X2: X-Men United

Reviewed by:
Maxim Staff

It’s been a while—around the time Terminator 2 came out, if you want to get technical—since we’ve been able to say that a big-budget, special-effects-laden sequel actually improved upon the original. X2 does it in spades, expanding the mutant roster (say hi to the teleporting Nightcrawler and dagger-fingered Deathstrike) and amping up the action enough that Wolverine finally gets to use his claws for something other than skewering metal detectors. The only chink in the armor is that Halle Berry keeps her leather cat suit on the whole time.

The supplements provide an almost absurd amount of behind-the-scenes footage that documents everything from the special effects work to some of the deleted scenes. A still gallery features concept art for mutants cut from the final lineup (like the winged Angel). Plus, repeated viewings will help you pick up trivia: During the opening sequence, when Nightcrawler attempts to kill the president, the portraits of Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and William McKinley are prominently shown—all former presidents who were assassinated.

Share