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Last Updated: Tuesday, 12 November 2013 05:34
Short on action and full of comedy, the sequel to the high enjoyable IRON MAN doesn't live up to it's original.
Tony Stark played by the always entertaining Robert Downey, Jr. is back with a slicker, shinier new suit in IRON MAN 2 but the lackluster story falls short. The industrial tycoon is as pompous as ever (just how we like it), and taking pleasure from his new found superhero stardom. Facing several enemies in IRON MAN 2 including the United States congress, a classic bad guy (Mickey Roarke), and the anti-Tony Stark wannabe (Sam Rockwell), Stark is also in danger of dying from the technology fueling his heart. Wait! There's more. And that's the problem with this sequel -- too much story crammed in a 126 minute movie.
As Tony Stark's birthday approaches, the pressures lead him to destructive behavior including partying a la Lindsay Lohan. Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts has been made CEO of Stark's company, keeping him in check while his best friend Lt. Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes (Don Cheadle) threatens to take his Iron Man suit for military use. In the meantime, Iron Man's nemesis Whiplash (Mickey Roarke) builds his own core reactor that rivals Iron Man and seeks revenge against Tony Stark. Stark's competitor Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) hires Whiplash to create Iron Man's suits for the government. Add to the mix Samuel Jackson's Nick Fury as part of the superhero organization (S.H.E.I.L.D.) popping in and out like an Obi-Wan Kenobi guiding Tony on a new path to discovery and planting the seed for a future Marvel movie franchise. Scarlett Johansson also joins the motley crew as Stark's new secretary and eventually becomes the Black Widow.
VIDEO: Watch IRON MAN 2 Trailer & Review
Expectations are high after delivering a very satisfying movie in IRON MAN so it's no surprise some may be disappointed with the follow-up. The sequel suffers from the usual problems facing a franchise film in what CineMovie coined 'Sequelitis' where substance is replaced by quantity. The introduction of four new characters or five (if you count War Machine), poses problems when there is not enough time to explain their origins. Comic book fans may be better clued in than the average viewer when it comes to the new characters, homages and disses to other Marvel comic book characters in IRON MAN 2. (Keep an eye out for a jab at Captain America.) Some non-comic book viewers will definitely be left out of the inside jokes.
VIDEOS: Fans Review IRON MAN 2
War Machine also makes his debut in IRON MAN 2 with Don Cheadle's Rhodey donning an iron man suit with fire power modifications but unlike Stark's Iron Man in the first film, Rhodey masters the suits functionality in an instant, taking on Stark's Iron Man (albeit in a drunken state) in an equal match.
Another unfortunate victim of sequelitis is Mickey Roarke's Russian bad guy who lacks originality, plays out like a caricature and not given enough depth or 'evilness.' The Wrestler's talent is wasted. Paltrow's Pepper also has nothing much to do except playing it cold and whiny as Stark's love interest. However, you don't see any passion between the characters until the very end after he saves her life...again. New viewers to the Iron Man series will have no clue to the relationship until it's revealed in a news piece half-way through the movie.
The strongest new character, however, is Sam Rockwell's Justin Hammer in a scene-stealing performance. The uncool Tony Stark wannabe immediately sets the pace for the envious military contractor who not only competes for Stark's technology but life style. Like Robert Downey, Jr, Sam Rockwell always brings a character to life effectively.
Robert Downey, Jr. succeeds in taking Tony Stark's character to another level. The SHERLOCK HOLMES actor never fails to please audiences with his delivery of lines especially when it comes to Stark's pompous, wise-cracking, and fallable nature. It's obvious Downey Jr and crew ad lib-bed a lot of the sarcasm which proved too much at times but Downey's like-ability makes the film still worth watching.
As far as the action scenes, there weren't that many-- surprising for a sequel (ie. Transformers 2). The big number was saved for the very end. The earlier fight scenes with Whiplash and War Machine were more showy than climactic. In the first film, audiences rooted for Iron Man taking down terrorist and saving villagers from the real-life threats. In IRON MAN 2, the two early action sequences are devoid of that peril. Tony Stark is fighting to save himself which doesn't carry the same weight. On the plus side, the special effects and CGI work didn't take over the film and the action sequences were east to follow unlike recent action movies that rely on fast cuts to to masks the stunts. On a side note, during one of Whiplash versus Iron Man action scene, Iron Man makes some robotic gestures reminiscent of the Japanese tv classic Giant Robot (a personal favorite) but whether it was unintentional or not by director Jon Favreau or Downey is not clear.
Compliments to Favreau's musical choices from The Clash and AC/DC to match Tony Stark's rock n' roll attitude.
Despite some of the criticism with the story, viewers will not be bored with IRON MAN 2 and will have a good time watching Robert Downey Jr. in action. The key is to lower your expectations going in and forget about putting it on par with it's predecessor. Make sure to stay in your seats for the end credits for another Marvel surprise.
Iron Man 2 is in theaters May 7th.
