X-Men 2

Excellent. X-Men 2 is undoubtedly better than the first movie and is perhaps the best comic book movie adaptation ever. Singer perfectly handles the psychology of the characters, and the action is also impressive (the White House introduction, the attack on the school, the X-Jet in a tornado, and Wolverine vs. Deathstrike). He’s a brilliant storyteller who knows when to push hard and when to slow down. He handles everything with feeling, bravura and love for the original comic book. Sadly, he ran off to Superman, where, for all his undeniable virtues, he couldn't succeed the way he did with X-Men. Too bad, Bryan. (01/08/2006)

Better than the first part after all, but still not quite up to par. The running time has increased, along with the wannabe profound speeches that ultimately fade away a bit emptily in the quick conclusion. Wolverine's internal conflict, on the other hand, is captivating, and the other characters are quite interesting as well. Fortunately, Bryan Singer delivers another smart comic book adaptation and manages to combine flashy popcorn action and a relatively engaging plot more than decently. The visual effects are among the best that can currently be seen, and if it weren't for the already mentioned slightly excessive runtime, I would be very satisfied. As it is, it's just a solid above-average film with a few minor flaws, but it's still worth watching. Compared to Daredevil or Spiderman, it clearly comes out on top. (29/05/2006)

X-Men 2 is, together with The Crow and Batman Returns, the best comic book adaptation ever. An extremely skilful mix of psychology and action, an interesting and smart story, dialogue that doesn't drag, great visual effects and last but not least excellent actors. I ate it hook, line and sinker, and I hope Singer still enjoys doing this and that we can expect a long, pleasant franchise. Carry on. (19/09/2003)

Honestly, one of the best comic-book adaptations I’ve ever seen (together with The Dark Night and Watchmen). Unlike the first part, X2 goes further in almost everything, has a better story and some brilliant and unforgettable scenes (Magneto’s escape from prison), and it’s excellent overall. 9/10 (25/09/2009)

Brian Singer proves that even a movie based on a comic book can contain some psychological undertones. If you add precise directing, well-chosen cast, lots of ideas and an ingenious action sequence. In addition, they have the advantage that the movie worked even without any of the above, unlike most other popcorn movies recently. At last a picture that proves the rule that a sequel can be considerably better than its forerunner. (03/07/2007)