By Despite a few empty action sequences that appear to be thrown in only to please those with a short attention span, “Iron Man 2,” directed by Jon Favreau, is an entertaining thrill ride with a well-chosen cast and a screenplay that is light enough to provide sporadic laughs.
The sequel sees the return of gregarious billionaire Tony Stark, a former weapons manufacturer who now dons the Iron Man suit in an effort to “privatize world peace.”
The sequel picks up where the first film left off, at Stark’s confession on national news that he is Iron Man. With the announcement comes harassment from the government to hand over the Iron Man design. Stark refuses and, instead, attempts to single-handedly stamp out primary copycat Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash.
Vanko, played by Mickey Rourke, is a man with a grudge. As the son of an important Russian weapons dealer who had recently died, the motive behind Vanko’s vicious emotions toward Stark is one soaked in sadistic revenge. Rourke does a fine job of capturing the scummy, scheming personality of Vanko.
Most comic book movie adaptations allow the good versus evil battle to gradually build throughout the film until it reaches a climactic showdown. However, the best brawl in this film occurs at the beginning when Stark enters himself in an Indy car race in Monaco. Vanko emerges on the track donning a rough, homemade suit of his own design, complete with electrically charged whips that could slice a racecar in two with a single flick of his wrist. Vanko catches Stark at his most vulnerable moment when his battery, which keeps him alive, slowly begins to kill him due to a palladium infection. Tensions build around the scene, leaving viewers on edge.
On the other hand, the final fight falls a bit short. Vanko is not given enough opportunity to release his rage and, thus, all of the fighting and action that have led up to this point seem rather unfulfilling.
What is notable about the “Iron Man” series is that the most memorable scenes are not the ones brimming with action sequences, but rather casual moments between Downey and supporting actors who provide unsuspecting humor.
Competitive weapons mogul Justin Hammer, played by Sam Rockwell, is determined to outsmart Stark Industries with an iron suit of his own.
Scarlett Johansson, as mysterious undercover agent Natasha Romanoff, flirts well but lets her hair down and outshines the men during the final action scene.
In addition, the expansion of Jon Favreau’s role as Happy Hogan, Stark’s driver, does not go unnoticed as he persistently provides comic relief in unlikely moments.
As Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr. portrays Stark’s egocentric narcissism with ease while still maintaining likeability for the character. His charm is evident while his deliverance of witty one-liners adds that extra oomph to the overall film. Downey has been perfectly cast as Stark, whose laid-back attitude continues to feel as if he isn’t really taking any of this too seriously.
On the other hand, those who should shine in Stark’s inner circle are actually the more inferior characters. This includes Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, played by Don Cheadle, and Pepper Potts, played by Gwyneth Paltrow.
If the film’s intent is to remain true to the comic books, Rhodey should be at a stage where his role as sidekick is firmly planted in viewers’ minds. Instead, he is never given the chance to properly identify his own sense of style or his purpose.
Paltrow spends too much of the movie squealing while Potts’ perpetual annoyance toward Stark becomes a bit trite. Audiences are supposed to cheer for the blossoming romance between Stark and Potts, but are instead recoiling in their seats.
Although the plot of “Iron Man 2” does not pique as much interest as its predecessor, it surely packs the same amount of punch. Introductory stories of discovery and invention are always going to have more to say and, with that in mind, “Iron Man 2” does not disappoint.
Disclaimer: The Daily 49er is not responsible for Postings made on www.daily49er.wpengine.com. Persons commenting are solely responsible for Postings made on this website. Persons commenting agree to the Terms of Use of the website. If Postings do not abide by the Rules of Conduct or Posting Regulations as listed in the Postings Policy, the Daily 49er has all rights to delete Postings as it deems necessary. The Daily 49er strongly advises individuals to not abuse their First Amendment rights, and to avoid language suggestive of hate speech. This site also encourages users to make Postings relevant to the article or other Postings.
