*THIS REVIEW IS SPOILER FREE*
“Iron Man 2” largely prevails over its predecessor and gains solid footing into the best of what comic movie adaptions have to offer.
Robert Downey, Jr. yet again shows audiences he can fully envelop himself into another persona. He is Tony Stark; he is Iron Man. Even with the flashy visual effects and fairly interesting plot line, Downey is the reason the two films have soared to the top of the box office.
The story continues shortly after the events of the first movie. Tony Stark has let the world know he is the man inside the armored super-weapon suit known as Iron Man. The U.S. government is attempting to take possession of the suit because, as it stands in the film, Iron Man is the only nuclear deterrent on our side.
The government doesn’t want one private citizen to be the only thing preventing World War III. This leads to a rival technology and military arms corporation, Hammer Industries, to take interest in Stark and his exclusive technology.
This is one interesting and unique aspect of Iron Man– everybody knows who he is.
Unlike Spiderman and Batman, Stark doesn’t possess a secret identity. This plays out through the course of the film with apprehension and the feeling of being in unknown waters. It can be quite interesting seeing Downey’s character react to the scrutiny and celebrity status of being Iron Man. His arrogance leads down some self-destructive paths throughout the 125-minute movie.
The main baddie this time around is a Russian physicist and alcoholic, Ivan Vanko. He is somehow able to replicate Stark’s source of power to create his own power suit. In the comic realm, he is known as Whiplash. He has two electrified cords on either arm that act as whips. It’s cool stuff when you see it in action.
Be warned though, this sequel has less action than the previous installment. There is more plot development and jokes peppered throughout to fill the time. This isn’t a bad thing in any way, it keeps it entertaining and engaging, but worth noting.
“Iron Man 2” had a large production budget and it reflects in it’s cast. Following Downey is Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, and Samuel L. Jackson. Each character might not have a major role, but the powerhouse cast gives the film that extra coat of polish to help it shine.
If I was asked to sum up “Iron Man 2” in just one word, it would be “fun.” This film epitomizes the movie theater experience by really sucking you in and taking you for a fun ride. There are laughs, character development, an engaging story, action, and well, Iron Man. This comic adaption easily ranks in as my second favorite comic book movie (falling behind none other than 2008’s Batman movie, “The Dark Knight”). It easily earns 8.5/10.
For those of you who haven’t seen the movie yet, stay after the credits. This is a norm for most comic films, so make sure you hang around for a special treat. Let us know what you think about it in the comments section below.
