Review: IRON MAN 2

There is often the lingering hope that a sequel to any film will be as good as the first, and that hope typically is what brings audiences back for a second round. However, too often we’re left scratching our heads asking ourselves what happened? The good news is, after watching Iron Man 2 I didn’t do that. I left the theater pleased. Was it as good as the first film? I don’t think so. But it was entertaining, and in the end, that’s really all that matters.

Iron Man 2, in my opinion, bites off more then it can chew by introducing numerous subplots into the story that don’t add all that much to the development of the characters. At first you are lead to believe that the story is going to focus on how Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is slowly being poisoned by his own Iron Man suit, and you kind of feel sorry for him. But then the film throws in the fact that the US military wants his suit, so there’s a possibility that his friend Lt Col Rhodes (Don Cheadle) MIGHT have to betray him. Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) is hell bent on the death of Stark, and gets some help from the slimy businessman Justin Hammer, brilliantly played by Sam Rockwell. If that wasn’t enough, Stark hands off his company to Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) because he thinks he’s going to die soon, plus there’s some quick side story to how Howard Stark was a terrible father... or was he? I imagine what helps Tony get through his issues is having Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson) as a personal assistant.

Everything that you see is pretty predictable, and at no point did I ever feel Stark was seriously in danger of death except on the race track scene in Monaco where Whiplash appears in all his glory chopping F1 racers in half with a flick of the wrist (Probably one of the best scenes in the movie). However, the rest of the time, Tony is in his Iron Man suit safe as can be. That sort of fighting doesn’t make an audience grip their seat cushion, and for a movie to be called Iron Man 2, and only have Iron Man appear four times in a two and half hour block seems like false advertising. 

I think what was a little disappointing was that the bad guys don’t seem to be a real threat to anyone. It’s not till the end that we get some larger than life robot fighting, and even then, it seems just too easy. However, even after everything mentioned above, I can drink the Kool-Aid of fandom because I assume this film was never supposed to be looked at critically. You can enjoy every second of Iron Man 2 because of the acting ability of each cast member. Downy, as in the first film, engages the audience with his quips, megalomaniac antics, and perfect sense of timing, while Rourke and Rockwell add a darker element that gives us at least the illusion that something big is coming. However, the best scenes are with Paltrow and Downey who have an amazing ability to banter with each other so naturally that you wonder if what they are saying was really in the script or just improvisation.

I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention Johansson as Black Widow, where we get to see her in a skin tight unitard tossing guards around like rag dolls. I’m still attempting to roll my tongue back into my mouth.

Also, one can’t judge this movie without recognizing the amazing Visual FX that were in it. Even amidst the over population of explosions and robot fighting everything seemed normal, although I could have done without the Iron Man drunk dance… yep, Jon Favreau went there.

While I doubt this sequel can reach the same heights of say, The Dark Knight, there is really no good reason not see this film. You may wonder at times why so much is going on at once, and even question why Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is introduced into the story at all (I know I did). But after all is said and done, if you want to be entertained, or are an avid Iron Man fan, then go see the movie. You’re sure to enjoy it.

The Film Opens May 7th