This film surpasses the initial one, even though Patrick Stewart’s character—essentially Picard confined to a chair—continues to bother me. This installment features a strong antagonist in Brian Cox ("Stryker"), who portrays a resolute military figure successfully persuading the US President to grant him unrestricted authority to target and eliminate mutants following an assassination attempt on the White House. Ian McKellen's "Magneto" remains imprisoned, but his shape-shifting blue apprentice, "Mystique" (Rebecca Romijn), devises a clever plan for his release; fortunately, it arrives just in time! “Stryker” has uncovered “Cerebro,” intending to seize control of it, and launches an assault on the "Xavier" school, incapacitating numerous students. Only "Logan" (Hugh Jackman)," Scott" (James Marsden) and "Rogue" (Anna Paquin) remain to guide what’s left of their group in rescuing the now-captured professor. Circumstances demand it, leading to an improbable partnership with “Magneto,” but its stability is questionable, and as the story progresses toward a fairly thrilling conclusion, we understand that considerable scheming and plotting are still underway. Cox isn't known for his range, yet he delivers a dependable foundation for a narrative packed with action sequences. The focus on the moralistic, adolescent storyline of the 2000 film is considerably lessened; the characters have matured, are more fully realized, and can harness their abilities to greater dramatic impact for viewers. While the plot remains somewhat transparent, the visual effects team delivers exceptional work, keeping this nearly two-and-a-half-hour production moving at a surprisingly fluid pace. I’ve now firmly sided with “Magneto”—I'm eager for X3!

Source on TMDB