There clearly is more material here than in the previous film. It raises the stakes and explores some of the main characters' histories. The visuals are also stronger. What's clearly weaker than the last time is the music. Beyond the opening and the ending credits, there isn't much to speak of. In general, of course, "X2" from 2003 is "more" than "X-MEN" from 2000. But more does not necessarily mean better. Piecing all the elements together here isn't as careful as the last time, and even though the runtime is longer, the movie seems to be struggling to keep it all together. The editing may have something to do with that. But again, as for the good things, it is a sequel that follows in the original's footsteps. That alone can be viewed as a luxury a couple of decades after "X2" was released. It looks better than the first one. The sounds, however, don't beat the first one. The contents have more but could have been organized better. A good sequel, for sure, but whether it is better than the original can be rightfully questioned. And a good piece of entertainment that, again, is not all fun but also matters of life and death.
