Iron Man 2 Review

With a movie like iron man two, you are going into it with a built in wild swing of expectations. You are hoping with all your geeky heart that it will be as awesome as the movie that spawned this sequel in the first place. And, while it doesn’t quite live up to that original, it is still pretty damn good. It’s a fun, well-acted and well crafted film that manages to keep you interested in the story even when it slows down a bit to let in more special effects and action sequences.

After the events of the first film, billionaire industrialist Tony Stark is under pressure from various government agencies to reveal his weaponized suit of armor so that it can be used to protect the world. Stark is reluctant, arguing that it could fall into the wrong hands and end up being weaponized against his own people. His resistance is exacerbated by the fact that his palladium is poisoning him and he is only holding off on dying until he can find a cure.

While trying to salvage a life that seems to be crumbling around him, Stark must also deal with the ghosts of his father’s legacy as he is pursued by a Russian weapons genius named Ivan Vanko, who wants revenge on Stark for sins committed by his own family members. This leads to some interesting plotting juggling and an interesting side-plot involving his new assistant, Natalie Rushman (who is actually Black Widow sent by Nick Fury of SHIELD).

One of the things that keeps this from being just another run of the mill superhero flick is the fact that the director, Don Cheadle, has really honed in on the performances of Downey and Gwyneth Paltrow as well as the supporting cast of characters. The dialogue is witty and intelligent, the jokes are spot on and there are plenty of “Easter eggs” for long time comic book fans to find.

The chemistry between the stars is solid and the fight scene between them is very well handled. The only problem is that the film does drag a bit during the middle, while it also doesn’t fully explore either the ennui of a man who doesn’t want to shoulder the responsibility of being a hero or the philosophical quandary of a man who is forced to examine issues that he never had to before.

The final showdown with Vanko is bombastic but a little ridiculous as well. It’s a fun movie with some great acting and a witty script, but the film is let down by its lead villain and the final showdown. Still, it’s an enjoyable ride and a nice set up for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 4/10