John Ottman's score for X2 is a fairly traditional piece of film music, with soaring strings and choral vocals, anthemic brass and intense percussion. While pieces such as the serene "Finding Faith" and the tense, slow-burning "Mansion Attack" might be somewhat predictable, they're nevertheless effective and dignified, which is more than can be said of some of the scores from 2003's summer blockbusters. And, despite their somewhat cheesy names, tracks like "Storm's Perfect Storm," "Sneaky Mystique," and "Rogue Earns Her Wings" do manage to convey the X-Men characters through music (although fans might be disappointed by the spoiler in "Death Strikes Deathstryke"'s title). Other highlights include the album's opening suite, the climactic "Goodbye," and the bittersweet finale, "We're Here to Stay." It's not the most inspired score, but Ottman's music more than serves its purpose, and fans who enjoyed the music in the movie will most likely appreciate this album as well. ~ Heather Phares|

Rovi