Four star

WHEN do blockbuster film sequels ever live up to their predecessor?

Rarely ever, but X-Men 2 breaks the mould with a movie as classy if not more so as the first.

This time the X-Men face General Stryker, who tries to rid the world of mutant-kind by arranging an assassination attempt on the President by a teleporting mutant, played by Alan Cumming, and thus waging a war on all mutants.

His idea is to use his own mutant son to lure X-Men leader, Professor Xavier, into killing all the mutated ones by way of telekinesis.

But the X-Men join forces with Xavier's enemy Magneto (for a while) to try to beat Strykers' evil plan.

A stunning cast makes this movie.

Just a few names include Patrick Stewart, fresh out of his Star Trek costume, playing Xavier; Ian McKellen as Magneto and Halle Berry taking the role of Storm.

If the cast doesn't get you going the stunning special effects will.

And from start to finish this movie will have you on the edge of the seat.

A word of warning before taking the family to see the best movie of the year so far - if you haven't seen the first instalment yet, watch it first.

Otherwise, unless you have read every X-Men Marvel comic, it will be hard to follow, as many found out after paying £5 to get in.

MS