts and see it almost as a cohesive whole, with all the characters evolving, people leaving and joining the team, etc. It would be really cool too if when actors decide to leave they could at least agree to act in a small role in the next film so that the writers could write them out without having to just tell the viewers that so-and-so is off on some solo mission or something. Even if it's just a quick scene of the character leaving the mansion with an explanation. __________________ "Breakfast? Breakfast schmekfast, look at the score for God's sake. It's only the second period and I'm winning 12-2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, the Whale, they only beat Vancouver maybe once or twice in a lifetime."

05-05-2003, 01:49 PM	#25
Franklinnoble Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Placerville, CA	FranklinNoble's Review of X-2 (Roger Ebert can keep his day job... although I think I can do a better job than Gene Siskel right now... ) Spoilers may be included... but you wanna read it anyway... First of all, let me tell you a little bit about myself. When I was somewhere between the ages of 10 and 15, comic books were my life. My parents hated it. They'd have preferred I read something more substantial. Obviously, they'd never read Chris Claremont's work on the Uncanny X-Men back in the day... I increased my vocabulary exponentially every time Hank McCoy had something to say. I lived and breathed X-Men. During the late 80's, there was no better comic... maybe not ever. I'd hide back issues inside my drum set, just to keep my folks from throwing them out. And I would have given my left nut to have a good movie made about my favorite comic book characters back then. Fortunately, this morning, I still have both testicles, and that movie has finally arrived. I am now living in the era of movies I could have only dreamed of as a kid, with all the comics I read as a youngster coming to life in movies I'm not embarassed to watch (anyone who saw previous live-action attempts at Spider-Man, The Punisher, or Captain America knows exactly what I'm talking about). Most comic fanboys point to the original Superman movies as the gold standard of comic book film adaptations. I don't get this. I think they pretty much sucked. Christopher Reeve wasn't built like Superman. Margot Kidder didn't look or act at all like Lois Lane. Jimmy Olson and Perry White? Wasted. Then there was Batman. The first one was pretty good - maybe I liked it because in 1988 (I believe that's when it came out... ) there were no other comic book movies. This was the best we had, for a long, long time.... and the sequels only got progressively worse. The 90's were filled with garbage. Blade was pretty good, but I never read the comic, so it didn't do much for me. But CGI was getting more and more sophisticated. Marvel was getting it's intellectual property legality issues sorted out. The golden age was coming - it was only a matter of time. Thank God they didn't screw the poodle. When X-Men came out, I was amazed - they cast the movie perfectly (with the exception of Halle Barry, in my opinion at the time). Hugh Jackman (an unknown) WAS Wolverine. Patrick Stewart moved flawlessly from being typecast as a Star Trek actor to now being typecast as Professor X.... worse things can happen to your career (see: Shatner, William). But the movie was a little empty... like they held something back... maybe it was money - I always felt as if they could have done more without overdoing it. Marvel's next attempt was Spider-Man. Arguably, the cornerstone of their comic empire, and a tall order to fill for a movie franchise. Basically, it was almost impossible to do this one right, but they very nearly pulled it off. Willem Dafoe's plastic Green Goblin aside, it was a pretty decent film, and the CGI webslinging made it worth the price of admission. I have a feeling the sequel will do better. Then came Daredevil... and I was SURE this would flop. Ben Affleck (whom I affectionately call "B. Lo") as Matt Murdock?!? Egads... spare me. This is where Marvel was gonna lay an egg. Except Affleck didn't suck. In fact, he was pretty damned good. He pulled it off, and Daredevil was a good film - again, leaving room for improvement with the sequel. Ahh, but now there is X-2. With comic book films raking in the cash, Director Brian Singer had lots of money to play with, and lots of time to do it right. And, as a lifelong comic book fanatic who was weaned on the Uncanny X-Men during his formative years, I can testify that I just about creamed my pants during this film, from the very opening scene right to the finish. I'll probably see it half a dozen times in the theater, and I'd pre-order the DVD on Amazon.com right now if they'd let me. Everything I ever hoped for in a comic book film was in this movie, and my only regret was that it left me wanting more. I could have had 9 hours of it, and not wanted to leave... I would have pissed my pants in the movie theater before walking out to empty my bladder. First, there's the introduction of Nightcrawler. He is brilliantly and perfectly depicted in the opening scene... and the movie shows off the awesome power of his teleporting abilities in a way that the comics could never truly illustrate. Oh, and the blue smoke and BAMF is dead-on-balls accurate. I had a hardon within 45 seconds of the movie's beginning. Then there's the raid on the school. Wolverine goes into his famous berserker rage - and he kicks ass. No holds barred. He's opened a can of whup-ass and unleashed the fcking fury. If this movie were a woman, I'd already be on my second orgasm, and ready for round three... because then there's Colossus... my all-time favorite X-Man... and... my God... there should have been more of him. The special effects of him transitioning to his living steel form were PERFECT... and the fearless confidence he has while he's about to be gunned down is right-on... he kicks ass for like five seconds... and I really hope he gets more screen time in X-3. Kitty Pride makes an appearance... as well as Siryn (sp?)... and a few other X-kids (Artie Lang... looks nothing like the comic book... but, fuck it... at least they're throwing us fanboy geeks all kinds of bones in this one). Then there's Magneto's jailbreak... This, my friends, is quite simply the epitome of everything that a comic book film adaptation can be when done right. Magneto establishes himself as a true bad-ass right here. Do not fck with this man if you have so much as a paperclip nearby. This scene I'm not going to spoil - because it's so damned good you must pay your $8 to go watch it. Repeatedly. It's awesome. Everything I've ever wanted to see in a comic book movie has been done. It's all gravy now. Cut to Boston... Bobby Drake's parents house... you've seen the scene in the trailers, for the most part... Wolverine takes a bullet to the forehead (clang! I love it!)... Pyro goes ballistic... and he LIKES it... another perfect casting job... he totally nails the character. Rogue uses her powers for pretty much the only time in the film... not much for her to do, really... they need to find a way to beef her up like they did in the comics... but that's another story, I suppose... Now the X-Jet (or whatever the hell they call it) picks up Wolverine and the gang, and heads for home. Storm's best part is here - she knocks out a few F-16's tornado-style. Jean Grey begins showing flashes of her Dark Phoenix manifestation... a direction I didn't expect this film to go in, but a welcome one indeed. Magneto saves the day. All good stuff. The raid on Alkili Lake follows - and it doesn't disappoint. On the ride over, you see Pyro get seduced by the dark side (Ian McKellen delivers another of many, many great lines - I can't over-stress how well he nails Magneto - "You are a god among insects. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.") Mystique kicks more ass... I admit, when I first found out Rebecca Romijn was going to be doing the first movie basically bare-assed, I groaned at what I thought was an attempt to put a piece of bad-acting eye candy in the film... but she's really one of the best parts of X-2, and not just because she runs around in body paint. Lady Deathstrike has here one good scene, and, admittedly, her quick demise is a bit disappointing. Then again, she was never one of my favorite villains, so, what the hell. The movie ends with the bad guy making a clean getaway (Magneto, that is...) and the good guys escaping, but at a great cost... and, when a team member buys the farm, the reaction of the survivors is convincingly good... not nearly as cheap as, say, when Data bites it in 'Nemesis.' More like Spock dying in 'Wrath of Khan.' It's that good. The final hint at the potential for a Dark Phoenix saga was the icing on the cake. I walked out of this movie feeling as if every childhood fantasy for the live-action depiction of my favorite comic book had been totally fulfilled, and, better yet, it left me wanting more. I'm immensely glad that the film has had such an enormously successful opening weekend - that bodes well for the likelihood that they'll be able to sign the major actors for a third installment, and that they won't cut any corners this time around, either. Right now, Marvel can do no wrong. They've masterfully worked their way up to comic book film nirvana, and I hope they stay on top of their game. With "The Hulk" up next, and Amazing Spider-Man filming now, all I can say is that my comic-reading 13 year old son has no idea how good he has it right now...

05-05-2003, 02:11 PM	#26
cincyreds High School Varsity Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mississippi	So do you guys think that Jean Grey actually died? Or will she comeback as something else? She is signed on to be in X-3, so maybe there is a little surprise waiting for us all. I have to go see it again. At the end when Patrick Stewart was sitting with those children, he paused and glanced over his shoulder outside and then smiled as if someone spoke to him telepathically. What was up with that? __________________ The Dallas Cowboys!! America's Team will rise again.

05-05-2003, 02:13 PM	#27
KWhit Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Conyers GA	I know! I know!

05-05-2003, 02:34 PM	#29
cincyreds High School Varsity Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mississippi	Well put Franklinoble, well put. I am happy that your comic book fantasies have been fulfilled. Honestly. I must go see it again. It is one of those movies that you have see again to really understand. __________________ The Dallas Cowboys!! America's Team will rise again.

05-05-2003, 02:37 PM	#30
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	Anybody else notice when Mystique was going through the computer files, the name on the screen was Remy Lebeau? I thought that was kinda interesting. Maybe they'll toss Gambit into the next one, one can dream. And yeah, Jean Grey will be back and better than ever. Can't wait to see how she looks as her uber self now.

05-05-2003, 02:53 PM	#31
RendeR Coordinator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Buffalo, NY	I have to say that with all the dissapointing movies that were made in the past. X-Men has far and away been the best portrayed comic book thus far. I can only hope they keep the actors aigned and keep them in characters for years to come. I'm 15 again playing Champions with my friends blasting hte bad guys with pencils and dice. I LOVED this movie. I don't think I've seen actors put into roles that fit so perfectly before.... And yes, jean will be back...one way or another =) What a lead in! __________________ http://wotlabs.net/s...8/signature.png http://wotlabs.net/sig_dark/na/banichi18/signature.png

05-05-2003, 02:58 PM	#32
Pyser Pro Rookie Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Los Angeles	um, did anyone else laugh at the....well, laughably bad Hulk trailer?

05-05-2003, 03:11 PM	#34
Calis College Starter Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Kansas	Marvel streak come to an end? Didn't the streak end with Daredevil and start anew with X-Men? In case it hasn't been noticed yet, I'm very bitter about DD.

05-05-2003, 03:15 PM	#36
Bee Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA	I think the Hulk movie will make Daredevil look like pure genius.

05-05-2003, 03:20 PM	#37
dawgfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Seattle	Hmmm. My issue with the Hulk trailer is just that the CGI Hulk isn't convincing enough for me - he looks too cartoony in a Shrek kind of way. I'm still expecting a well-done story, strong direction and good acting - all things that I've been told were lacking in Daredevil.

05-05-2003, 03:28 PM	#38
Bee Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA	I don't know...to me Shrek looked more convincing than the Hulk. Last edited by Bee : 05-05-2003 at 03:56 PM.

05-05-2003, 03:40 PM	#39
Franklinnoble Banned Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Placerville, CA	A lot of people were P-O'ed at Daredevil. Admittedly, I was never a big fan of the comic, so I don't know what sort of let-down there was along those lines. That, and he looked a bit too much like "The Gimp" in that red leather costume... All that aside, it really wasn't a bad movie. Probably not very close to the original comic story, but not bad, otherwise.