The summer movie season has begun with X-Men 2, a sequel that takes what worked in it's predecessor, and multiplies it by ten. Yes, this follow up is much bigger than the first. And while I had a good time with X-Men 2, bigger isn't necessarily better.

Based on the popular Marvel Comic, X-Men 2 brings back all our favorite characters from the first film (Wolverine, Mystique, Cyclops, Storm, Magneto etc.) As well as some new ones (Night Crawler, Pyro and Ice Man). This time out, the X-Men set out to defeat villain William Stryker, a human hell bent on destroying all mutants. But in order to stop his fiendish plot, they must team up with a most unlikely partner.

A big complaint I constantly hear about the first film is it's lack of action. The first movie did have moments of action, but it was more character driven. X-Men 2 is much more action oriented, featuring our fearless heroes doing battle in the name of peace. While the extra thrills are certainly impressive and more than welcome, I kind of missed the attention paid to character that made the first installment so compelling. We get hints of it. We get a quick glimpse into Ice Man's home life and there's even a little bit of background into the origin of Wolverine. The blessing and the curse is that there are actually too many characters in this picture. So many in fact, they we don't really get to know all of them. Sure, we get to see them kick ass, but we don't get to see what makes them tick. To some, this will hardly matter, but for me it was kind of irritating.

I have to give director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) props. As I watched X-Men 2, I could see the pure joy that went into the making of this project. Mr. Singer is like a kid in a candy store, and while he may not have been well versed in the X-Men universe when he made the first picture, he certainly is now. This is definitely a movie for fans as you will see many of the characters you loved in the comic, come to butt-kicking life.

If you pay close attention, you will also see Singer's pure love for cinema as he tips his hat to everything from Superman 1 and 2, to Silence of the Lambs, to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

As in the comic, X-Men 2 plays as a kind of metaphor for racism and bigotry. Most notably, it plays on fear and homophobia. It was also interesting watching the younger mutants learning to keep their powers in check, despite obvious teen angst. What I like most about the X-Men is what they stand for. Unity and peace. Given the current status of the world, this couldn't be more relevant.

What I disliked most about the picture was the lack of revelations. I've already mentioned that it gives us a glimpse into the origin of Wolverine, but that's about it. For the most part, X-Men 2 substitutes character development for action. Some of the leads in this picture aren't even given anything to do. Rogue, for instance, hangs out in the background for most of the picture, until finally, she is given a chance to pilot a jet, presumably because the film makers realized she hadn¡¯t done anything relevant throughout the picture. It¡¯s the same deal with Cyclops. I think he uses his visor once. The only other thing he¡¯s involved in is a dull and completely underdeveloped love triangle with Wolverine and Jean Grey.

This isn't really a movie about performance however, there are some worth mentioning. Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart could recite the Rollerball screenplay and make it sound good. They're incredibly commanding and watching them on screen together is an absolute treat. Hugh Jackman is the perfect Wolverine. He is not only tough as nails, but brings light doses of humor to the role. Brian Cox is terrific here as the sympathetic villain. While he is obviously up to no good, we can feel his pain. Rebecca Romijn-Stamos returns as the sleek and sexy Mystique, and while she rarely speaks, she exudes a sexual charge that really brings this character to life. Finally, I'd like to say that I thought Halle Berry was awful in the last picture. Thankfully, she's much more subtle in X-Men 2 and isn't forced to embarrass herself by saying lines that involve toads and lightning.

Overall, I had a good time at X-Men 2, I just wasn't blown away by it. As sequels go, I wouldn't rank it amongst Godfather, Alien, or Superman, but I would say it works better as a follow-up than Matrix Reloaded. Bring on X3!