New characters and amazing action sequences make IRON MAN 2 a must see sequel

Paramount Pictures | 2010 | Rated PG-13 | 124 minutes

Surprisingly, I was not that excited to see the first IRON MAN movie, which didn’t make that much sense since I am a huge Robert Downey, Jr. fan and normally enjoy director Jon Favreau’s (SWINGERS) work. I figured that it would be just yet another quick push to turn a comic book into a movie to capitalize on the popular trend at the time, and that the viewing audience would be given yet another easily forgettable film that was more marketing hype than substance. Fortunately, I was very wrong. The first IRON MAN film proved to be incredibly entertaining and Robert Downey, Jr. gave a stellar performance that beautifully captured Tony Stark’s rampant narcissism as well as his unwavering commitment to doing the right thing. Robert Downey, Jr. created a character that was not just stock or stereotype, but multi-dimensional, something that unfortunately a lot of the comic book films forego. Now with IRON MAN 2, Robert Downey, Jr. is back as the billionaire Stark who now is facing pressure from the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee to hand over the Iron Man suit since it is in all actuality, a weapon. Coupling this with a growing medical concern for Stark, as well as a new super Russian bad guy, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) to deal with, IRON MAN 2 is a wildly fun film, and one that easily sets the bar exceptionally high for the kickoff of the summer blockbuster season.

Robert Downey, Jr. is brilliant once again in his portrayal of Stark, with his trademark egocentrism still fully intact, and this is best evidenced in one of the opening scenes in the movie when he verbally battles back and forth with Senator Stern (Garry Shandling) at a Congressional hearing where Stark logically concludes that he has, “Successfully privatized world peace.” This sets the strong comedic tone for the film, which Favreau has masterfully balanced within the context of the movie, never letting it overshadow or upstage any of the plot, but instead providing just the perfect level of comic relief that is more tongue in cheek, than overbearing for the audience.

It is the casting of IRON MAN 2 though and the strong focus on creating great and fully developed characters that makes the film stand out from others in the genre, and with the addition of phenomenally strong performances by Mickey Rourke as Vanko and Don Cheadle as Lt. Col. James Rhodes, a well-balanced cast that plays off of each other spectacularly is created. Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff is likewise a fantastic new addition to the IRON MAN franchise and her fight scenes are some of the best moments of the film and ones that will have the entire audience cheering out loud. Unfortunately she does not get as much screen time as she should, but hopefully this will lead to a more profound presence in IRON MAN 3.

There are some misfires with the casting however, and once again Gwyneth Paltrow’s character of Stark’s secretary, Pepper Potts, comes across as grating and unidimensional despite figuring pretty prominently in the plot of the film. Sam Rockwell’s portrayal of Justin Hammer is painfully over the top, and he too seems content in keeping his performance trapped in the stereotype of the character as opposed to taking a more subtle approach to introducing just a tinge of layers to his role. Yes, this is a comic book movie, but watching any of Rockwell’s scenes with Robert Downey, Jr. will make the shallowness of Rockwell’s performance stand out blatantly.

Visually IRON MAN 2 is phenomenal, and the Monaco Grand Prix scene easily ranks as one of the best car sequences ever captured on film and one that will leave audiences breathless.

IRON MAN 2 is an incredibly fun ride with the perfect blend of action, humor and drama, and with an exceptional cast for the most part, is definitely a film that everyone needs to make sure and see on the big screen.

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