Movie Review: Iron Man 2
May 8th, 2010 by Samodean

Thumbs up all around.

First, a quick non-spoiler review. Iron Man 2 is everything a sequel should be, bigger louder and faster. It takes everything that made the first movie so fun and builds on it. Some of the comedy from the first is missing, but it has been replaced by a deeper look at the character of Tony Stark, a tradeoff I’m willing to accept. The action scenes are suitably intense, without ever being hard to follow. The story flows well and works. Each actor delivers a strong performance, though I wonder how necessary Scarlett Johansson’s character was to the plot. Mickey Rourke is getting all the buzz about his role as Ivan Vanko, aka Whiplash, and deservedly so, but look for a great performance by Sam Rockwell as rival industrialist Justin Hammer. I was a little concerned about Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard, but I greatly prefer his take on the character now that I’ve seen it. Also, kudos to John Favreau and Mavel for not giving anything away in the trailers. You’ll have to pay to see all the best stuff.

Bottom line: Iron Man 2 is a perfect summer film. Lots of fun, suitable for the whole family, a good time for fans and Comic Noobs alike. Marvel may be new at making movies, but they’re not new at crafting stories. Sony, Fox and any other studio releasing superhero movies, with or without the Marvel license, need to step it up or go home.

For the spoiler-filled section, I’ve included a page break, so anyone reading through RSS and trying to avoid spoilers will likely want to stop here.

I found the story to be great. From the previews, I was expecting something a little more along the lines of “Armor Wars” but I’m not complaining about what I’ve got. They get kudos for taking an absolute D-list character like Whiplash and making him into something. Unlike Spider-Man or the X-Men, Iron Man doesn’t have a very robust Rogue’s Gallery, and many of his more high-profile foes would be difficult to do well in a major movie. Instead, they’ve tapped the root of some of Iron Man’s best stories, industrial espionage and Iron Man having to deal with, not necessarily his enemies, but those of Stark Enterprises. While Whiplash may be the movie’s premiere super-villain, Justin Hammer is its real villain.

The first movie showed us Tony Stark, freewheeling, adventurous, millionaire playboy. While that aspect of the character is still present, it has been dialed down a bit, for the better in my opinion. While Iron Man may be nearly invincible, Tony Stark is not, and it’s nice to see the cracks forming, not necessarily in the armor, but beneath it. Tony Stark is one of Marvel’s highest-profile characters with some of the most visible flaws. His battles with alcoholism have been well-documented in the comics and is present here, though not at the forefront of the story.

With the change to Tony Stark’s character, we also have a change to his long-time friend, Jim Rhodes. Rhodey tries to stand by Tony, but sometimes your friends need some tough love. This is where Don Cheadle really steps up to the plate. Terrence Howard’s version of the character fit the lighthearted tone of the first movie, but Don Cheadle really nails it here, lending a certain amount of gravitas to the character. In the end, Cheadle’s Rhodey is more true to the roots of the character.

Then, we have the involvement of S.H.I.E.L.D. The more I get to see of Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury, the better, though I feel they’re pushing the “Avengers Initiative” a bit too hard. I also question Black Widow’s role in the film, it all felt a bit out of place. Then again, I’d much rather watch a movie with Scarlett Johansson than without her.

WARNING: Things get even MORE spoilery below.

If you pay attention closely, there is a much larger subplot to be found. While the whole “Palladium poisoning” deal seemed a bit odd, it was the impetus behind a potentially big plot development. Nick Fury is up to something. He knows Tony Stark is dying and they can help each other. Tony needs a cure, and Fury needs the discovery leading to it. What’s that discovery? Vibranium.

Back in the 1940s, a very small amount of Vibranium fell into American hands. This was used to create Captain America’s shield. It’s been long-established that Howard Stark, Tony’s father, worked with the government during World War II. (Though, this may have to be retconned at some point, as the 70-year timeline in between is getting a bit stretched) It could easily be a possibility that, in the Marvel movie continuity, he helped craft the shield. He learned of Vibranium and researched it, but was unable to reproduce it, so he left the legacy behind for his son.

Nick Fury knew Tony was dying from his exposure to Palladium, but kept Howard’s research to himself. Fury could have come to Tony sooner than he did, but he knew Stark would be unwilling to listen. So, Fury waited until Tony was at his weakest, then approached him with a “miracle cure.” Why would Nick Fury need Tony Stark to discover a way to manufacture Vibranium? To give the newly-found Captain America a new shield, obviously.

So, we’re possibly starting to see the connection between Captain America and Iron Man. The “secret ending” brings one more into the fold. When Agent Coulson was called away to New Mexico, I assumed it was for Hulk-related reasons, as the American Southwest is his usual stomping grounds. When the camera panned back to reveal Mjolnir in the crater, I giggled.

Like a little girl.

Though the focus on his license plate is still bugging me. It HAS to mean something: 8RE 2Z1

Or maybe they’re just messing with us. Bastards.

“Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of … THOR”

Tags: Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, review, Thor