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The first blockbuster action movie of the year, X2: X-Men United, opened this weekend, bringing with it cheers, millions of dollars at the box office, and an unexpected controversy.

Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) , and the meddlesome bad guy Magneto (Ian McKellen) are back on the big screen, continuing the saga of supernaturally talented mutants who are persecuted by a society they're trying to protect. This time, the kind-hearted heroes find themselves in trouble when the elusive Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming) attacks the President of the United States. A brilliant bigot named William Stryker (Bryan Cox) takes advantage of the incident, convincing the President to support military action against the mutants. But even the President does not suspect Stryker's genocidal intentions.

Stryker is causing trouble for more than mutants. He has offended a portion of X2's audience as well. A U.K. news site reports that the Muslim civil rights group Project Islamic H.O.P.E. "and a coalition of Islamic organizations are demanding an apology from X2 director Bryan Singer and are also demanding that anti-Islamic propaganda be deleted from the future release of the DVD version of the film."

Anti-Islamic content? When Stryker is shown signing a document that will further his wicked agenda, the camera catches a glimpse of his ring, which bears the Arabic symbol for "Allah."

The fuss over this inflammatory detail is not hindering the film's success with audiences or critics. According to imdb.com, X2 earned an estimated $85.6 million in its first weekend, an opening just shy of the totals achieved by recent hits Spider-Man and the Harry Potter movies. Critics compare it to some of the most successful and admired sequels ever made, and many say this installment is a significant improvement on the first.

Singer clearly had successful sequels on his mind as he structured his follow-up to 2000's X-Men. Echoes of Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, The Empire Strikes Back, and Terminator 2 resound throughout this exhilarating, exhausting action marathon. A top-secret rebel base is discovered and invaded by stormtrooper-militia. A highlighted kiss mimics the most memorable sequel kiss of all time. One metal-framed hero duels another in a brutal smackdown. Instead of an airborne chase through an asteroid field, X2 gives us airborne pursuit through something just as destructive and dazzling. The heroes' jet even acts like Empire's Millennium Falcon. A troubled hero uncovers startling secrets about his origins. And let's face it: Hugh Jackman is Han Solo with claws and a cigar. These are fleeting but reverent references; X2 has plenty of original ideas in its thrill-filled span.

One thing that sets this franchise apart is the way it lends itself to varying interpretations, all relevant and timely. The story focuses intently on the plight of minorities. The mutants can represent persecuted Jews, alienated teens, sexual minorities, or Christians.

(One Christian movie critic interrupts his X2 review to make sure readers are aware that one of the actors is a homosexual. Film Forum would like to point out that, in truth, all of the actors have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … as have all of its critics.)

Singer works his concerns about intolerance, violent revolt, and peace-seeking diplomacy cleverly into the film's almost nonstop action. He grounds familiar social dilemmas in strong characters and snappy dialogue, so that focus remains where it should be: on plot rather than preaching.

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May (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47