X-Men 2 picks up almost directly where X-Men left off: misguided super-villain Magneto (Ian McKellen) is still a prisoner of the US government, heroic bad-boy Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is up in Canada investigating his mysterious origin, and the events at Liberty Island (which occurred at the conclusion of X-Men) have prompted a rethink in official policy towards mutants--the proposed Mutant Registration Act has been shelved by US Congress. Into this scenario pops wealthy former army commander William Stryker, a man with the President's ear and a personal vendetta against all mutant-kind in general, and the X-Men's leader Professor X (Patrick Stewart) in particular. Once he sets his plans in motion, the X-Men must team-up with their former enemies Magneto and Mystique (Rebecca Romjin-Stamos), as well as some new allies (including Alan Cumming's gregarious, blue-skinned German mutant, Nightcrawler). The phenomenal global success of X-Men meant that director Bryan Singer had even more money to spend on its sequel, and it shows. Not only is the script better (there's significantly less cheesy dialogue than the original), but the action and effects are also even more stupendous--from Nightcrawler's teleportation sequence through the White House to a thrilling aerial dogfight featuring mutants-vs-missiles to a military assault on the X-Men's school/headquarters to the final showdown at Stryker's sub-Arctic headquarters. Yet at no point do the effects overtake the film or the characters. Moreso than the original, this is an ensemble piece, allowing each character in its even-bigger cast at least one moment in the spotlight (in fact, the cast credits don't even run until the end of the film). And that, perhaps, is part of its problem (though it's a slight one): with so much going on, and nary a recap of what's come before, it's a film that could prove baffling to anyone who missed the first instalment. But that's just a minor quibble--X-Men 2 is that rare thing, a sequel that's actually superior to its predecessor. --Robert Burrow
This box set features the following films: Tenacious D: The Pick Of Destiny (Dir. Liam Lynch) (2006): In Venice Beach naive Midwesterner JB (Black) bonds with local slacker KG (Gass) and they form the rock band Tenacious D. Setting out to become the world's greatest band is no easy feat so they set out to steal what could be the answer to their prayers -- a magical guitar pick housed in a rock-and-roll museum some 300 miles away. Fracture (Dir. Gregory Holbit) (2007): When Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) discovers that his beautiful younger wife Jennifer (Embeth Davidtz) is having an affair he plans her murder...the perfect murder. Among the police arriving at the crime scene is hostage negotiator Detective Rob Nunally (Billy Burke) the only officer permitted entry to the house. Surprisingly Crawford readily admits to shooting his wife but Nunally is too stunned to pay close attention when he recognizes his lover whose true identity he never knew lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Although Jennifer was shot at point blank range Nunally realizes she isn't dead. Crawford is immediately arrested and arraigned after confessing - a seemingly slam-dunk case for hot shot assistant district attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) who has one foot out the door of the District Attorney's (David Strathairn) office on his way to a lucrative job in high-stakes corporate law. But nothing is as simple as it seems including this case. Will the lure of power and a love affair with a sexy ambitious attorney (Rosamund Pike) at his new firm overpower Willy's fierce drive to win or worse quash his code of ethics? In a tense duel of intellect and strategy Crawford and Willy both learn that a fracture can be found in every ostensibly perfect facade. The Alibi (Dir. Matt Checkowski & Kurt Mattila) (2006): Ray Elliot (Steve Coogan) is an ex-con smart enough to leave the grift before the grift grifted him. Now Ray runs an alibi service for men and woman who want to spend a little quality love time away from their well... loved ones. A true cynic Ray's business is booming until Wendell Hatch (James Marsden) the pampered son of Ray's biggest client sneaks away to Santa Barbara the weekend before his wedding and accidentally strangles his bit on the side. Suddenly Ray is an accessory to murder and is being pursued by everyone from the savvy small - town cop and a heartbroken chauffeur to a holier-than-thou assassin known as 'The Mormon'. Unable to extricate himself from this tangled we Ray must at last place his trust in someone. Enter the fast-talking and extremely sexy Lola ( Rebecca Romijn). With Lola's help Ray decides to mastermind one final con that will clear his name and finally lay his ghosts to rest. But still things refuse to go to plan. And whether he likes it or not Ray is about to learn a thing or two about love and affairs of the heart - particularly his own.
They are mutants, genetically gifted human beings - the worlds newest and most persecuted minority group.
Marvel Comics' team of mutant superheroes The X-Men return in a sequel to the blockbuster hit of 2001.
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