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The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Galen

Regular
The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

I'll be watching X-Men 2 in just under 6 hours, so expect a fully detailed report on Friday when most of the rest of you would have had the opportunity to have seen the movie by then as well... I'll cage myself (hold myself back) from posting anything until then, but I just had to be the first one here at this board to launch the official first discussion thread for X²:Mutants United! :p After having waited almost a good 3 years since the release of X-Men (which I just happened to have watched last night with 4 of my friends on a widescreen tv with 5.1 surround sound *drool*), I have just under 6 more hours to go and counting! :D And the exact same 4 of us have our perfect seats booked at the best audio rated cinema in the region where I live... yes, yes, I know I am being mean and all :p but I am simply that much excited! The movie is going to be a blast, that much I know! :D

If any of you feel like posting something in the meanwhile I am okey with it, but I do advise that we all hold off on any spoilers until Friday evening -ish (keep this thread spoiler free for a day) so that we can give everyone here a fair chance to have seen the movie first.

Await my report on Friday then! :cool:
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

I'll be in the theatre in a little over 5 hours. I could skip out on school if I wanted to, but I'm trying to save my absences for the summer.
Ok, I think we should kill some time, people... Who are your favorite mutants?

My favorites are.....
Cyclops... who still has a small role in the new movie. :mad:
Nightcrawler... :D
and... Gambit... who as far as I know isn't in the movie. :(

I like Wolverine too but I don't like how he's the center character in the movies. I know, I know, he's really popular... but Cyclops could take him in a second. ;)
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

:cool: Part I :cool:

Here are five generic things about the movie in the meanwhile :p: (1)consisted over a solid story premise, (2)character portrayals were convincing & real, (3)special effects supported the story & characters, (4)strong continuity kept between both the prequel & the comic franchise, (5)EXCELLENT work by the director Bryan Singer!

my rating = FIVE STARS: *****
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

I saw X2 last night at midnight... SO DAMN COOL I can't even put it in words... Magneto is the baddest man on the planet!! X2 is even better than the first movie. I'm gonna try like hell to see it again this weekend.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

:cool: Part II :cool:

Alright, if there was any doubt left in my mind then that doubt has now become an impression of the past, since as far as it concerns my personal opinion Bryan Singer is the next Steven Spielberg (I have my reasons for this specific comparison)... even though Singer is and has always been in a league of his own. I have always been a fan of Singer's work, but now the man has indeed come very close to becoming my favorite director. It is not often that we are all fortunate to observe a sequel movie to conclude into being more powerful and overwhelming than its predecessor and original craft, so even though X-Men was a blast I would have to state that was even more magnificent, more so than what I was expecting. And please do keep in mind that my expectations were quite high. Therefore I have great gratitude towards Bryan Singer and his team in having done an excellent job in keeping a franchise alive and kicking ass (quite literally)!

Bryan Singer consists over a very unique style of directing that only he knows by heart to explain to any other, but to the rest of us it has always been visible that his work contains the art form of a complete serious approach which leaves the impact of realism upon his movies. And realism is one's main concern in any movie, if that concept escapes one's work one might aswell not try. But even more importantly would be that Singer doesn't rely on special effects to make his movies work, since he had been used to making pure character driven movies with low budgets from the beginning. Therefore his movies are based upon purely character driven stories whereupon the special effects are used as a bonus towards supporting the movie structure. So yes, even though consisted I would say over 75% of special effects, the special effects were used as a support system to help make the characters' abilities and skills seem more real and believable, but once again to support the story.

consists of an entertaining and yet unexpected solid story where within you have a continues arch build-up throughout the whole duration of the movie that not only brings forth a climatic ending, but this whole process also prepares for a likeable sequel. Such a lot happens all at once all the time, but with a breathable pace. And then there is also the thick layer of new continuity that establishes its reference to link both the prequel movie as well as the comic franchise, and of course of what is to come as well. Even so once again this is not only a movie for the fan but also for the regular moviegoer whom enjoys a 2-hour rush. Though a fan would of course appreciate all the inside jokes and links that has been thrown into the movie especially for this reason.

Hey Bub, I'm not done with you yet... GO WATCH , IT ROCKS YOUR HAIR OFF!!!
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

To be honst, I was little disappointed in it, even though I thought it was a much better movie than the first one. I'm not actually knocking the movie per se, because I think Singer has done a better job than any other director possibly could ... my problem is with the constraints of the medium itself.

In my mind, X-Men simply has way too many characters, with way too much backstory for a 2-hour or 2-hour and 30 minute movie to do it complete justice ... For Spiderman or Superman or Batman, its not that much of a problem since you're basically focusing on two characters exclusively....

I can only imagine what kind of movie this would have been had there been another hour and a half for Singer to play with ... if you've ever read "God Loves, Man Kills," the graphic novel this was loosely based on, you'll know how powerful this story really is ... much better than the script, but when you have such a limited time to tell a story, there has to be sacrifices.

It looks like the next movie might focus on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, which is another powerful story ... X-Men has countless numbers of great stories to pick and choose from, but I still wish we could see a three-and-a-half or four hour X-Men movie... but it'll never happen.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

It looks like the next movie might focus on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, which is another powerful story
I've never been an avid follower of the comic or the cartoon, but I have always known most of the jist of XMen. What are you referring to when you say the next one may deal with Jean Grey and Phoenix Force? Thats news to me. I was a bit confused at the Jean Grey sequence near the end, and at the end. To a newbie, it looks like she is dead. However all leading up to that her powers were seeming to be changing, and she was always hinting at something happening. Did she really die or just become or mutate into something even greater as her monologue at the end hinted to? Also, what was up with Professor X looking out his windows before he started talking to the kids at the end?

They really made things seem final as if she was dead, but there was lots that kept me wondering. I can only assume if I had better knowledge of the cartoon and comics I would know what to expect. Can someone fill me in?
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

i would have liked this movie more if it weren't for the fact that my 2 yo had ants in her pants the entire last hour of the movie..omg it was so embarasing. here i was with my 12 and 2 yo in a PACKED theater with us being in the MIDDLE. the whole theater was quiet except for my 2 yo saying in her loud voice, "I WANT MY BOTTLE!"

i thought it was great they got patrick again. and whoever magneto is. and the storm chic. wolverine has a bigger part than boywonder cyclops.

I dunno why the demon elf dude had all that blue make up on. maybe to make him look more evil.

i liked the evil mutants working together with the non evil mutants! it was a good plot.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

I've never been an avid follower of the comic or the cartoon, but I have always known most of the jist of XMen. What are you referring to when you say the next one may deal with Jean Grey and Phoenix Force? Thats news to me. I was a bit confused at the Jean Grey sequence near the end, and at the end. To a newbie, it looks like she is dead. However all leading up to that her powers were seeming to be changing, and she was always hinting at something happening. Did she really die or just become or mutate into something even greater as her monologue at the end hinted to? Also, what was up with Professor X looking out his windows before he started talking to the kids at the end?

The Phoenix story is one of my favorites, because it was going on when I first subscribed to the X-Men. I'm sure if I went digging through my collection at home I could probably tell you point-for-point what happened, but I'll break it down from what I remember...

Like the movie, Jean Grey did seem to die while saving the other X-Men and like the movie, Jean Grey's powers were growing more and more. In the comics, it appeared that Jean Grey's powers manifested to the point where she was able to channel the Phoenix Force -- a sort of all-powerful psionic energy that made her one of the most powerful entities in the universe --- and, like the myth of the Phoenix, she was reborn.

When I say that Phoenix was powerful, I mean that she could destroy whole planets without breaking a sweat ... she eventually reached the point where she became Dark Phoenix -- an evil incarntion of her personality and that made her a threat to some of the galaxy's more powerful alien races.

From what I remember, one or more of these alien races came to destroy Phoenix before she could do any more harm... which pitted the X-Men against the aliens who were trying to kill her. Finally seeing how much pain and grief she was causing to her friends, Phoenix committed suicide... and that was the end of Jean Grey...

Or so we thought.

As it turned out, it wasn't really Jean Grey that became Phoenix, but rather a clone of Jean Grey created by someone calling himself Mr. Sinister... a mutant who seemed to be preoccupied by the DNA of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, because he knew that he could create some all-powerful mutant by fooling around with their genes (this, of course, leads to the birth of Cable and X-Man, but that's anoher story). Anyway, after Phoenix dies, Jean Grey re-appears -- she was supposedly in suspended animation throughout the whole Phoenix saga..

It's a better story than I make it out to be, but you get the idea.

Like you, I noticed the fact that Professor X was smiling outside the window at the end of the movie and then we go to the river where Jean Grey died and it almost seemed as though something was about to rise from the water.... I took that to mean that the next movie might be about the Phoenix saga.

i liked the evil mutants working together with the non evil mutants! it was a good plot.

That happened a lot in the comic books, because even though Professor X is like Martin Luther King to Magneto's Malcom X , they have a common enemy in the fear of non-mutants. For a time, while Professor X was away, Magneto was even the headmaster of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters...

And during the Secret Wars saga (one of my personal favorites) an all-powerful entity, the Beyonder, brought most of Earth's superheroes and supervillians together to fight in a free-for-all and the winner would receive their fondest wish.

The odd thing was that the Beyonder separated the two groups by their personal desires and, oddly enough, the Beyonder placed Magneto in with the superheroes... much to their dismay. Anyway, the superheroes get pissed that Magneto is in with them and he basically leaves to be by himself. Professor X knows that Magneto is one of the most powerful beings in the group and he and the other X-Men go off to form an alliance with him... and later on save the other heroes when the evil group gets the drop on them.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

There is a lot of backstory concerning the X-Men. It would take days to go through it all. I watched the movie this morning and I liked it. It had great character development and was pleased when it followed the basic storyline set in the comic.

There is just too much information to throw into these movies. Just a few points for example, and please correct me if I'm wrong.
1) It is rumored the Sabertooth might be Wolverine's father and they use to work together back in the day.
2)The Phoenix story, how would they handle the alien aspect of it? I'm just curious to see if they will add aliens to a movie. I mean Prof. X got most of his tech from an alien race. I believe they helped created the Danger Room.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

There is just too much information to throw into these movies. Just a few points for example, and please correct me if I'm wrong.
1) It is rumored the Sabertooth might be Wolverine's father and they use to work together back in the day.
2)The Phoenix story, how would they handle the alien aspect of it? I'm just curious to see if they will add aliens to a movie. I mean Prof. X got most of his tech from an alien race. I believe they helped created the Danger Room.

Mystique is also, supposedly, Nightcrawler's mother... and Gambit (did he make a cameo in this? I can't remember) was rumored to be Scott Summers brother.

I haven't heard the Sabetooth rumor, but its been years since I read a comic book

As far as the Shi'ar (the aliens involved in the Phoenix Saga) you raise a very interesting point, on several levels... in the comic book, it was the Shi'ar who gave the X-Men the technology used in the X-Jet, the Danger Room and virtually everything else they use.... the movies have been oddly silent on how they acquired such things (though it wouldn't be hard for someone like Professor X to get his hands on a re-vamped SR-71 Blackbird). Of course the leader of the Shi'ar, Liandra, was Professor X's main love -- which made the Phoenix Saga all the sadder.

My guess is that they'll leave out all the alien stuff, because there simply won't be enough time to get it all in... you can still do a Phoenix story without all the alien and clone stuff, which makes me wonder if they'll still include Mr. Sinister who, in my opinion, is a much worse guy than Magneto ever was.

Frankly, I'd like to see a movie with Apocalypse as the bad guy... he makes Magneto and Mr. Sinister look like girl scouts in comparison. Imagine Darkseid from the Superman Comics with a chip on his shoulders and that would be Apocalypse.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Mr. Sinister would be a great villian along with Apocolypse. I also wonder if they will introduce Angel into an X-Men movie since he was one of the original members. I'm also trying to figure out how they will give Rogue her strength, invulnerability, and flight. Didn't she acquire those powers from Ms. Marvel? One of the other things I like about these movies is that you have so many characters to use. Personally I think you could do a movie without say, perhaps Cyclops or even Wolverine, there are so many other interesting characters as well.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Originally posted by PsionTen:
... my problem is with the constraints of the medium itself.

In my mind, X-Men simply has way too many characters, with way too much backstory for a 2-hour or 2-hour and 30 minute movie to do it complete justice...

I can only imagine what kind of movie this would have been had there been another hour and a half for Singer to play with ... if you've ever read "God Loves, Man Kills," the graphic novel this was loosely based on, you'll know how powerful this story really is ... much better than the script, but when you have such a limited time to tell a story, there has to be sacrifices.

It looks like the next movie might focus on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, which is another powerful story ... X-Men has countless numbers of great stories to pick and choose from, but I still wish we could see a three-and-a-half or four hour X-Men movie... but it'll never happen


As with me when finished off and the end credits faded on, I too was thinking how I could sit through another 2 hours of both story and action. Then again in context of the movie franchise, that is what essentially has become in being a continuation of its prequel. That is why I think that Singer and his team did a great job at molding the two movies into one to make them both seem like one big story, together.

When one has over 40 years of history and tight continuity to look back upon like in this particular scenario (not even to begin to discuss such a confusing one such at hand), one doesn't really have a choice in the matter when you are forced to draw a cut-off line somewhere which naturally brings forth a chain effect of having to include huge sacrifices. Unfortunately as well in this exact same scenario one can't use each and every mutant ever written either, there had to be decided on a hand full of main characters which meant that some fan somewhere would miss out on his or her favorite mutant. But even so we ended having a pretty big ensembled cast again whom all had plenty of character screen time to an almost equal level. So, I would have to state again that under all this pressure and with the full amount of limited time that was put available to Singer's use and disposal, he and his team did a fairly decent job of having cramped in as much story and mostly continuity as they did. The general moviegoer doesn't know this or couldn't even begin to quite possibly realize or understand this concept. Unless one reads the comics or you know the franchise fairly well, how many of an audience would actually know/realize that the figure being observed floating through the water at the end of the movie is a representation of a phoenix form. Most people I have spoken to think that 'Jean Grey' is dead and they do not have a single clue as to why Jean Grey's eyes grew burning red in power throughout the whole duration of the movie. They can't even begin to understand why Jean Grey's mutant ability overpowered and burned out at the end.

All of this would bring me to believe that not that many people except for true fans would actually have realized by now that the main theme which 's foundation has been based on represents the ideas and concepts from the work of mostly Chris Claremont. Once again though one can't have an exact representation and makeover of any graphic novel without adapting and grooming its story so as to making the material seem as realistic as possible for the big screen medium, without messing up the essence of the X-Men and their history. With "God Loves, Man Kills" one had an extremely powerful and overwhelming story that worked convincingly for its medium as a graphic novel, but for a movie one had to find other ways of portraying these ideas since they are very dark, cruel and disturbing of nature. The screenplay brought across these written concepts in a very fashionable but smooth flow, without having had the movie scenes seem cruel or overexposed. Somehow I have to believe that if we had Xavier crucified half naked onto a cross, the whole procedure would not have been in favor at all to the movie... though, I would have to admit into saying that I can only begin to imagine how such a dramatic and powerful illusion sequence would be enacted and presented to fit the profile for a big screen medium.

X-Men kicked off the story with having had us being introduced to the world of mutants through the eyes of both Wolverine and young innocent-like Rogue, which led us to the exposure of who and what the X-Men represents and their mutual and rival struggles. Therefore in there was no need for any explanations which meant the writers could jump straight into a balls to the wall action packed but character driven story. is an interlinked second chapter saga of both the continuation of Wolverine's struggle to establish the reality and truth of his past and present as well as Stryker's compulsive obsession to annihilate all mutants through abusing and ultimately manipulating Xavier into using his telepathy to destroy everything he holds dear by enforcing an illusion upon him. It also turned out that Stryker was responsible for Wolverine's eluding past where Stryker was responsible for having given Wolverine his adamantium skeleton and claws, and this worked really well for me personally since the concept worked well for the movie when you had the two diverse themes combining into one. Even though in the comic franchise, or more specifically in "God Loves, Man Kills", Stryker was a religious "zealot" reverend with a plan of genocide for mutants (quoting the synopsis more or less on the back of the graphic novel). This was only one of the changes, but I found for every change they had to make that there was five continuity-wise things that made up for it... especially when Wolverine started slicing and dicing up a body count all over the place.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

omg it was so embarasing. here i was with my 12 and 2 yo in a PACKED theater with us being in the MIDDLE. the whole theater was quiet except for my 2 yo saying in her loud voice, "I WANT MY BOTTLE!"

Please tell me what on earth possessed you to take a 2 year old to a movie like this? I can't see any possibility of the child enjoying the movie, and by taking her you reduced your own enjoyment of the film, along with that of hundreds of other people.

This is something that really annoys me. Why take a small child to a movie that is obviously unsuitable for its age? If you were a single parent, with no possibility of finding a babysitter, I guess there might be a reason, as this would be the only way you could see the movie yourself. From what I recall of your postings, this doesn't describe your circumstances.

Expecting a small child to sit quietly through a two hour movie is unreasonable. Taking a two year old to see such a movie is not only unkind to the child, but displays a stunning lack of consideration for others, who wanted to enjoy the movie without the entirely understandable interruptions from your child.

If I have misunderstood your situation, and this was indeed the only way you and your twelve year old could see the movie, then I apologise, but I still feel more sympathy for the other people in the theatre than I do for you.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Didn't she acquire those powers from Ms. Marvel?

Yeah, I think it was Mystique who tricked Rogue into prolonged contact with Ms. Marvel... causing her to fall into a deep coma. It not only left Rogue with all of Ms. Marvel's powers, but her thoughts and memories as well. From what I understand, Ms. Marval finally awoke from her coma and assumed another identity.

So, I would have to state again that under all this pressure and with the full amount of limited time that was put available to Singer's use and disposal, he and his team did a fairly decent job of having cramped in as much story and mostly continuity as they did.

I couldn't agree with you more ... Singer made a near perfect X-Men film given the usual time constraints. I know I'm making a basically empty argument, because those films have to be a certain length in order to show a set number of viewings per day in order to make money -- although LotR is able to pull it off somehow.
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

To a certain extent yes, a movie has to be screened at its maximum exposure rate as to make back its costs and profits, but that isn't why they produce movies at 2 hours lengths give or take. In the end it is all about the sponsorship, the sources and time available for use and ultimately the signed contract. :) Not even a director has all the power unfortunately. :(
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Just read this review by X-Fan:


The X-Men have had many adjectives describing them over the years: amazing, astonishing, x-treme, ultimate, and, of course, uncanny. None of them, however, not even combined, can come close to describing 20th Century Fox's mutant movie sequel, X2. Director Bryan Singer and co. have surpassed all expectations, delivering a film that is bigger, longer, and much, much better than its predecessor.

Whilst the first film served primarily as an introduction to the characters, their world, and their beliefs, X2 launches headlong into its story, which picks up shortly after the events of the first X-Men film. Grander in scope from its predecessor, X2 picks up on several subplots from the first film, such as the Cyclops/Jean Grey/Wolverine love triangle, the attraction between Iceman and Rogue, and the relationship between Magneto and Xavier. Once all the pieces are in play, the film shifts into high gear, pausing only briefly for the occasional light-humoured or tender moment. Some of the best moments of the film are the interactions between the characters, lifting X2 to a level high above your average action flick.

The film also boasts some downright beautiful locations and scenery, making it a visual feast. The special effects serve to enhance the story rather than overwhelm it, helping make these fantastic characters and their amazing abilities all the more believable. Cerebro, in particular, has had an upgrade in terms of FX from the first film, and the result is breathtaking. Each characters' abilities are well defined and visually striking, especially those of Pyro, Storm, and Jean Grey.

One of the main gripes many fans had with the first film was that not all the characters managed to get as much time in the spotlight as others. Not so here. Granted, the film focuses on Wolverine and his search for his past, but all the major characters - and even some of the minor ones such as Colossus and Siryn - get their chance to shine. Despite the size of the cast, the end result is a well-balanced mix. The stand-out, though, has to be Alan Cumming's portrayal of the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler. The big screen version of the character looks, acts, "bamfs", and talks as though he were lifted straight from the pages of Giant-Size X-Men #1. Deeply emotional and wonderfully complex, Cumming's Nightcrawler comes across as more human than some of the film's actual human characters.

The climax of the film will be one that noone who sees the film will quickly forget. X2 is a much darker film than its predecessor. Wolverine, especially, is far more ruthless and deadly than he was in X-Men. The much-touted fight between Wolverine and Deathstrike is incredibly brutal and intense, and will surely be talked about for some time to come. The climax culminates in a scene intentionally omitted from both the official novelization and comic book adaptation; one that will have fans reeling at its impact and leave no doubt as to what the plot of X3 will most likely be!

Die-hard X-fans will find the film a treat thanks to a slew of comic book references, such as cameo appearances like the Beast and name-drops like Jamie Madrox, but you'll have to be quick to spot them! X2 is a thrill-a-minute ride with knock-your-socks-off action and heart-warming characterization. Even if you're not a fan, however, there's plenty in the film for you no matter your cinematic tastes. Action, adventure, suspense, intrigue, romance, humour, and tragedy - X2 has it all!



Isn't that which I've been saying :rolleyes:, just much more well put in some other areas! :p;)
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Cameos
I understand Hank McCoy was in the movie somewhere, where exactly? I heard somewhere that he was on tv, but I can't picture the scene in my mind, help? Funny thing is, I heard nobody commenting about Jubilee (in the 'prisoner pit' with the other children) Storm even calls out her name.

Wolverine
In the last movie, he seemed to be on a leash. As if Singer was afraid that Wolverine would not be likeble if he used his claws to much (which is probably right). But in this movie, he slices and dices and I like it, especially the scene with the soldiers at the school looked very painfull (for the soldiers that is). He's a one man army and I love him for it.

Kurt Wagner
I loved Kurt, the religious aspect of his caracter has worked out with dignity and respect. And amizingly for an american film, the german was good grammar!!

Sentinals
I want 'em! the next movie should have them, but due to Xavier's speech to the president - and the introduction of the Phoenix story, we'll probably won't get 'em. A pity.

Annoying people
i would have liked this movie more if it weren't for the fact that my 2 yo had ants in her pants the entire last hour of the movie..omg it was so embarasing. here i was with my 12 and 2 yo in a PACKED theater with us being in the MIDDLE. the whole theater was quiet except for my 2 yo saying in her loud voice, "I WANT MY BOTTLE!"
Who brings an infant like that to a 2 hour long movie that is way too scary and unenjoyable (because there are no teletubbies) for little children. People like you should be banned from the theatres, people sitting in the theatre must have been al lot more annoyed than you!
 
Re: The official X²:Mutants United (Spoiler) Thread

Hank McCoy is on the television when the guard is in the bar, just before Mystique comes and seduces him.
 

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