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X2: X-Men United

X2: X-Men United

The time has come for those who are different to stand united.

2003134 minPG-13Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Director
Bryan Singer
Starring
Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden

Professor Charles Xavier and his team of genetically gifted superheroes face a rising tide of anti-mutant sentiment led by Col. William Stryker. Storm, Wolverine and Jean Grey must join Magneto and Mystique to unhinge Stryker's scheme to exterminate all mutants.

Where to watch

Where can I watch X2: X-Men United?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists X2: X-Men United streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about X2: X-Men United?

X2: X-Men United earns 9 badges, led by Top 5% in Action and Top 10% of films.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is X2: X-Men United worth watching?

X2: X-Men United's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all films, from 1.4M ratings across 6 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of films

95th percentile among Action89th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

73 /100

86th percentile of all films

94th percentile among Action86th percentile among 2000s

Critics 68 · Audience 73

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.5 — people broadly agree on this one.

81% liked it

91st percentile of all films

94th percentile among Action91st percentile among 2000s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Critics 85% · Audience 85%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 41 noms overall

72nd percentile

1.4M ratings across platforms

58th percentile among Action64th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 15% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$110M
Opening weekend$86M
Domestic gross$215M
Worldwide gross$408M

Returned 3.7× its budget — 96th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

X2 is a bigger, effects-driven sequel that improves on the original in scale and spectacle.

Fans praised

  • bigger, darker and more ambitious than the first, expanding the universe
  • sharper character arcs and improved pacing
  • terrific visual effects and action set-pieces

Detractors panned

  • little deep character development, mostly action
  • plot-holes and lack of scientific consistency
  • boring, lacking suspense and momentum

What stands out

Effects and spectacle85

superb effects and action set-pieces, both camps acknowledge

Cinematography75

sharp and visually fresh, though not heavily detailed

ActingDivisive70

cast solid, but Nightcrawler actor criticized

AtmosphereDivisive70

grounded yet threatening tone, bigger scope

CharactersDivisive65

more depth than first, but detractors see little development

Dialogue65

sharp and witty, though not a major focus

Plot and storyDivisive60

better story than first, but with plot-holes

PacingDivisive55

improved over first, but slow start for some

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 11 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is X2: X-Men United like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its superhero action and moral conflicts completely straight while balancing moments of wry humor and dark urgency.
The rideSustained tension through military threats and action setpieces, building to a somber, heroic sacrifice ending.
StructureConventional three-act blockbuster structure with clear setup, confrontation, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe self-sacrifice of Jean Grey and the successful alliance against a common threat leave a bittersweet yet rousing aftertaste of heroism and loss.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe X-Men must infiltrate a military research facility to rescue their captured leader and stop an anti-mutant weapon. A kidnapping sets the plot in motion.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPrejudiceSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Prejudice · 3% of filmsLoyalty · 4% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines prejudice against mutants as a persecuted minority, while testing loyalty to one's community and exploring the found family of the X-Men.
StanceThe film interrogates prejudice by showing both human fear and mutant extremism, refusing a simple answer about coexistence.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalDomesticWildernessScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score · John Ottman
SettingA near-real world where mutants exist, centered on the X-Mansion, a military research base at Alkali Lake, and various U.S. locations.
MusicA brooding superhero score blending heroic brass with choral elements and electronic accents during action scenes.

Content guide

Is X2: X-Men United okay for kids?

PG-13

X2: X-Men United is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action/violence, some sexuality and brief language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (65/100), sexual content at moderate (40/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). Overall it is heavier than 79% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 25 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Austria12
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark11
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoA
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PhilippinesPG
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 49% of all filmsHeavier than 79% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 84%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 75%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 56%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 76%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does X2: X-Men United have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in X2: X-Men United?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Hugh Jackman
as Logan
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Patrick Stewart
as Professor Charles Xavier
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ian McKellen
as Eric Lehnsherr
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Marsden
as Scott Summers
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Brian Cox
as William Stryker
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Famke Janssen
as Jean Grey
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Halle Berry
as Ororo Munroe
Alan Cumming
as Kurt Wagner
Aaron Stanford
as John Allerdyce
Rebecca Romijn
as Raven Darkholme

Crew

More like this

What are movies like X2: X-Men United?

Movies like X2: X-Men United include X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and Superman Returns (2006). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Bryan Singer, and most are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its world: New York. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with X2: X-Men United?

605 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: superhero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.