Andru quoted the following review of X2 on his page. I think it’s worth reprinting here.
XMen 2 seemed to take for granted that people were content to go along for any ride it wanted to take. As to hardcore fans, this assumption was probably right. As to the curious rest of us, it was a horrible miscalculation and an insult. Slow, boring, uninspired, meaningless, and shallow. I gladly walked out before the climax, after sitting through a pointless hour and a half. If we are supposed to feel so sorry for mutants, develop their characters. Give us a reason to like them. Tell a story, at least. Do not assume that we have seen the first movie or that we have read the comic book. I am a man, and I played sports and read about sports when I was a kid. I did not read silly, nerdy comic books. That is why I can satisfy women. This movie can’t satisfy anyone with a brain and guts.
Nail on the head, huh?