WOW!

That's the only word for it.

Bryan Singer has thrown us straight back into a world we know (it's not set in the future) and woven a brilliant tale of secrets, conspiracy and mutants.

Yes, in Singer's World, evolution has taken a leap forward to create super-humans - and he's taken a leap forward to create a brilliant movie.

After the huge success of X-Men, his clear vision and confident hand on the tiller brings us the kind of movie that the big screen was made for.

So what's it all about?

Kicking off at the moment that the first movie ended, there's a jaw-dropping sequence in which an unidentified mutant tries to kill the American President.

This sparks an outcry against all mutants and forces the President to put his trust in William Stryker (Cox), a military leader with past experience in dealing with this new breed of human being.

When Stryker threatens to eradicate mutants entirely, the X-Men must form an unlikely alliance with the unpredictable Magneto (the excellent Ian McKellen), and defend themselves and their kind.

X-Men was arguably the film most responsible for the current spate of superhero blockbusters such as Spider-Man, Hulk and Daredevil.

Bryan Singer's adult approach to the comic-book genre won the respect of the critics without ever alienating the comic's fan-base.

Rather than simply gut the story and characters from the X-Men comics, he's even thrown in extra titbits for die-hard fans (check out the ending of X2 - nuff said).

X-Men 2 is one of those rare sequels that easily outshines its predecessor - not that there was anything wrong with the first movie.

Singer maintains the balance between action and plot masterfully and an ensemble cast deliver believable three dimensional performances across the board.

Special credit goes to Hugh Jackman's snarling Wolverine, who must unlock his own shadowy past in order to safeguard the future of his friends, and Famke Janssen's Dr Jean Grey who struggles against the weight of her own powers.

Also, spare a thought for Rebecca Romijn-Stamos as Mystique and Brit newcomer Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, who were both forced to spend up to 8 hours in make-up to complete their transformation into blue-skinned mutants.

It is this strict attention to detail which keeps the comic-book faithful happy, but with an intelligent script, some stunning special effects and a cast which includes two Oscar-winning actresses and a twice nominated actor, there is plenty to enjoy for the rest of us.

David Hanson and Mike Taylor