LAST NIGHT I watched the first “X-Men” movie. I was wrong. Everyone else in the whole world was right. “X2” is better. There were some very nice moments in “X-Men” (esp. when they get to Liberty Island), but in general the actors don’t inhabit their characters nearly as much as they do in the sequel. (Also, I’d forgotten how cliched Rogue’s position in the narrative is–they might as well have used a cardboard cutout labeled “Damsel In Distress, this way up.”)

Part of what changed my mind is that I ended up seeing “X2” three times. Yup. Thrice. Why? Well, because it’s a really terrific, rollicking movie. I underestimated it the first time, I think because it does move too fast–character development is squeezed into quick moments and fleeting gestures–and because the very end is lame, leaving you with a bad aftertaste. (Seriously, what gives with the last White House scene?) But the movie lingered with me, and so I saw it again. And it was great. And I kept noticing more and more cool things about it. And the actors were in fine form–Famke Janssen and Hugh Jackman were much improved from the first movie (they weren’t bad in “X-Men,” but they were kind of bland, whereas they were very striking in “X2”), Alan Cumming of course was a fun addition, and even Ian McKellen, who was the highlight of “X-Men,” made a finer villain the second time ’round. He managed to keep his toothmarks off the scenery for the most part. So I saw it again. And decided that three times was not overkill.